ROSE BARRACKS, Germany -- Troopers assigned to 2d Cavalry Regiment, along with friends of the Regiment attended a building dedication for Staff Sgt. Jesse L. Williams, an electronic warfare specialist with Regimental Support Squadron, 2 CR, at Rose ... VIEW ORIGINAL
ROSE BARRACKS, Germany -- Col. D.A. Sims, commander of the 2d Cavalry Regiment, watches as Mrs. Kristy Balli, wife of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli, chief of unmanned aerial vehicle systems with Regimental Support Squadron, 2 CR, touches the ... VIEW ORIGINAL
ROSE BARRACKS, Germany -- The 2d Cavalry Regiment honored two of its Soldiers who died during combat operations in Afghanistan during memorial ceremonies held at Rose Barracks, Germany, May 21-22, 2014.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli, chief of unmanned aerial vehicle systems and Staff Sgt. Jesse L. Williams, an electronic warfare specialist, both assigned to Regimental Support Squadron, 2 CR, were honored during the ceremonies where their lives and service to the military were celebrated.
The memorial spanned over two days and included the dedication of two buildings: the Unmanned Aerial Systems Facility for Balli and the renaming of the Rose Barracks Fitness Center for Williams. A remembrance breakfast and a memorial rededication ceremony showing the names of both Soldiers etched into the wall were also held for the two fallen Troopers.
Balli's wife Kristy Balli, mother, Mrs. Catherine Trevino, sister; Ms. Desirae Abera and several other Balli family members travelled from the U.S. to attend the two-day event.
"Two extraordinary members of this unit lost their lives doing what they loved," said Col. D.A. Sims, commander of the 2d Cavalry Regiment. "And now there are two more names added to the list of Dragoons who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms and liberties."
Reflections into the lives of these two Soldiers were shared with the friends and family of Balli and Williams, whom were in attendance during the ceremonies.
"It is important that we reflect on the responsibility that we owe to each of our fallen and to live our lives dedicated to the values that they died to defend," said Sims.
During the remembrance breakfast, Sims also spoke on the previous deployment in which he served with Balli and Williams.
"Their two names symbolize the enormous dedication to country and loyalty to each other along with personal courage which we all seek to emulate in our time in uniform," said Sims.
The representation of the 2 CR spirit and dedication to the welfare of its Troopers and their families is never more evident than in the description given by Sims of the fallen heroes.
"Both of these Soldiers represented what true love, true commitment and true selflessness really meant," said Sims. "We need to work each day to be better men and women, and to be worthy of their sacrifice."
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