Photo By Sgt. Barry St. Clair | Soldiers of 16th Military Police Brigade hold an annual wreath laying ceremony at the...... read more read more
FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Soldiers assigned to the 16th Military Police Brigade laid a floral wreath at the Brigade Fallen Soldier Memorial. The ceremony took place here May 16 to commemorate the sacrifices of the Brigade’s fallen Soldiers.
The Sgt. 1st Class Wentz J. B. Shanaberger III, complex houses the brigade headquarters buildings, 503rd MP Battalion headquarters, Soldier barracks and law enforcement center. The building campus is named for Shanaberger, who was killed in action in Baghdad, Iraq March 24, 2004, while leading a platoon of Soldiers assigned to 21st MP Company, 503D MP Bn, 16th MP Bde.
“This is great to honor and remember Soldiers and their families, and to see people holding ceremonies like this,” said Wentz Shanaberger II, a former Marine, and Sgt. 1st Class Shanaberger’s father. “When we came home from Vietnam, there was nothing like this for us.”
The 16th MP Bde Fallen Soldier Memorial, established in 2006, contains the names of 117 Soldiers who have died while attached or assigned to the brigade, and includes 64 who have fallen since Sept. 11, 2001.
“Today we pause to remember the Soldiers of the 16th Military Police Brigade who died while serving their Army, and their country,” said Col. Alexander Conyers, brigade commander. “Today, we remember them not just as Soldiers, but as sons, daughters, wives, husbands, fiancées, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends, and battle buddies.”
The ceremony in full sunlight following a night of flash-flooding rain, featured a bugler playing taps, the laying of the floral wreath in the design and colors of the unit patch, and a bag piper playing “Amazing Grace.”
“These types of memorials are also for us, the living, to be dedicated to the unfinished work – to be dedicated to the great task before us,” said Conyers.
The brigade holds the memorial wreath laying ceremony annually for the Soldiers to pause during military appreciation month, just a few days ahead of the nation’s Memorial holiday, and appreciate those who have fallen from their ranks, whether in combat, training accidents, or law enforcement activities over the years.
“I am so proud to be here, and to be a Gold Star mother,” said Debbie Witsitt, mother of Spc. Geoffrey A. Witsitt, deceased, formerly assigned to 118th MP Company, 503rd MP Bn, 16th MP Bde. “The dignity, the reverence, the encouragement, the humanity of it is amazing.”
| Date Taken: | 05.16.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.16.2014 16:33 |
| Story ID: | 130119 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 441 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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