Fallen soldiers honored at North Little Rock event

Gold Star Family member Sean Daniels of Conway kneels at the grave of his brother, Sgt. Jamar Hicks, who was killed in Afghanistan in Aug. 2013, after the State Memorial Day Program on Monday, May 31, 2021, at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at North Little Rock. Daniels gave the benediction during the Memorial Day Program. 
More photos at www.arkansasonline.com/61memorial/
(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Metthe)
Gold Star Family member Sean Daniels of Conway kneels at the grave of his brother, Sgt. Jamar Hicks, who was killed in Afghanistan in Aug. 2013, after the State Memorial Day Program on Monday, May 31, 2021, at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at North Little Rock. Daniels gave the benediction during the Memorial Day Program. More photos at www.arkansasonline.com/61memorial/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Metthe)

Memorial Day services resumed in person this year as dozens gathered Monday at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery to honor those who lost their lives fighting in wars.

Last year, many Memorial Day services to honor fallen soldiers were held virtually across the state because of the covid-19 pandemic or were restricted to small, socially distanced events where attendees were required to wear masks.

While this year's ceremony in North Little Rock was smaller than normal, attendees were able to take part with relaxed safety measures in place.

State lawmakers, family members of deceased soldiers and veterans gathered among the graves of fallen soldiers for the morning ceremony. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee and his wife, Janet, also were in attendance.

"Memorial Day is an overwhelming reminder that freedom is never free," said Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., the keynote speaker at Monday's ceremony. "It is expensive. Only the most courageous of us are willing to pay that price."

Hill spoke about not only the importance of remembering those who died but also remembering those who fought alongside them and survived.

"We owe a call, an email or a visit to those comrades in arms who lost a fellow fighter," Hill said. "They were there one minute on patrol and listening to a voice on the headset, and the next second, lost to the ages."

The congressman also recognized the family members of Chief Petty Officer Adam Brown, a Navy SEAL from Hot Springs who was killed during combat in Afghanistan in 2010.

"He never quit," Hill said. "He lost his dominant eye and most of the function of his dominant hand in a training accident, but he never quit."

"He simply learned to shoot with his non-dominant eye and hand with near perfect accuracy and still qualified as a member of the SEAL team," Hill continued. "In 2010, he [Brown] went to the mountains of Afghanistan to take out a Taliban target. He, at age 36, fell in battle."

Because of men and women, like Brown, "we enjoy the safety of our homeland," Hill said, adding that the freedom Americans have to choose how to enjoy the Memorial Day holiday is "because of the sacrifice of men and women like Adam Brown."

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge also attended Monday's service.

"Each time we see one of our brave veterans, we as adults must stop and say, 'Thank you,'" Rutledge said. "Those we honor today are the ultimate service leaders. They defended the greatest country that this world has ever known."

"Whether it is those we lost on the beaches during World War II, or the jungles of Vietnam, or Korea, the sands of Iraq and Afghanistan, all of these wars fighting, defending America's freedom, our democracy, we recognize them today," she continued.

"Though we live in a divisive time, our young people must be taught these values."

Bishop Sean Daniels, who lost his brother on the battlefield, delivered a benediction after a wreath-laying ceremony.

Command Sgt. Maj. Steven Veazey of the Arkansas National Guard served as master of ceremonies.

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