Page 1 - Aerotech News and Review 6-3-13

Mojave honors fallen on Memorial Day
by Linda KC Reynolds Himes was the keynote speaker for the event. He served three community queens,” said Hansen. “They were here early Saturday
staff writer years enlisted in the Army Reserves and nine in the U.S. Navy as a
helicopter aviation warfare systems operator. Other duties included morning, placing over 450 flags.”
Mojave is a small town but when it comes to honoring veterans, 16 years as an officer in the Air Force. “Freedom takes willingness
their heart is huge. to serve, to sacrifice,” said Himes. Pastor Charles Lowery offered the invocation, and Ken and Sally

“Memorial Day is a challenging holiday, we gather to honor Mojave Transportation Museum President Cathy Hansen intro- Kendall explained the POW/MIA Remembrance Table.
those who lost their lives — it is a time when Americans stand duced special guests and speakers. “We couldn’t do it without our
together to say, thank you, we remember you, we are grateful to The event concluded with cookies and a flyover by retired Ma-
you,” said Joyce Nash, president of ‘We Are Mojave.’
rine Robert Stambovsky in a T-34.
Guests gathered in the Mojave cemetery were more than 450
veterans are interred. Gold Star Mother
Hilaria Hannon,
“It is daunting to consider the tremendous sacrifices our veterans receives a bouquet
and their families have made — how can we possibly say thank of flowers from family
you?” remarked Nash. friend Tony Barragan
during a Memorial
“The best way to honor our fallen is to care for their wounded Day Ceremony at the
brothers and sisters and safeguard their families.” Mojave Cemetery.
Hannon’s son, Marine
Using action instead of just words, Nash said there are many Pfc. Fernando Hannon,
practical ways to honor veterans. “We must fight to strengthen the 19, was killed in an
programs and services that our injured and ill veterans rely on.” explosion in Al Anbar
Province in Iraq
She encouraged guests to contact local representatives and in 2004 while serving
voice their support for legislation that increases veteran’s access as a rifleman with the
to housing, healthcare, education and employment. Also, support- 1st Marine Division.
ing caregivers, giving rides to medical appointments, volunteering Fernando was the fifth
at veteran’s events, and companionship, are all practical ways of generation of his family
honoring veterans, explained Nash. to serve in the U.S.
military.
With the help of Leon Ryder and Ken Kendall, Gold Star Mother
Hilaria Hannon laid a wreath at the “Battlefield Cross” to honor all
those who lost their lives serving.

Mrs. Hannon lost her son, Marine Pfc. Fernando Hannon, 19,
in 2004 during an explosion in Al Anbar Province in Iraq while
serving as a rifleman with the 1st Marine Division. Fernando was
the fifth generation of his family to serve in the U.S. military.

Mojave Air and Space Port Airport Operation Director John

Iraq pilot tells ‘Pride’ crowd how to fly through life’s storms
School history students, Housholder the battlefields of the Middle East.
by Dennis Anderson shared some of how situations that are Honored at the dinner were veterans Photograph by Dennis Anderson
special to Aerotech News “downright ugly” can be used to show who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and
that with the right attitude you need other fronts of a war against terrorists, Blackhawk pilot Jen Housholder (right) is honored with medal at Pride Of
LANCASTER, Calif.—Army not be broken by heartbreak. including ISIS and other Islamic ex- The Nation.
Chief Warrant Officer Jen Housholder tremists.
is a Blackhawk helicopter pilot with “It’s called resiliency,” she told an we weather the storm?” And finally, will be,” she said. “My storm went on
two tours in Iraq from a unit that flew audience of several hundred veterans Housholder was the headliner of “What benefit can we gain from the for years.”
air assaults and casualty evacuations, of military service, and their friends the evening in two ways. Housholder storm?”
and by her own description she is a and family. is an Army and Air Force “master re- In Iraq she, and others in her unit,
“Type A get it done” kind of person- silience” trainer, and she provided in- “We don’t know how long the storm See PRIDE, Page 5
ality. Housholder’s parents — and her sights on recovery from trauma to an
Labrador service dog — were in the audience of many veterans of many
She was also an Air Force major audience. They were there joined by wars who had sustained their own
and wears the jump wings of a mili- hundreds of veterans and their fami- traumas.
tary parachutist, and her call sign was lies, friends and relatives who gathered
“Dark Helmet,” a humorous reference over Memorial Day weekend for the She also performed songs live for
to the spoof of Darth Vader in the send annual Pride of the Nation gala put on the audience that she composed, ac-
up of “Star Wars” from Mel Brooks, by the high school students to express companied by a guitarist from her
“Spaceballs.” gratitude for those who have served. off-duty musical ensemble, the Hous
Band.
That’s because she is so “vertically Among the everyday heroes recog-
challenged,” just topping a little over nized at the gala at the Antelope Val- Housholder’s message about recov-
five feet, that when her pilot’s helmet ley Fairgrounds were men and women ery from trauma was three-fold. And
was donned she kind of looked like the whose service began during World War it is a universal kind of theme that
undersize Darth Vader with an oversize II. Among them, Marine Sgt. Patricia would be helpful to active military,
helmet. Murray, who is 98, and Navy veteran veterans and civilians alike, anyone
George Fischer, another nonagenarian, dealing with the challenges of how
But her combat tour more than 10 were singled out for recognition. a traumatic experience “re-wires our
years ago wasn’t funny. It was heart- nervous system.”
breaking. Others honored served in far-flung
outposts from Korea, to Vietnam, to Her message was, “How do we pre-
At the “Pride Of The Nation” din- the global fronts of the Cold War, and pare for the storm?” Also, “How do
ner gala put on by Lancaster High

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