EDINBURGH, INDIANA -
The Army Expeditionary Civilian Workforce held a memorialization ceremony on Thursday June 8, 2023, at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. The ceremony was dedicated to the newly opened Sapper 6 dining facility, named in honor of six fallen Army National Guard Soldiers who lost their lives while deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2012. The Ceremony also dedicated the Central Issue Facility Warehouse in honor of a fallen deployed civilian who lost his life in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2014.
The six fallen Soldiers were all members of the 713th Engineer Company, Indiana National Guard.
Ssg. Jonathan Metzger, Sgt. Brian Leonhardt, Spc. Robert Tauteris Jr., and Spc. Christopher Patterson died January 6, 2012, when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device as they conducted a clearance operation.
Spc. Nicholas Taylor and Spc. Sergio Perez Jr. died July 16, 2012, when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with rocket propelled grenades as they conducted normal operations.
The ceremony also dedicated the Central Issue Facility warehouse to Defense Logistics Agency logistician Stephen Byus, who lost his life to a suicide bomber on September 16, 2014, while deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, as a member of the Defense Logistic Agencies’ civilian deployer contingent.
Civilian deployers support the uniformed forces in contingency and combat operations throughout the world and serve an integral role as they provide direct and enduring support to the war fighter.
The memorialization ceremony paid honor and tribute to a civilian deployer and six Soldiers who gave their lives in support of their country, but also afforded family and friends the opportunity to see their loved ones remembered for serving their country with dignity, respect and honor.
The memorialization service makes it clear that whether serving as a Soldier or civilian, in a deployed environment, the sacrifices are equally great and honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice is a poignant way to remember those brave individuals.
| Date Taken: | 06.08.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.13.2023 14:02 |
| Story ID: | 447055 |
| Location: | EDINBURGH, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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