PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -- Friends and fellow Soldiers from the 229th Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion stationed at the Presidio of Monterey, gathered to remember Sgt. 1st Class Lanny F. Duarte at a memorial ceremony at the Price Auditorium on the Presidio of Monterey here, Jan. 24, 2014.
Duarte, a native of Nicaragua entered the United States Army service in Miami, Fla. in Jan. 2002. Duarte was assigned to Foxtrot Co., 299th Military Intelligence Battalion at the Presidio of Monterey, Calif., when he perished in an off-post automobile accident near the Presidio on Highway 101 in the early morning hours on Sun., Jan. 12.
During his 12 years of service to the United States Sgt. 1st Class Duarte deployed once to the Republic of Korea and three times to the Republic of Iraq. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (posthumous), the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (4th Award) and the Iraqi Campaign Medal (5th Award), among many others. Duarte was 36 years old.
The memorial ceremony for Sgt. 1st Class Lanny F. Duarte was attended by more than 300 service members stationed at the Presidio. Also attending were the commands of the Defense Language Institute and the Presidio of Monterey Garrison.
Chaplain Capt. Jonathan Averill provided a thoughtful memorial reflection and benediction in honor of Sgt. 1st Class Duarte during the ceremony, followed by personal tributes by F Co. Commander Capt. Elizabeth Creel and fellow 229th MI Bn Soldiers Staff Sgt. Pearlie Bethea, Staff Sgt. Roshunda Basset and Pfc. Kyle Rose.
Recalling her friendship and reliance on Duarte in her remarks at the podium, Capt. Creel said of Duarte ?"He was the kind of NCO that cared about Soldiers personally and professionally." Visibly moved by the occasion she added, ?"Sgt. 1st Class Duarte was very devoted to his wife and very devoted to his job…and he will be sorely missed by all that knew him."
Sgt. 1st Class Duarte is survived by his wife, Saba Ahmed Ibrahim Husni and his parents, Mrs. Rosa Duarte and Mr. Otto Duarte.
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