THOSE WHO HAVE DIED FOR THIS COUNTRY ARE NOT DEAD UNTIL THEY ARE FORGOTTEN. NEVER FORGET THAT THESE FALLEN WARRIORS PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED HAVE SACRIFICED SOME.

We are members of the Marine Corps League, Detachment 940, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 6604, and American Legion, Post 362, Folsom California and many are Combat Veterans.

Recently I read a story about Sergeant Sean Stokes, USMC receiving the Silver Star Posthumously. Sean is from Auburn and attended Bear River High. I understand what Sean Stokes did and the reason he wanted to go back. Once you experience Combat you become a member of a Band of Brothers.

On April 12 2004 A young Marine was killed in Fallujah and his name was Brad Shuder. He attended Oakridge High School and graduated in 2002. I knew him very well having coached him in soccer and refereed with him and hauled him and my son around to Rugby Games. I lost friends in Vietnam as did many of our Band of Brothers. When I heard of Brad’s death it was devastating to me because I thought I would never loose another friend to a war.

We put together a Scholarship Memorial for Brad and enlisted the help of Motorcycle Enthusiasts around the area. With the help of the El Dorado Hills Community and the riders we were able to raise money for scholarships for students attending Oakridge High School. We continued the scholarship for 3 years.

I walked into the high school just before Veterans Day in November of 2007 with the final check for the scholarship fund because the school over the past 4 years was not willing to carry the torch and continue the process. I asked various students at the school if they knew who Brad Shuder was. The Majority response was “I don’t know,” even though his name is on a plaque at the entrance of the stadium next to the Flag Pole. I asked several adults who were working at the school at the time Brad attended and they didn’t recognize the name. It seems as though everyone had forgotten this Fallen Warrior, my friend and hero.

Shortly after my encounter with the Principal he was able to get the student body involved in Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Things had changed for the better. Then Sergeant Kyle Dayton who graduated from Oakridge in 2003 was Killed In Action. The Associated Student Body raised money and paid for a plaque and placed it near Brads Memorial paying tribute to Kyle’s brave service and ultimate sacrifice. Again the Principal of Oakridge was able to get the Associated Student Body involved. This is a small community. A small town. We have lost two students and had one severely wounded in this war.

The death of Brad, Kyle and Sean brought back memories of old. When I came home from Vietnam as did many other Veterans, it seems that we were shunned and then forgotten for over 30 years until the Iraq/Afghanistan war reared its ugly head. You see people who are not involved or who have no family in this war tend to disconnect and forget it is happening because the war continues to be shoved back into the middle of the Media. Thanks to the area newspaper, Sean Stoke’s story was given front page.

Many members of the Marine Corps League are Combat Veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. We have held our brethren in our arms as they died. We have shed blood for this country and if asked, we have NO REGRETS for the sacrifices we made. All we ask is for the citizens of this country is to not forget our sacrifices.
We set out to get the High Schools involved in remembering the young men that left joined the Armed Forces and gave their lives for their Country. We establish scholarships in the name of these Fallen Warriors at the respective High Schools. The students must become involved by assisting in raising funds for the scholarships, forming a committee to review and judge the essays submitted by those seeking the scholarship.

As a members of the Folsom, California Veterans organizations we wanted to make sure that High School Administrations do not forget what Veterans and Veterans Day is about. We wanted to make sure that each graduating class will take with them the memory that their school had suffered a loss. We wanted to make sure that each school would remember that one of their members made the ultimate sacrifice so that they had the freedom of choice in their lives and that Freedom is not Free nor cheap. We wanted to make sure they realized that one person and those serving before him and after him were heroes. Embed the reason in their memories so that this generation of warriors would not be forgotten.