Story by: Staff Sgt. Susan German
CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq -- "The reason Damien is a hero is not because he died fighting in Iraq, Damien is a hero because of the way he lived his life every day."
The words of his close friend and comrade in arms, Sgt. Kurt Wernicke, were spoken in a eulogy honoring Sgt. Damien Ficek during a memorial ceremony held at Camp Prosperity Jan. 4.
Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, from Washington state's 81st Brigade Combat Team, and associates gathered at the Camp Prosperity chapel to pay their final respects to a Soldier; an American hero who laid down his life for his country, his fellow Soldiers, both American and Iraqi, and the freedom of the Iraqi people.
As a truck bomb exploded at an Iraqi army camp adjacent to Camp Prosperity just 45 minutes prior to the ceremony, Soldiers couldn't help but be reminded that they are in a war zone. The chapel itself wasn't immune from the blast as newly installed windows were blasted out. The posthumously awarded Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medals that adorned the memorial display were yet another reminder that the survivors were in a combat environment.
Ficek, a Ranger and infantryman from Pullman, Wash., was killed by small arms fire as anti-Iraqi forces attacked his patrol Dec. 30, according to the Department of Defense news release.
"The word "can't" does not exist in his Ranger vocabulary. Damien represents all that we cherish about being citizen-Soldiers, willing to step forward during a time of need, knowing full well the dangers which face him on a daily basis," Capt. Aaron Bert, company commander of Eagle Company, 1-161 Inf. said.
Prior to his deployment, Ficek was a licensed masseuse with his own business, as well as a full-time student at Washington State University in Pullman. His goal after graduation was to help properly train college and high school athletes in order to help them prevent sports injuries. He enjoyed fly fishing, reading and being outdoors.
As much as he loved his work and school, though, his real passion was his wife, Kyla, according to Wernicke.
"The thing that impressed me about him most was his love for his wife and his family," Wernicke said. "True partners in life, I rarely ever saw Damien and Kyla apart. Always side by side, they did everything together. It made me want to be just like him, a tough exterior, and a true romantic at heart."
A musical photo tribute set to the tune of singer Toby Keith's "American Soldier," brought tears to the eyes of Soldiers, as sniffles could also be heard throughout the chapel.
Commanders from the 1st Cavalry Division, the 81st BCT and 3rd BCT were present for the ceremony. Members of the Iraqi National Guard, whose company Ficek was responsible for training, were also in attendance. The Iraqi commanders presented an Iraqi flag, which was added to the memorial display, and a plaque addressed to Mrs. Ficek. Although the ceremony was not a mandatory formation; the overflowing chapel was a testament to the friendships and respect that Ficek had amassed.
"He was the guy that everybody wanted to be around. We would talk and tell jokes," Capt. Eric Lawless, company commander of Company C, 1-161 Inf. said. "He would emphasize his belief that the [WSU] Cougars would crush the [Ohio State] Buckeyes if ever they were to meet again."
"My funniest memories are from sitting in the humvee at the ZGC [Zafaraniya Government Center] waiting on the Iraqi Soldiers to get ready and we would have story time," Lawless continued. "I'll always cherish my memories of Sgt. Ficek -- he is the epitome of the American fighting infantryman.
He is dedicated to the Army as well as his family. He's a commander's favorite kind of Soldier. If I had 135 Sgt. Ficeks in my company, I wouldn't have anything to do, for I"d know that everything was going to be done and done right."
Ficek, or Danger Dick as he was affectionately referred to by his closest friends, based on the rally cry that Ficek used to get his Soldiers ready for missions, was hand selected for the ING training mission, according to Sgt. 1st Class Michael Alfred, Ficek's platoon sergeant .
"When we arrived here in country and the ING mission was tasked to our battalion, there was no question in anyone's mind, Sgt. Ficek was required for this mission to be successful," Alfred said. "In the following months, we often discussed the importance of our mission. We both viewed that this mission was not only a once in a lifetime opportunity but it was the most important thing we could do here in Iraq.
"He constantly strove to improve their training and really cared about the welfare of each Iraqi Soldier. Damien reworked classes to suit their needs, spent time making better training aids and learned as much Arabic as he could.
He earned the respect and admiration of all the Iraqi Soldiers. When he was not present, Iraqi Soldiers would always come up to me and ask me, "where Ficek?" Alfred said.
As is the custom during a military memorial ceremony, the final roll call was conducted at the end of the ceremony.
Alfred called out Ficek's name -- Sgt. Ficek, Ranger Damien Ficek, Sgt. Damien Ficek, to which there was no response. Soldiers from the scout platoon stood on the bridge overlooking the lake next to the chapel and fired a 21-gun salute, preceding the playing of "Taps" by a 1st Cav. Div. bugler. Two Soldiers held a Washington State University Cougars banner outside the chapel.
Ficek was born Jan. 1, 1978 and would have turned 26 on New Year's Day. He joined the Army Aug. 29, 1996 and the Washington Army National Guard July 5, 2002. He leaves behind his wife, Kyla, his parents and two brothers, along with extended family and friends.
"We live on because we know that's what he would want. We know that because it's what each one of us would want in the same situation," Lt. Col. Christopher Fowler, battalion commander of 1-161 Inf. said.
"So in his memory, I will set aside the pain and guilt of his loss without ever forgetting that loss. And as I sit down with my sons and talk about the memory of Sgt. Ficek, I provide him a measure of immortality that every Soldier is due."
| Date Taken: | 01.24.2005 |
| Date Posted: | 01.24.2005 13:02 |
| Story ID: | 907 |
| Location: | CAMP PROSPERITY, IQ |
| Web Views: | 74 |
| Downloads: | 21 |
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