EGLIN AFB — Florida’s Fallen Heroes from 2012 and their families were honored Saturday with the unveiling the 23 additions to the Memorial Portrait Mural at the Air Force Armament Museum.
View a slideshow of the ceremony. >>
The photo gallery was started by the Military Order of the Purple Heart in 2003 to honor Florida service members killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. The newest additions brought the number of portraits to 343.
Army Sgt. Joshua A. Born of Niceville, Air Force Lt. Col. John D. Loftis of Navarre and Army Staff Sgt. Andrew Britton-Mihalo of Crestview were the local faces added this year.
“We’ve learned from personal experience that the worst possible thing is for our wounded or dead to be forgotten,” said Richard Hunt, Florida commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
The ceremony gives families a chance to go through the grieving process with support from each other and the community, Hunt said.
Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll expressed her condolences to the families gathered and thanked them for allowing their loved ones to serve.
“There is no other job in our nation or our world that requires the amount of sacrifice our military men and women face on a daily basis,” Carroll said.
Beth Croft, Born’s mother, said the ceremony helped with the healing process. She was happy to honor not only her son, but all military men and women.
“Our soldiers sacrifice over there for our freedoms here,” Croft said.
For Holly Loftis, seeing others recognize the sacrifice of her husband and her family made the ceremony even more special. She had only one hope for those who attended.
“That they appreciate their freedoms,” Loftis said, tearing up. “And that they remember the blessings we have here.”
Snowbirds Mike and Jo Anne Krueger from Whitting, Ind., felt it was the right thing to do to attend. Although they did not have any ties to those honored Saturday, they wanted to pay their respects.
“It’s because of men and women like these that we sleep in our beds safely at night,” Mike Krueger said.
Local students played a role in the ceremony. Choctaw High School’s Junior ROTC presented the colors and led the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance. Niceville High School’s Junior ROTC conducted a ceremonial flag folding while reciting the Air Force Ceremonial Script. The Emerald Coast Young Marines escorted family members of active or fallen military members to light memorial candles for Florida service members killed from 2002 through 2012.
Ten-year-old Pfc. Michaela Cantwell with the Young Marines said the ceremony was important for families who “lost a son or daughter for our country.” The sacrifice is hard but very important, she said.
“Their son or daughter did the right thing.”