“TODAY WE HONOR THEM”
“Freedom carries a cost that is paid by real people with real families, real dreams, and real futures that were never fully realized.”
“It is a solemn occasion set aside by a grateful nation to honor the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to this country.”
Today we honored them – a few by name, but most grouped together as “the fallen” who gave All in fighting for freedoms in service of their country in wars and conflicts in places all over the world. We honored the ones who lost their lives in service and who never came home. But even if we did not know them personally, they all had names, all had families, and all continue to deserve our respect, honor, and appreciation for their sacrifices in the line of duty to protect the freedoms we hold so dear. “There is no passage of time that fully heals the loss of someone taken in service to this country.”
Retired veteran, Master Sergeant U.S. Air Force David Jordan introduced us today to one of the heroic fallen American soldiers who we honored today – Staff Sgt. John T. Self.
Staff Sgt. John T. Self lost his life on May 14, 2007 while on his 79th combat patrol as a fire team leader assisting Iraqis taking back the streets of Baghdad. An improvised explosive device tore through his vehicle killing him and wounding three fellow Airmen on the patrol. The Airmen were part of a police transition team belonging to Det. 3 of the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. (Air Force news article, May 21, 2007, Balad Air Base, Iraq)
“Our mission was not simple.” “Our Airmen and Soldiers moved daily through neighborhoods filled with ambushes, roadside bombs, and uncertainty. We trained local police officers while attempting to bring stability to communities overwhelmed by violence. Every patrol carried risk. Every street corner held the possibility of attack.” “He died a HERO while serving others.” “He died believing his mission mattered.”
“What continues to resonate about Sergeant Self is not only the way he died, but the clarity with which he understood service before he deployed. He understood Service before Self!”
When discussing the dangers of Iraq, he wrote words that deserve to be remembered: “Every time a military member comes to the desert, they’re in the heat of danger… It is my job to serve my country to the best of my ability and die for it if I must.”
“Most Americans will never be asked to make peace with the possibility of sacrificing their life for strangers thousands of miles from home; yet generation after generation, our military has been filled with individuals who willingly accepted that burden.” “Sergeant Self was one of them.”
“The people we lose never completely leave us.” “That is why ceremonies like this matter.”
Local Veterans, their families, community leaders and citizens assembled today by the large patriotic flag mural at the Devine VFW Post 3966 to honor the memory of these soldiers, like Sgt. Self, with prayer, speeches, a flag retirement ceremony, and the Missing Man Table ceremony. This day served as a powerful point of remembrance, symbolizing that the absent comrades are with us in spirit and never forgotten. “Nations survive not only because of military strength, but because they choose to remember sacrifice with honesty and dignity.” “May we never allow their sacrifices to fade into history unnoticed:” MAY WE NEVER FORGET!
*The Devine VFW Post 3966 would like to thank the many veterans, community leaders, and citizens who attended and participated in the annual Memorial Davy ceremony. Special thanks to Medina County Judge Keith Lutz & City of Devine Administrator David Jordan for their heartfelt speeches honoring our fallen veterans; to Boy Scout Troop 72 leader Chris Morris and Scout Gus, and Devine Fire & Rescue team for helping with the flag retirement ceremony; to Devine Current Events Club for providing ice cream; and to its Post officers and members who made the whole event possible. Thank you.
Lewis Stroud & Dennis Ortega prepare the table for the Missing Man Table ceremony for Memorial Day, with Gary Saathoff announcing.
VFW Post 3966 member Dennis Ortega at Memorial Day Ceremony.