TAAC-E soldiers honor humility, sacrifice of service at Veterans Day ceremony

By Capt. Jarrod Morris (3rd ID)November 19, 2014

TAAC-E soldiers honor humility, sacrifice of service at Veterans Day ceremony
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Retired U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class George Larke, a Vietnam veteran who served the Army for 25 years as an armament repair specialist, speaks to Train, Advise, Assist Command - East Soldiers about the value of service during the TAAC-E Veterans Day cere... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
TAAC-E soldiers honor humility, sacrifice of service at Veterans Day ceremony
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Retired U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class George Larke, a Vietnam veteran who served the Army for 25 years as an armament repair specialist, speaks to Train, Advise, Assist Command - East Soldiers about the value of service during the TAAC-E Veterans Day cere... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
TAAC-E soldiers honor humility, sacrifice of service at Veterans Day ceremony
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Train, Advise, Assist Command - East Chief of Staff U.S. Army Lt. Col. J. Cale Brown speaks to TAAC-E Soldiers about the origins of Veterans Day and the deep humility the day should inspire in service members when considering the extent of sacrifice ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
TAAC-E soldiers honor humility, sacrifice of service at Veterans Day ceremony
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Train, Advise Assist Command - East chief of staff U.S. Army Lt. Col. John Brown (left), retired U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class George Larke (center) and TAAC-E Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Heinze (right) cut the cake following the TAAC-E Veterans Day ceremony ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

AFGHANISTAN - Soldiers of Train Advise Assist Command - East gathered to honor the commitment and sacrifice of all service members past and present at Tactical Base Gamberi Nov. 11, 2014.

Comprised of soldiers from 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, and 3d Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Hood, Texas, TAAC-E Soldiers deployed in eastern Afghanistan spent the day reflecting on the commitment and sacrifice of all veterans who have answered the call to serve their country.

Retired U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class George Larke, a Vietnam veteran who served as an armament repair specialist for 25 years, was a guest speaker at the ceremony. In his speech, Larke talked about the value of service and how much it has meant to him in his lifetime.

Larke is now a contracted small arms technician who continues to work side-by-side with U.S. Army Soldiers and enjoys teaching service members about weapons.

TAAC-E chief of staff U.S. Army Lt. Col. J. Cale Brown also spoke at the ceremony. In his speech, Brown asserted that Veterans Day should "inspire in us a deep humility when we consider the sacrifice that so many others have made in current, recent and past wars."

Brown also talked about the sacrifice of U.S. Army Spc. Hilda Clayton, a combat camera specialist who lost her life at Tactical Base Gamberi July 2, 2013. Clayton was taking photos of Afghan National Army soldiers training on a mortar system when a catastrophic weapon failure claimed her life and the lives of the Afghan mortar crew she was covering.

The mood of the ceremony was somber, a respectful moment of reflection for the members of TAAC-E who continue to serve in eastern Afghanistan.

The ceremony concluded with the symbolic cutting of a Veterans Day cake by Larke, Brown, and Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Heinze, the TAAC-E command sergeant major.