Photo By 1st Lt. Brittany Kluck | U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Lopes, command sergeant major, 143d Sustainment Command...... read more read more
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Gold Star Mothers, Blue Star Mothers, Gold Star Wives, and other categories of survivors gathered for a picnic style event to connect and provide support to each other.
Created by Shinekqua Baines, U.S. Army Reserve Survivor Outreach Services Coordinator, Operation Love Letter is an event held every February near Valentine’s Day in more than 18 locations across the nation in which survivors gather to honor and celebrate their fallen service members love by sharing personal stories with hand written love letters, and creating the sweetest memories by sharing lunch and desserts.
This year the Navarrete and Conception families were recognized to receive the Gold Star Lapel button and Next-of-Kin Deceased Personnel button. These small lapel buttons are normally presented to eligible family members prior to the military funeral service or as appropriate. Although they are less than an inch in size, they are packed with great meaning and emotion. They are not awards. They are symbols of honor.
Deborah Turner was first to receive the Gold Star Wives Lapel button in honor of her late husband, Sgt. Job Navarrete, who was killed during the Vietnam War in 1971. When asked to speak about her favorite memories of her husband Mrs. Turner spoke about their strong bond of love they had for each other and the love they had for their country. Turner enjoyed the adventure of traveling with her late husband as he completed different military schools and as they traveled from state to state on different assignments. Back during Vietnam we didn’t do this. There wasn’t events like this for survivors, said Turner as she thanked those who made Operation Love Letters a success.
Tanisha Concepcion and her son, Ayden, were second to receive the lapel button in honor of her late husband, Sgt. 1st Class Heriberto Concepcion, who passed away in 2007. Concepcion and her husband both served in the 143d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) in Orlando, Fla. Concepcion is a reservist serving as the Assistant Inspector General of the 143d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). Concepcion words of remembrance about her husband was his love of food and how he would eat anything. Filled with emotion Conception continued to talk about her most joyous memories of her husband while the two were deployed to Kuwait from 2005 to 2006. “This was the most uninterrupted time we had with each other”, said Concepcion.
Concepcion spoke about how important the event is for her son as a way to remember his father. “It’s a way for him to make memories about his dad. He never had the opportunity to meet him. In his way it is a way for him to hold on to him.”
After the pinning ceremony more survivors shared stories and memories of their loved ones. As part of the event each survivor family is asked to bring their loved ones favorite dessert to share along with a sweet memory. The symbolism is to help tie in their favorite memory of their loved one to their favorite memory, the significance is to always remember.
Operation Love Letters concluded with a balloon release and floating of flowers as a way to honor the loved ones. As balloons were released and flowers floated in the water family members said silent prays or yelled out the name of their loved one in remembrance to them. Operation Love Letters is an event to honor, love, and remember the fallen as well bring together survivors.
“It’s good to have that time because people see me they associate me with the uniform. You’re a soldier, you should know what to expect, and you should know what to do. You’re that strong figure. It is my time to deal with it as a spouse” said Concepcion when asked why she attends Operation Love Letter.
| Date Taken: | 02.18.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2017 13:45 |
| Story ID: | 226152 |
| Location: | ORLANDO, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Survivor Outreach Services celebrates its Love of Country during Operation Love Letters, by 1LT Brittany Kluck, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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