He could light up a room, said Cyndy Clark, a Gold Star mother, as she talked about her son, Sgt. Richard Giordano, to the other Gold Star Families at her table. I miss him every day and even though I didnt get to spend many years with him, I appreciate every second I did have with him.

Clark and three other Gold Star Families united with Soldiers from the 101st Special Troops Battalion, Sustainers, 101st Airborne Division Sustainment Brigade, 101st Abn. Div., April 13 to honor their fallen Soldiers during the Fallen Sustainers Remembrance Ceremony.

Clark, who lost her son in 2012 in an accidental drowning on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This is the third time Clark and her husband have attended the ceremony, and although Giordano was never part of the unit, the Sustainers have made her feel like part of the Family.

The unit has really adopted us into their Family here and its been great so far, Clark said. The respect they show us and our son every year is just truly amazing.

The ceremony honored 18 fallen Soldiers, 14 of whom were from the 101st STB, 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde, with the remaining four Soldiers from different units and duty stations ranging from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Abn. Div. to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Lieutenant Col. Wally Vives-Ocasio, commander of the 101st STB, 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde., said that although the ceremony was initially held to honor those who died during the attack on Forward Operating Base Gamberi, Afghanistan, on April 16, 2011, it was important to honor all the fallen Soldiers from the battalion and those Soldiers from the battalions extended Family.

We wanted to keep the ceremony close to the date of the attack because in one single attack we lost five Soldiers, said Vives-Ocasio. The unit has really adopted us into their Family here and its been great so far, Clark said. The respect they show us and our son every year is just truly amazing.

The ceremony honored 18 fallen Soldiers, 14 of whom were from the 101st STB, 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde, with the remaining four Soldiers from different units and duty stations ranging from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Abn. Div. to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Lieutenant Col. Wally Vives-Ocasio, commander of the 101st STB, 101st Abn. Div. Sust. Bde., said that although the ceremony was initially held to honor those who died during the attack on Forward Operating Base Gamberi, Afghanistan, on April 16, 2011, it was important to honor all the fallen Soldiers from the battalion and those Soldiers from the battalions extended Family.

We wanted to keep the ceremony close to the date of the attack because in one single attack we lost five Soldiers, said Vives-Ocasio. It was also important for us hold the ceremony because although some of the Soldiers were not from our unit, they are still our brothers and sisters in arms, and providing this ceremony for their Families is the least we could do for them.

The battalion and the Gold Star Families honored their fallen Soldiers by displaying the Soldiers photographs in front of a battalion formation and unveiling each picture one by one, then conducting a 1-mile remembrance run.

Clark, who walked the mile with two other Gold Star Family members, said she and her husband enjoy attending ceremonies like this because it helps honor the memory of their son.

Its comforting to know that the Army remembers their fallen Soldiers enough to take a day to honor and remember them, Clark said.

Clark added that organizations like the Tragedy Assistance Program, Army Community Service Survivor Outreach Services and the Gold Star Survivors program are what helped her and her husband after their sons death and encourages all Families who have lost a loved one to reach out to the different programs.

After the run, Families were invited to attend a breakfast in the battalions classroom while the 101st Abn. Div. band played for those in attendance.

Clark said she enjoyed everything from the unveiling of pictures to hearing the relaxing music the band played during the breakfast and cannot wait to see what the battalion has planned for next year.

Everything was truly wonderful this year, Clark said. Every year is different, but its always a wonderful experience and it means the world to us to see our sons picture displayed.

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Remembering those who gave all - The Fort Campbell Courier