Posted on 12/04/2003 4:49:18 PM PST by SandRat
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| A Fort Huachuca soldier honors the memory of Chief Warrant Officer Christopher G. Nason at a Wednesday memorial service at the Main Post Chapel. Nason, the first post soldier to die in Iraq, was symbolically present by a pair of boots, rifle, helmet and identification tags. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review) |
FORT HUACHUCA -- A pair of boots, a rifle, a helmet and a set of identification tags were placed in the front of the Main Post Chapel Wednesday representing Chief Warrant Officer Christopher G. Nason.
In a combination religious and military memorial ceremony, Nason, the first Fort Huachuca soldier to die in Iraq, was remembered by more than 400 people who attended the early afternoon event at Main Post Chapel.
Nason's sister, Gena Andrea Nason, who attended the service, said her older brother was loving and kind.
"He really was a fun person, a real kid at heart," she said after the service as she sat outside the chapel.
As she talked about her brother, tears slowly formed, sometimes falling singly and other times as if from a faucet.
"He was simple and modest," said Gena Nason, who lives in Los Angeles. "He collected comic books and liked video games."
The soldier left for Iraq in early September, only to return in October to bury his father.
Before he returned to Iraq after his father's funeral, Gena Nason said she and her brother talked about the dangers facing him in that country. He told her not to worry. When she took him to the airport for his return to Iraq, he told her, "I'll see you someday," Gena Nason said.
But she didn't expect that would be the last time he said goodbye to her.
The soldier was killed in a vehicle accident on Nov. 23, when the driver of the vehicle he was a passenger in attempted to pass another truck and crashed head-on into a tanker truck. Besides Nason, the two civilians in the vehicle were also killed.
Gena Nason said her brother volunteered to deploy to Iraq for a year.
"He went because he felt he could do the job. He had no kids. He wanted to go so those who did (have children) could stay home," Gena Nason said.
A smile came upon her face at one time during the interview when she talked about how bad of a high school student her brother was academically. He quit high school and eventually earned a GED.
He then enlisted in the Air Force and went to the Defense Language Institute, "where he showed how good of a student he was," Gena Nason said.
He later enlisted in the Army.
Nason had an associate's degree and was working on a bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.
During the service, three soldiers -- his battalion commander, company commander and a noncommissioned officer -- spoke about Nason.
Lt. Col. Mark Costello said that when he received a telephone call that a post soldier was killed in Iraq, he did not believe at first it was one of his.
"Our unit has rotated many soldiers in and out of the Middle East this past year. I thought this call could not be for me," he said. But when the 306th Military Intelligence Battalion commander heard Nason's name, "I realized that this call was for the 306th family."
Various parts of the Scriptures came to Costello's mind, including the one about a man giving his life for his friends.
"Chief Nason gave his life for not only his friends and brothers, but for people who will never know and a cause much greater than all of us, the fight for freedom," Costello said.
It is interesting how the Scriptures have a similarity to the life of disciples and soldiers' missions, he said.
"A soldier must be committed to a cause greater than oneself. A soldier must be disciplined. A soldier must be loyal to the commanding officer. A soldier must be skilled. A soldier must not get entangled in unnecessary matters. The men and women who serve in the military know the meaning of sacrifice," Costello said.
The battalion commander said Nason was a soldier who fit every one of the categories he read.
After spending 18 years in the military, Nason's death was an example of selfless service, Costello said.
"Chief Warrant Officer Two Christopher G. Nason was a soldier. A member of a time honored tradition of serving our great nation. Chief Nason was a member of the 306th Military Intelligence Battalion family, a member that will be strongly missed by his co-workers, his friends and the rest of the personnel that make up his military family," Costello said.
Capt. Thomas Dorrel, commander of Company A, 306th Military Intelligence Battalion, said Nason's loss is a time of grief and love, sorrow and joy.
Nason's fluency of Arabic was at the native level, which is why the soldier's expertise was needed in Iraq, Dorrel said.
While many will mourn Nason's loss, "Our grief will return to joy as we remember Chris," the captain said.
Master Sgt. Kevin Purdy, who worked for Nason at Fort Huachuca, when the chief warrant officer headed the aviation section of the new systems training and integration office, added his voice of remembrance.
