thedrifter
06-04-09, 07:15 AM
Remembering the Brave
6/3/2009 By Sgt. Judith Carver , Marine Corps Base Quantico
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. —
Seven members of the Marine Corps Shooting Team assigned to Weapons Training Battalion traveled to Byers, Colo. for the 2nd Annual Armed Forces Memorial Match May 14-17 to honor fallen service members.
“We often say never forget, we owe it to these Marines to have a Marine Corps presence there,” said Col. William Costantini, the commanding officer of WTBn. “Their stories should be told.”
Fifteen service members were recognized, each with a match dedicated to them. Several of their families and friends presented memorial trophies and plaques to the competitors.
“I told all the Marines, there are places where you want to win and there are places where you don’t,” said Staff Sgt. Guillermo Sandoval, an instructor competitor and coach for the Marine Corps Rifle Team at WTBn. “I didn’t go there to win, I went to there to show military support and appreciation.”
For Costantini and Sandoval, participating in the memorial was a meaningful occasion.
Costantini served with two of the Marines honored during the ceremony, Staff Sgt. Sam Holder and Lance Cpl. Kyle Burns.
“I served with these two Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom,” said Costantini. “Holder and Burns were in the second battle of Fallujah and killed on Veterans Day.”
A twist of fate brought Sandoval in touch with the family of a fallen comrade.
“On Friday I was assigned a random target and random firing point,” said Sandoval.
It turned out that the shooter before him, Doug Rund, was the brother of Lance Cpl. Gregory Rund, an infantryman he served with in Fallujah.
“Before I mentioned anything to Doug, I asked him if he believed in destiny, then I told him that I had served with his brother Greg,” said Sandoval. “When I told him that I served with his brother, he was more open; it was like the world’s best ice breaker.”
For some, the event was an opportunity to display their gratitude.
“I had friends and families go to the pits with us,” said Sandoval. “They just wanted to be with us to show their appreciation.”
The reality of war is apparent. During Operation Iraqi Freedom the Marine Corps suffered more than 1,000 fatalities since March 2003, and nearly 80 Marines were killed in action since January 2002 during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Every Memorial Day we pay tribute to our lost brothers and sisters.
“You might be hurt, you might be gone, but you’re not forgotten,” said Sandoval.
For more information about honoring these brave men and women visit, www.rememberingthebrave.org.
Those honored at the memorial:
2nd Lt. James Cathey
Lance Cpl. Gregory Rund
Lance Cpl. Justin Ellsworth
1st Lt. Matthew Vandergrift
Lance Cpl. Nicklas Palmer
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Falkel
U.S. Air Force Detective Michael Thomas
Lance Cpl. Andrew Riedel
Staff Sgt. Sam Holder
HM3 Christopher Anderson
U.S. Navy Seal GM 2 Danny Dietz
Lance Cpl. Kyle Burns
Lance Cpl. Tommy Slocum
U.S. Army Pfc. Jesse Givens
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Justin Vasquez
-Correspondent: judith.carver@usmc.mil
Ellie
6/3/2009 By Sgt. Judith Carver , Marine Corps Base Quantico
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. —
Seven members of the Marine Corps Shooting Team assigned to Weapons Training Battalion traveled to Byers, Colo. for the 2nd Annual Armed Forces Memorial Match May 14-17 to honor fallen service members.
“We often say never forget, we owe it to these Marines to have a Marine Corps presence there,” said Col. William Costantini, the commanding officer of WTBn. “Their stories should be told.”
Fifteen service members were recognized, each with a match dedicated to them. Several of their families and friends presented memorial trophies and plaques to the competitors.
“I told all the Marines, there are places where you want to win and there are places where you don’t,” said Staff Sgt. Guillermo Sandoval, an instructor competitor and coach for the Marine Corps Rifle Team at WTBn. “I didn’t go there to win, I went to there to show military support and appreciation.”
For Costantini and Sandoval, participating in the memorial was a meaningful occasion.
Costantini served with two of the Marines honored during the ceremony, Staff Sgt. Sam Holder and Lance Cpl. Kyle Burns.
“I served with these two Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom,” said Costantini. “Holder and Burns were in the second battle of Fallujah and killed on Veterans Day.”
A twist of fate brought Sandoval in touch with the family of a fallen comrade.
“On Friday I was assigned a random target and random firing point,” said Sandoval.
It turned out that the shooter before him, Doug Rund, was the brother of Lance Cpl. Gregory Rund, an infantryman he served with in Fallujah.
“Before I mentioned anything to Doug, I asked him if he believed in destiny, then I told him that I had served with his brother Greg,” said Sandoval. “When I told him that I served with his brother, he was more open; it was like the world’s best ice breaker.”
For some, the event was an opportunity to display their gratitude.
“I had friends and families go to the pits with us,” said Sandoval. “They just wanted to be with us to show their appreciation.”
The reality of war is apparent. During Operation Iraqi Freedom the Marine Corps suffered more than 1,000 fatalities since March 2003, and nearly 80 Marines were killed in action since January 2002 during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Every Memorial Day we pay tribute to our lost brothers and sisters.
“You might be hurt, you might be gone, but you’re not forgotten,” said Sandoval.
For more information about honoring these brave men and women visit, www.rememberingthebrave.org.
Those honored at the memorial:
2nd Lt. James Cathey
Lance Cpl. Gregory Rund
Lance Cpl. Justin Ellsworth
1st Lt. Matthew Vandergrift
Lance Cpl. Nicklas Palmer
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Falkel
U.S. Air Force Detective Michael Thomas
Lance Cpl. Andrew Riedel
Staff Sgt. Sam Holder
HM3 Christopher Anderson
U.S. Navy Seal GM 2 Danny Dietz
Lance Cpl. Kyle Burns
Lance Cpl. Tommy Slocum
U.S. Army Pfc. Jesse Givens
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Justin Vasquez
-Correspondent: judith.carver@usmc.mil
Ellie