KABUL, Afghanistan -- Soldiers from 10th Mountain Division (LI) and coalition partners honored a fallen hero Tuesday during a ceremony dedicating a memorial plaque at the Resolute Support Dining Facility.
Sgt. Maj. Wardell B. Turner, 48, from Nanticoke, Md., was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Drum, N.Y., before deploying to Afghanistan in late 2013 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Turner was killed Nov. 24, 2014, when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.
Spc. Joseph Riley, 27, also killed in the attack, was from Grove City, Ohio. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C., before his deployment to Afghanistan.
The crowd of more than 200 Soldiers and warriors representing the many nations of the coalition grew silent when the bagpiper started playing to signal the beginning of the dedication ceremony.
The two speakers for the event were Maj. Gen. Gordon "Skip" Davis, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Roshan Safi, senior enlisted adviser of the Ground Forces Command, Afghan National Army.
Davis expressed his appreciation and respect for Turner as a Soldier, leader and family man. He remembered that Turner often mentioned his love of Soldiers, passion for the people of Afghanistan and his continuous talk of his Family. Davis also reminded the crowd not to forget Riley and his Family as well as the other Soldiers injured in the attack during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
According to Davis, Turner was known to live as he walked, and the lesson he shared was to always leave a place or situation better than you found it. Davis mentioned how Turner would often say to his Soldiers to "rise above the challenge."
Roshan was introduced as the former battle buddy of Turner, who served as his U.S. senior enlisted adviser.
"The enemy that took the life of my friend was a coward," Roshan said. "He loved everyone and did not want to hurt anyone, but just wanted to help the people of Afghanistan. The people of Afg-hanistan are going to also honor Turner and Riley at a later date by dedicating a training facility in their honor."
After Roshan concluded his remarks, the narrator invited all military personnel present to come up to the plaque and place a patch or coin to honor the fallen hero.
One by one, Soldiers, noncommissioned officers and officers moved forward and placed their combat or unit patch on the special display mat or placed coins under the unveiled plaque.
Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Bannister, 10th Mountain Division commander, and the division's Command Sgt. Maj. R. Ray Lewis stood silently as they placed a 10th Mountain Commander's Coin at the feet of the plaque and slowly moved to the position of attention and presented honors to the fallen Soldier.
"Although Sgt. Maj. Turner is no longer here with us today, his contributions, selfless service and mentorship to his community, the Army and the people of Afg-hanistan will never be forgotten," Bannister said. "I am truly humbled and honored to currently serve as a team member in the division that he represented so well.
"It is his character and professionalism that the hundreds, if not thousands, of Soldiers whose lives he directly touched will continue to pass forward. His legacy as a hero is not over, but is just beginning."
In honor of the anniversary of the deaths of Turner and Riley, Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division Headquarters raised separate U.S. flags at the U.S. Forces Afghanistan compound, Bagram Airfield, to be sent to the fallen Soldiers' Family Members.
Capt. Judith Morgan, HHC commander, provided the flags for the event. She brought the group of Soldiers to attention and present arms as each flag was slowly raised and lowered.
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