Fallen, but not forgotten

  • Published
  • By Trish Morgan
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The bell tolls. Rifle volleys fire. Taps plays. It is a significant series of military traditions to signify a time for men and women of the armed forces to remember and pay tribute to those who lost their lives while serving our nation.

More than 1,200 members of the 58th Special Operations Wing will stand in formation and honor their fallen comrades with a remembrance and retreat ceremony July 15 at Hardin Field.

At about 4:40 p.m., Col. Stephen Andreasen, 58th SOW vice commander and formation commander, will conduct a roll call. A fallen 58th SOW member's name will be called out, followed by a bell toll, signifying the Airman's absence from the formation. Forty names will be read and the bell will toll 40 times for the Airmen who lost their lives while assigned to the wing since Sept. 11, 2001.

Gen. Edward Rice Jr., Air Education and Training Command commander, and Col. Vincent Becklund, 58th SOW commander, will lay a wreath in commemoration of the event, followed by a rifle volley salute and the playing of Taps. The ceremony will conclude with the lowering and folding of the base flag by seven members of the wing.
Those being remembered are:

58th Operations Support Squadron
Tech. Sgt. Mary Ord
Maj. Steven Plumhoff

58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Master Sgt. Doug Couterier
Master Sgt. Kevin Elgar
Senior Airman Cardarrius Logan
Mr. Roger Moyers
Staff Sgt. Anthony Slentz

551st Special Operations Squadron
Tech. Sgt. William Kerwood
Lt. Col.Charles Nussman
Staff Sgt. Thomas Walkup Jr.
Master Sgt. Howard Walters

550th Special Operations Squadron
Maj. Michael Akos
Capt. Todd Bracy
1st Lt. Nathaniel Buckley
Capt. Christel Chavez
Tech. Sgt. Sean Corlew
Maj. Gregory Fritz
Chief Master Sgt. Lawrence Gray
Tech. Sgt. James Henry
Maj. Marc Herrera
Master Sgt. Mona Howard
Tech. Sgt. Robert Johnson
Staff Sgt. Shane Kimmett
Capt. Surender Kothakota
Tech. Sgt. Glenn Lastes
Staff Sgt. Robert McGuire
1st Lt. Ray Owens Jr.
Staff Sgt. Patrick Pentico
Staff Sgt. Anissa Shero
Capt. Gil Williamson

71st Special Operations Squadron
Senior Master Sgt. James Lackey
Maj. Randall Voas

512th Rescue Squadron
1st Lt. Tamara Archuleta
Tech. Sgt. Scott Bobbitt
Staff Sgt. Jason Hicks
Airman First Class Jesse Samek
Staff Sgt. David Smith
Lt. Col. John Stein
Staff Sgt. Mike Teal
Capt. David Wisneiwski