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    Sustainers, Gold Star, Surviving Families

    Sustainers, Gold Star, Surviving Families

    Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Neysa Canfield | Soldiers from the 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division Sustainment...... read more read more

    FORT CAMPBELL, KY, UNITED STATES

    04.13.2017

    Story by Sgt. Neysa Canfield 

    101st Division Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs

    FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – “He could light up a room,” said Cyndy Clark, a Gold Star mother, as she talked about her son, Sgt. Richard Giordano, to the other Gold Star Families at her table. “I miss him every day and even though I didn’t get to spend many years with him, I appreciate every second I did have with him.”

    Clark and three other Gold Star and Surviving Families united with the Soldiers from the 101st Special Troops Battalion “Sustainers,” 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Sustainment Brigade, 101st Abn. Div., to honor their fallen Soldiers during the Fallen Sustainers Remembrance Ceremony, April 13, here.

    Clark, who lost her son in 2012 in an accidental drowning on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, said this is her and her husband’s third year of attending the ceremony, and although her son was never part of the unit, they make her feel like part of the family.

    “The unit has really adopted us into their family here and it’s been great so far,” said Clark. “The respect they show us and our son every year is just truly amazing.”

    The ceremony honored 18 fallen Soldiers, 14 of whom were from the 101st STB, 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde, with the remaining four Soldiers from different units and duty stations ranging from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Abn. Div. to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

    Lt. Col. Wally Vives-Ocasio, commander of the 101st STB, 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde., said that although the ceremony was initially held to honor those who died during the attack on Forward Operating Base Gamberi, Afghanistan on April 16, 2011, it was important to honor all the fallen Soldiers from the battalion and those Soldiers from the battalion’s extended family.

    “We wanted to keep the ceremony close to the date of the attack because in one single attack we lost five Soldiers,” said Vives-Ocasio. “It was also important for us hold the ceremony because although some of the Soldiers were not from our unit, they are still our brothers and sisters in arms, and providing this ceremony for their families is the least we could do for them.”

    The battalion and the Gold Star and Surviving Families honored their fallen Soldiers by displaying the Soldiers’ pictures in front of a battalion formation and unveiling each picture one by one, then conducting a one-mile remembrance run.

    Clark, who walked the mile with two other surviving family members, said she and her husband enjoy attending ceremonies like this because it helps honor the memory of her son.

    “It’s comforting to know that the Army remembers their fallen Soldiers enough to take a day to honor and remember them,” said Clark.

    Clark added that organizations such as the Tragedy Assistance Program, Survivor Outreach Services, and the Gold Star Survivors program are what helped her and her husband after their son’s death and encourages all families who have lost a loved one to reach out to the different programs.

    After the run, Families were invited to attend a breakfast in the battalion’s classroom while the 101st Abn. Div. band played for the Families and Soldiers.

    Clark said she enjoyed everything from the unveiling of pictures to hearing the relaxing music the band played during the breakfast and can’t wait to see what the battalion has planned for next year’s ceremony.

    “Everything was truly wonderful this year,” said Clark about the ceremony. “Every year is different, but it’s always a wonderful experience and it means the world to us to see our son’s picture displayed.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.13.2017
    Date Posted: 05.03.2017 16:01
    Story ID: 232439
    Location: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US

    Web Views: 48
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN