KANE – Local soldiers defending freedom overseas were honored
Saturday during a “Freedom Salute” ceremony in Kane.

Major General Wesley Craig, commander of the 28th Infantry
Division, Mechanized of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, was
the guest speaker during the event, which honored members and
retirees of Detachment 1, Bravo Company, 728th Main Support
Battalion, who served in three recent military operations.

The 36 soldiers of Bravo Company, which include members from
McKean, Elk, Potter, Warren and Forest counties, were also
recognized for their service in Operation Enduring Freedom in
Germany and Afghanistan, Operation Noble Eagle in Bosnia and Kosovo
and OperationðIraqi Freedom.

The program at the Kane Middle School auditorium opened with the
entrance of the official party comprised of state Rep. Kathy Rapp,
R-Warren; Col. Jesse Dietz, 28thðDISCOM commander; Ll Col. Alan
Nelson, 728th MSB commander; 1st Lt. Hope Jay, Detachment 1,
Company B commander; CSM Craig Stohl, 28th DISCOM sergeant major;
CSM Dennis Baver, 728th MSB sergeant major; the Rev. Tom Grishom;
and Craig.

Ariana Anderson sang the national anthem.

Starbound, a teenage vocal group, directed by Beth Lenaway, sang
three selections.ðPrior to their performance, Lenaway, in comments
to the audience, mentioned how these musiciansðentertained the
wounded servicemen and women at the Walter Reed Military Hospital
in Washington recently.

Lenaway read a letter that the group received from an amputee,
who expressed his appreciation for their appearance.

After hearing about the trip, Craig presented Lenaway with a
commemorative Army National Guardðcoin in gratitude.

A special guest, Spc. Amanda Leavitt of St. Marys, who has just
returned from Iraq, was also recognized.

In his remarks to the honorees, Craig, who only recently
returned from Iraq where other members of the 728th are now
deployed, said those personnel “are continuingðthe work you
started.”

“They are serving in Ramadi, the largest and most dangerous
section of Iraq in support with the Second Marine Division, and
according to the Marine commander, they are some of the best troops
he has.”

Craig commands the more than 13,500 members of the Keystone
Division.ðHe explained how the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001,
changed the mission of the soldiers.

“That date forced our unit from reserves to an operational force
on the front lines,” he said. “Since then, over 10,000 of our
part-time soldiers have been deployed to Bosnia, Kosovo, Germany,
Afghanistan and Iraq. You have performed an outstanding job no
matter where you went.”

Guardsmen from the Kane armory have also responded to domestic
emergencies. For six weeks, they were in Louisiana to assist the
victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“The Keystone Division has not only madeðme proud, but also the
community, Commonwealth and the country,” said Craig.

Craigðreferred to a quote from former President Teddy Roosevelt
about those citizens who become involved rather than simply being a
critic. “By staying on the sidelines, you will not know victory or
defeat.”ð

Craig also mentioned the critical support that the guardsmen’s
families and employers provided during deployment.

During the awards presentation, the guardsmen’s names were
called and they proceeded across a stage where they received
congratulations form the official party and then received folded
American flags in wooden cases, Defender of Freedomðcertificates
and coins and lapel pins.

Two civilian Center of Influenceðawardsðwere presented.ðLori
Goodnoe, Billie Jo Jeffords and Karen Brehm accepted a large mosaic
print on behalf of the Family Readiness Group for their support
during the guardsmen’s deployment.ðThe second COI, a statue, went
to Ted Lutz of the Kane Republican for his newspaper’s coverage of
the guardsmen.

According to Retired SSgt. Edward Kaminski, who acted as master
of ceremonies, “The Freedom Salute Campaign is one of the largest
Army National Guard recognition endeavors in history.ðIt is
designed to publicly acknowledge our Army Guard soldiers as well as
those who have supported them during the recent military Operations
Noble Eagle, Enduring Eagle and Iraqi Freedom.”