Saying Nason made an impression on the soldiers under him, Purdy said he remembers the soldier as a lover of music, sports, especially the Pittsburgh Pirates, and his dogs.
"He cared for his soldiers," Purdy said. "He will be missed as an officer, but more so as a friend."
In his homily, Chaplain (Capt.) Anthony S. Kazarnowicz said Nason did not fit the current mold of people who are only interested in making money to buy material things. Nason was like every soldier who is serving the country, willing to give their all not only for their parents, siblings, spouse, children and friends but for those they do not know, he said.
Soldiers such as Nason are willing to give their lives for those they are trying to free from oppression, and even to help former enemies, the chaplain said.
"This kind of love, this kind of caring, Chief Nason possessed it," Kazarnowicz said.
The chaplain will be part of a small official party that will travel to Los Angeles Friday to attend Nason's burial. Maj. Gen. James Marks, commander of the Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca, will be the senior representative at the burial service, where he will present the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal and Legion of Merit to Gena Nason. She also will be presented a Knowlton Award by the general from the Military Intelligence Corps Association.
"So many people have told me they will be coming to Los Angeles Friday," Gena Nason said.
The service also was Nason's final call on the post.
First Sgt. Timothy McCarthy marched to the front of the congregation and yelled "roll call." He called the name of three warrant officers, each upon hearing their name, stood at attention and responded "present first sergeant."
Then McCarthy called out "Chief Warrant Officer Nason."
No response.
Then he said, "Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Nason."
Again, no response.
The first sergeant finally called out "Chief Warrant Officer Christopher G. Nason."
Yet again, no response.
With that Nason was officially struck from the Army rolls of living and serving soldiers.
The sounds of a 21-rifle salute and the playing of taps followed. Gena Nason was then escorted out of the chapel.
Many of the soldiers had one more honor to render to Nason. Each one slowly walked up the middle aisle of the chapel, stopped in front of the boots, rifle, helmet and ID tags, looked at a photo of the fallen soldier and then saluted.
Present - Arms!
Taps sounds, 3 vollys of rifle fire in salute, then the Lone Piper playing Amazing Grace.
Ready To!
They're here, they've always been here when they were needed and always will be.
These are the strong silent ones who know the meaning of Duty, Honor, Country, and have a strong belief in God.
We can only believe that God knows why.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"He went because he felt he could do the job. He had no kids. He wanted to go so those who did (have children) could stay home," Gena Nason said.
..."He cared for his soldiers," Purdy said. "He will be missed as an officer, but more so as a friend."
...Soldiers such as Nason are willing to give their lives for those they are trying to free from oppression, and even to help former enemies, the chaplain said.
"This kind of love, this kind of caring, Chief Nason possessed it," Kazarnowicz said.
Gena Nason said she and her brother talked about the dangers facing him in that country. He told her not to worry. When she took him to the airport for his return to Iraq, he told her, "I'll see you someday..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
McCrae, 1918.
RIP, Chief Nason. RIP, the two contractors with him...
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
Taps sounds, 3 vollys of rifle fire in salute, then the Lone Piper playing Amazing Grace.
Ready To!
Thank you, SandRat! Well done. But not *Amazing Grace,* please, better reserved for Old Soldiers who've survived their wars, come home to tell the stories of those who did not, and lived out their days basking in the light of peace, the *Grace* of the song so thereby appropriate.
The bugle call *Last Post* is more usually heard when the pipes are used, but the American *Taps* will work instead, or besides. A much better selection when the pipes are played for one who did not live out all the days they might have and died too young would be *Flowers of the Forest.* If you are not familiar with it, go to my FReeper profile page, and click on the picture of Karen near the top there.
An aside: when a regimental song follows *Flowers* for one who fell in battle or a Clan fight, it's a warning that vengence is planned by their fellow soldiers or family members. When none such is appropriate, a general tune such as *Black Bear* or *Blue Bonnets* is sometimes played instead, but thankfully, Nason's death was not one such that called for that touch. Karen's, of course, was.
-archy-/-
We have to remember their sacrifice, and press on to "guard their backs" by winning the battle of the home front against the traitors and 'rats. Unlike in VN, this time we have to grasp the nettle and not hand the 5th columnists an easy win on the streets of America.
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