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U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground commander Col. John Nelson speaks at the dedication of Arizona's first Gold Star Memorial By-Way Marker on November 7, 2024.
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U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground commander Col. John Nelson speaks at the dedication of Arizona's first Gold Star Memorial By-Way Marker on November 7, 2024.
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U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground chaplain Maj. Ryan Pearse gives the invocation at a ceremony dedicating Arizona’s first Gold Star Memorial By-Way Marker on November 7, 2024.
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U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground commander Col. John Nelson (center) and chaplain Maj. Ryan Pearse (left) speak with Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines before a dedication ceremony for Arizona's first Gold Star Memorial By-Way Marker on November 7, 2024. Yuma County Supervisor Darren Simmons is visible in the left background.
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U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground commander Col. John Nelson (right) is interviewed by KAWC Radio reporter Chris McDaniel after a ceremony dedicating Arizona’s first Gold Star Memorial By-Way Marker on November 7, 2024.
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Yuma Orchid and African Violet Society President Patricia Carpenter (left) and Treasurer Myra Lader (right) unveil Arizona's first Gold Star Memorial By-Way Marker at Yuma Foothills Community Park on November 7, 2024.
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Yuma County District #3 Supervisor Darren Simmons (right) and Director of Yuma County Facilities Management Tiffany Anderson (left) accept the donation of Arizona's first Gold Star Memorial By-Way Marker at Foothills Community Park on November 7, 2024.
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U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) commander Col. John Nelson provided keynote remarks at a ceremony dedicating Arizona’s first Gold Star Memorial By-Way Marker on November 7, 2024.
YPG Chaplain (Maj.) Ryan Pearse provided the ceremony’s invocation and benediction.
The marker, placed by the Yuma Orchid & African Violet Society, is part of the longstanding tradition of American garden clubs honoring families who lost a service member in war that dates to World War II. About 100 spectators attended the ceremony dedicating the marker in Yuma’s Foothills Community Park.
“I’ve seen since I first arrived in Yuma in June of last year that the Yuma community is the most military-supportive of any I’ve ever encountered,” said Nelson in his remarks. “Even more impressive to me is the people here at this ceremony to mark the occasion. Presence counts for a lot, and I’ve seen repeatedly that Yuma County shows up for military personnel and their families.”
Nearly 3,000 servicemembers from Arizona have been killed in action since statehood in 1912, more than half of which were in World War II. 390 Arizonans were lost in Vietnam, including Sgt. Bravie Soto, Yuma County’s first casualty, for whom YPG’s Armaments Operations Center is named. Soto’s service was mentioned by Nelson in his remarks.
“His service and sacrifice has remained an inspiration to all who have worked in that building since it opened nearly 30 years ago,” he said.
In more recent times, 170 Arizona servicemembers were killed in action during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Having served in the Army for nearly 30 years, it’s my bittersweet privilege to personally know more Gold Star Families than I would like to,” said Nelson. “As commander of Yuma Proving Ground, which exists primarily to test the equipment Soldiers and Marines use before their lives depend on it in theater, I’m humbled to know that the efforts of the men and women on the YPG team kept that number from being even larger.”
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