BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Members of Joint Task Force Empire and honored guests gathered to officially dedicate the Staff Sgt. Dain Venne Engineer Center at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, Nov. 19. The center, built by engineers for engineers, will be a central location for synchronizing military engineer operations throughout the country.
JTF Empire, the single engineer brigade command coordinating Army, Air Force and Navy engineer operations in Afghanistan, dedicated the building to the memory of Staff Sgt. Dain Venne of the 444th Engineer Company, who was killed in the line of duty in Paktya Province, Afghanistan, Nov. 3. Additionally, attendees honored two other Soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice by dedicating the Sgt. Brett Gornewicz Conference Room and the Sgt. 1st Class James E. Thode Joint Operations Center in the new establishment.
Gornewicz was killed in the line of duty while conducting route clearance operations with the 444th En. Co. in Paktya Province, Afghanistan, Nov. 3. Thode was killed while conducting route clearance operations with the 118th Engineer Sapper Company, Dec. 10, 2010.
“These three men are heroes in the truest sense of the word,” said Brig. Gen. David L. Weeks, commanding general of the 411th Engineer Brigade, Joint Task Force Empire. “It is appropriate that we honor these fallen engineers for their service, for their ultimate sacrifice, for their fight against terrorism. These men gave all they had in the defense of freedom, for mission accomplishments, to ensure freedom of movement, to ensure a better and free Afghanistan.”
Weeks explained the Venne Center will centrally direct engineer combat and construction operations throughout Afghanistan. The major focus of these operations will be to manage and guide the training and development of Afghan National Army Engineers.
“ANA engineers will soon assume the mission of assuring freedom of movement and synchronizing construction operations for the building of infrastructure here,” explained Weeks. “They will be the cornerstone in the development of a better and a brighter Afghanistan.”
The dedication was bittersweet for many attendees as they reflected on the men whose names will now be permanently associated with the hub of all engineer operations. Capt. Donald J. Oechslin, commander of the 444th En. Co., based out of Oswego, N.Y., said the new center was aptly named.
“Staff Sgt. Venne influenced others with his actions. This man was a decision maker,” Oechslin reflected. “There is no better place to dedicate than this building which will influence (engineer operations) throughout this country.”