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Wall of Honor

  • Published
  • By Capt. Mieke Bruins
  • 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron operations officer
The worst day for many of us usually involves a lot of mundane paperwork, but what if your worst day was something unimaginable? What if your worst day meant losing an Airman in the line of duty, having to tell their family, having to pack up their belongings and ship them home and having to bury them?

In the 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron, we have had the worst day. Not once, not twice, but on four separate occasions. As logisticians, we know our job is to provide the best possible support whether at home or on the front lines. Four 90th LRS Airmen did just that, and when called on to provide support in the combat zone they paid the ultimate price. We can never replace Airman 1st Class Travis Hall, Airman 1st Class Eric Barnes, Staff Sgt. Miranda Washington or Tech. Sgt. Alejandro Ayala, but we can remember them.

The Airman's Creed states that as Airmen we are expected to be our nation's sword and shield, its sentry and avenger, to defend our country with our lives. We expect no less of ourselves as a service, but as a commander, an operations officer, a flight commander, or superintendant, the thought of sending our best and brightest into the war zone comes with many conflicting ideas and emotions. When faced with the loss of those that we are responsible to protect as leaders, the toll it takes affects us so much more than the role of leadership.

In order to capture what this loss represents, and the impact our lost personnel have on our lives, we memorialize their accomplishments so they will never be forgotten. Etching their accomplishments in the immortality they deserve, we built a wall of honor in our Squadron headquarters building not only to remember them, but remember what they did. It is no small feat to lay down one's life for our country, but these four 90th LRS members took that on willingly with their service. To us, that is a debt that can never be repaid.

Shakespeare, in his epic play "Henry V" said "But we in it shall be remembered; we few, we happy few, we band of brothers, for he who sheds his blood with me today shall be my brother."

The members of the 90th LRS remember our brothers and sisters in arms, all they have given for us and this country. More than just remembering, we honor the sacrifice they and their families have made to ensure all of our freedoms.