New Fort Sill statue hails artillery's patron saint

FORT SILL, Okla., May 5, 2016 -- A new 7-foot statue overlooks the 18th hole of the Fort Sill Golf Course. The bronze statue of St. Barbara, the patron saint of artillery, was unveiled at the start of the Hardy Stone Association of the United States Army Fires Golf Tournament, May 2. The event also kicked off the start of the 2016 Fires Conference at Fort Sill.

"This is pretty special," said Maj. Gen. John Rossi, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general. "It's on the signature hole, proudly looking over our artillerymen as they finish their round of golf."

In his speech Rossi explained how the statue was a result of six years of work. It was designed by Mari Bolen, who won a competition voted on by 30,000 Soldiers, he said. Bolen is the daughter of a World War II coastal artilleryman and said she wanted to give back to the military.

"I'm an Army brat and this is my contribution to the Army and all it stands for," said Bolen. "I was born during World War II and (my father) told me about the places he was during the war. He didn't talk about it much and he didn't get the chance to get older. He died when I was 15. This is for dad."

Bolen said she wanted her statue to be a departure from what is traditionally described as St. Barbara. She said when she began designing the statue all the images she found portrayed a demure girl, which Bolen attributes to the age the saint who was a teenager when she died. Often times St. Barbara holds a sword with the point downward.

"I thought that the average age of the Soldier at Fort Sill is 21 or 22 and I thought, 'this person doesn't look like she could protect anybody,'" said Bolen. "So I went for a Xena Warrior Princess look. This is supposed to protect people, and that's how I portrayed her, as a protector."

It took Bolen three months to do the clay work and then another three months for the metal work. The clay original is still in her studio. Once the statue was completed Bolen traveled for three days in her pickup to bring the statue from Utah to its final destination at Fort Sill. She drove through heavy storms and then waited in Albuquerque, N.M., for the storms to continue through Oklahoma.

Lt. Gen. David Halverson, assistant chief of staff for Installation Management Command and former Fort Sill commander, welcomed Bolen and thanked her for her work. He added how important it is for people to believe in something or that someone is watching over them.

"Saint Barbara will also be a touchstone and now lieutenants will come here and touch its feet thinking it will help them with their gunnery," said Halverson as the attendees laughed. "Captains, pre-command folks will come by and touch it just to say, 'thanks.' People will finish a great round of golf and will say, 'hey she's overwatching us.'"