Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Joe Armas | A soldier from the 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st...... read more read more
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CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan -- “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy,” said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the late civil rights leader who challenged Americans of all backgrounds to peacefully seek racial equality in the 1960s.
From his famous march on Washington to his peaceful protests, King’s legacy is well documented and celebrated every year by millions of Americans in January.
In Afghanistan, Soldiers from the 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, honored King’s legacy during a ceremony Jan. 10 at the airfield dining facility. The Soldiers recounted the timeline of King’s life through poems, songs and speeches.
“Dr. King was a leader for those who suffered from injustice,” said 1st Lt. Steven Coleman, from Sylacauga, Ala., executive officer, Company A, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st ACB.
“He was the trailblazer for the civil rights movement who united people of all creeds in a peaceful manner,” added Coleman, who recited the poem “Remembering a Life” during the ceremony.
Coleman said that King’s legacy is not exclusively represented in the achievements of minorities, but in the achievements of all Americans.
“It’s a testament to how we have evolved as a society, that we no longer judge people by the color of their skin,” said Coleman.
Sgt. Stanley Isaacs, from Starkville, Miss., who organized the event, said the intent was for those in attendance to fully understand the hardships King endured in his plight for equality.
“It’s amazing when you think about the trouble that he went through and all of the heartaches he suffered just so people would be treated equally,” said Isaacs.
Isaacs said King’s legacy resonates with him on a personal level, since the civil rights struggle directly affected his family back in Mississippi.
“My grandmother couldn’t even ride on a bus back then [in the 1960s],” said Isaacs. “She just did as she was told; she wasn’t afforded the same opportunities I have today.”
Dr. King brought about change and his efforts turned the tide for minorities so that they could have a chance to succeed in today’s society, said Isaacs.
“Here I am serving in the Army as a noncommissioned officer…we’ve come a long way,” added Isaacs.
Spc. Ecclesia Walker sang “Precious Lord, Take my Hand” during the ceremony in honor of Dr. King.
According to Jesse Jackson, who was at King’s side at the time of his death, King had requested for that song to be played at an event that he was scheduled to attend that evening prior to his death.
Walker, from Clarksville, Tenn., a motor transport operator, assigned to A. Co., 615th ASB, cited King’s “I Have a Dream” speech as proof of what King stood for.
“It’s important to understand the impact Dr. King had on our society,” she added.
“He had a dream that our nation would rise up and realize that all men are created equal,” said Walker.
King’s perseverance and determination in his quest for equality set the example for others to emulate, added Walker.
Coleman said the irony of the ceremony being held in Afghanistan is that Dr. King’s legacy is prevalent throughout America’s diverse fighting force.
“The mission of Dr. King’s life was to unify people to come together, and here you have Soldiers with different ethnicities and backgrounds fighting together as one team,” said Coleman.
| Date Taken: | 01.11.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 01.11.2012 08:11 |
| Story ID: | 82259 |
| Location: | CAMP MARMAL, AF |
| Web Views: | 1,317 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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