Memorial Day

With several additions and improvements to the Garland County Veterans Memorial and Military Park and a decorated U.S. Air Force chief master sergeant set to speak, organizers of the 2018 Memorial Day ceremony set for Monday are hoping for a big turnout to honor the nation's fallen veterans.

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Monday at the memorial, located at 118 Orange St.

Eight new benches representing each branch of the service, as well as POW/MIAs and a Daughters of the American Revolution bench dedicated to Vietnam veterans, have been installed throughout the park and "they are just beautiful and scattered around and turned beautifully," Jo West-Davis, chairman of the memorial committee, said Thursday.

The benches were constructed and installed for free by Tri-Lakes Ornamental Iron Works on concrete bases funded by the Disabled American Veterans, she said. Several new flags have also been installed and the M-60 A1 Army tank recently moved to the memorial from DeSoto Park has been repainted by Peters Paint Co.

West-Davis noted Peters Paint also maintains the handrails leading up to the memorial itself. "With skateboarders and other people touching them constantly, the paint gets worn off, but they do a wonderful job of keeping them fixed up. We are really blessed."

On Tuesday, a new POW/MIA monument was installed in the corner of the park near Orange Street. U.S. Air Force veteran Dick Holden, owner of Hot Springs Monument Co. and memorial committee secretary, coordinated the installation with his crew and with the assistance of a crane donated by All Service Electric Inc., owned by Larry Brown, a U.S. Navy veteran and the father of U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Adam Brown, who was killed in action in 2010 in Afghanistan.

"Ever since the Purple Heart Memorial was moved from the Hot Springs Visitors Center to the memorial, we had been talking that we needed a POW/MIA memorial, as well," West-Davis said. "We wanted to represent the POW/MIAs because some never came back and made the ultimate sacrifice."

On April 29, a Vietnam commemorative display was also added to the memorial using items contributed by Vietnam veteran Steve Barker, who was the last fleet marine removed from the U.S. Embassy roof during the fall of Saigon in April 1975.

As proud and excited as West-Davis is about the new additions to the memorial, she said she was especially proud of this year's keynote speaker, Chief Master Sgt. Michael R. West, who besides earning a Silver Star Medal, also happens to be her son.

She noted that while West plans to retire in the fall, he will be the first active duty serviceman to speak at the ceremony. "We usually have retired officers, so that's kind of cool. We always push for local service people or those who have retired here and have some connection to the county and community."

West is the squadron superintendent of the 720th Operations Support Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida. He is responsible for 110 personnel, including combat controllers, pararescuemen, special operations weather team members, tactical air control party, special operations surgical team, survival evasion resistance escape specialists and a stellar logistics flight made up of aircrew flight equipment, radio, weapons, tactical vehicles, dive operators, medical technicians, and Intel personnel to support the mission.

The 720 OSS supports the 720th Special Tactics Group, 24th Special Operations Wing, for both the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command and the U.S. Special Operations Command.

A native of Hot Springs and 1988 graduate of Lake Hamilton High School, West entered the Air Force in January 1989, and completed the arduous 18-month training program, including U.S. Navy SCUBA School, U.S. Army Static Line Parachuting School, Air Traffic Control School, U.S. Army Freefall School and graduated Combat Control School in July 1990. His previous assignments include McChord AFB, Wash.; Kadena AB, Japan; Pope AFB, N.C.; Mildenhall AB, UK and Hurlburt Field.

West has engaged in multiple operational deployments to support both training and worldwide operations in various states and countries around the world. He is a combat veteran of nearly every operation since he joined, including Operation Desert Storm, Operation Freedom Sentinel and Resolute Support in Afghanistan.

Additionally, he delivered direct support to Army Special Forces teams multiple times during Operation Enduring Freedom as a joint attack terminal controller, directing 88 aircraft including drones, bombers and attack aircraft munitions onto the enemy targets saving the lives of 51 Special Forces soldiers and 33 Coalition partners during an intense six-day fight garnering himself a Silver Star Medal.

West has also earned the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, AF Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Achievement Medal, AF Achievement Medal and the Combat Action Medal. He is also a military dive supervisor and a static-line and military free fall jumpmaster with over 450 tactical jump operations.

In addition to West's speech, Monday's ceremony will also include retired Marine bugler Ross Rumore, U.S. Air Force veteran Dick Antoine as master of ceremonies, the presentation of the colors by the Little Rock Air Force Base Honor Guard, performances by Sylvia Stems, and special presentations by Bill Barnes, Woodmen's Life; Lowe's of Hot Springs, DAV Chapter 5 of Hot Springs, and Jean Wallace, director of the city's Parks and Trails Department.

"Memorial Day is always really big," West-Davis said. "It's always bigger than Veterans Day for some reason. It should be really nice and we're hoping for a big crowd. I do encourage people to bring their own chairs. Those new benches will only hold so many people."