FORT SILL, Okla. (Spet. 24, 2015) -- Fort Sill renamed its softball complex after one of its commanding generals who helped found the Lawton-Fort Sill Cooperative program 35 years ago.
The Maj. Gen. Edward Arthur Dinges (pronounced Din-jes) Field Sports Complex was dedicated Sep. 19, with many of the Dinges family, co-op partners and post leaders at the ceremony.
Dinges was the Fort Sill commander from June 1980 until September 1982. He retired from the Army in 1984 for medical reasons, and he died in 1990.
Dinges' widow Sue Dinges Burpo and her husband, retired Navy Capt. Jim Burpo, of Lawton, were at the dedication.
"It is so special to have him honored in this way," said Sue of the dedication. "We love Lawton ... and this just puts the icing on the cake."
Maj. Gen. John Rossi, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general, said the Co-Op is instrumental in bringing Soldiers and their families to Fort Sill.
A lot of the Soldiers' lives involve what is outside the gates in the community, and that's critically important, Rossi said. "The first thing families want to know about are: 'How are the schools? Where are we going to live? Can I get work?'"
The Co-Op fosters a spirit of friendship, mutual cooperation and understanding between the military and civilians in the region.
The softball complex was an appropriate dedication site for Dinges because every year Soldiers and civilians compete in the Co-Op Softball Tournament here, the general explained.
During the ceremony, Rossi, Burpo and her daughters Jennifer Dinges Erwin and Pamela Dinges Davis, along with retired Command Sgt. Maj. Hassan Cara, who served as Dinges CSM, unveiled the plaque. (A third daughter, Kristan Dinges Hruby, of Dallas, was not able to attend the ceremony.)
Dinges' oldest grandchild Dylan Dinges Erwin, age 26, of Oklahoma City, spoke at the ceremony.
He was about 2 when his grandfather died, but said has heard stories of the general.
"He was an amazing man, an amazing leader and a loving father," said Erwin, who is the Comanche County Assistant District Attorney. "This post meant a lot to him, so I'm very happy that he's being recognized."
Pamela, who made the trip from Birmingham, Mich., was in middle school when her father was the post commander here. She said the dedication honors both her parents.
"We're so thrilled that his vivacious, charismatic personality is being honored," Pamela said. "We're also so happy for our mom because she was his caregiver and never, ever complained."
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