CAMP ROBINSON, Ark. - A memorial service remembering the ultimate sacrifice all Arkansas national guardsmen have given, was held remembering the sacrifices made by all fallen Soldiers at the Camp Robinson, Ark., May 4.
Families remember their fallen Soldier in different ways, but always with fond devotion and good memories.
Veronica Collier, El Dorado, Ark., wife of Russell Lee Collier, Jr. who participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom, remembers her husband well. “It’s amazing, everyone comes together and remembers the Soldiers that’s been lost. You always wonder if people still think about the sacrifice, and this proves they do,” she said.
We’re very honored to be here, and really appreciate that everyone is honoring our family member, Collier said.
For Cheryl Felder-Stuart, Lewisville, Ark., it’s becoming harder to come to ceremonies for her son.
“This is painful,” Felder-Stuart said, “it opens up the wound, but I just remember all the good things and good times and good memories. After all, they chose this life, they chose the military…, he died doing what he chose to do – protecting his country,” she said.
“We take a moment to reflect and memorialize those folks at least every year so we don’t forget their sacrifice they made,” said Col. James Treece, Deputy Chief of Staff for Engineering, Arkansas Army National Guard.
“There are at least five names at the memorial,” mentioned Treece, “and as long as I’m alive, part of them will live with me. I’ll certainly never forget and today we’ll make it so others will never forget as well.”
“This is an opportunity to remember our fallen,” said Col. John Michael Stewart, commander, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. “It’s something we can never forget. This is an excellent opportunity to come here and pay our respect to the families and to the Soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.
For many families, it’s indeed hard and for others, time heals and soften painful wounds. All across the state and indeed the nation, we remember our Soldier heroes through services such as the memorial services from the Arkansas Army National Guard at Camp Robinson.