Day of the Deployed

The following was published in the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota regarding the Day of the Deployed celebration which was organized by Soldiers' Angels in that state.

DAY OF THE DEPLOYED: Celebration honors service
By Candace Decker, Herald Staff Writer
Published Friday, October 27, 2006

The crowd of 200 gave numerous standing ovations during Thursday night's Day of the Deployed celebration, but the longest was in recognition for the Vietnam veterans who did not receive a warm welcome when they returned home from war.

Individuals from the local Soldiers' Angels foundation sponsored the Day of the Deployed celebration Thursday night in the Empire Arts Center to honor all service members serving in and from North Dakota.

Some individuals were wiping tears away or were sniffling as they exited the auditorium.

The angelic voice of Emily Custer, 16, from East Grand Forks, opened the evening with the National Anthem. She concluded the two-hour event with a video montage to the song "Thank You," which she wrote.

The final musical compilation played by the Greater Grand Forks City Band got the room involved. Active duty and retired service members, veterans and their families stood up in the crowd and on stage to be recognized as the band played each military unit's service song. As the audience clapped along to the music, more than 40 people stood to show their affiliation with the Army, about 10 each stood for the Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force, and one trumpeter stood up from the band for her service in the Coast Guard.

The donation box at the Empire Arts Center entrance was stuffed half-full with $20 bills, tens, fives, ones and a personal check. The money will help offset the cost of providing flags flown over the U.S. Capitol to honorees.

Flags flown in honor of North Dakota servicemembers will be given to stateside individuals in about three week and those serving overseas will receive flags upon their return from deployment, said Shelle Michaels, Soldiers' Angels tri-state manager.

Individuals representing units and bases in the state were recognized on stage.

Two young "Ladies of Liberty" on their two weeks of leave from the North Dakota Army National Guard deployment in Afghanistan traveled across the state to be a part of the event. Army Sgt. Justina Bilby, from Velva, N.D., and Spc. Megan Dockter from Minot, received flowers and a hug from Michaels and stood front stage in their desert camouflage uniforms. They were joined by featured speakers retired Lance Cpl. Ben Lunak, who read a poem with Dockter, and Maj. Mike McNamara, both Iraq war veterans from Grand Forks who donned their meticulous Marine dress blue uniforms for the event.

McNamara fought back emotion when he spoke of what a personal honor it was to share the stage with Lunak, a young Marine whose leg was amputated after an attack. The gold border of Lunak's Purple Heart award for combat injuries gleamed in the spotlight. It was matched by the beaming smiles of "Ben's fan club," as one passerby described the group of young women standing around to speak with Lunak after the concert.

North Dakota's Day of the Deployed could set the precedent for a nationwide annual event sponsored by national Soldiers' Angels affiliates, Michaels said. She is producing a template so other states can have proclamations similar to the one Gov. John Hoeven issued for a statewide Day of the Deployed and the one Mayor Mike Brown read for the city's proclamation.

Decker was a sergeant in the U.S. Army and is now a general assignment reporter.

Categories:

• Soldiers'Angels
• Supporting-Troops/Veterans