MEDAL OF VALOR PROGRAM
As you enter this site, please do so with respect. This is a place of honor.
Grand Lodge put forth a program to make available Elks Medals of Valor to be presented to deserving families of those who have made the supreme sacrifice in the conflicts in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom).
Through NSEA Veterans Services Chairman Wayne Leroy’s hard work the program was initiated in 2007 by the Southern Nevada Lodges, with presentations made on Memorial Day. The program having been met with such great enthusiasm was repeated in 2008 by the Southern Nevada Lodges on Memorial Day and for the first time by the Northern Nevada Lodges on June 28th trough the hard work of Roger Brotherton, Sr. The presentations were held by the Southern Nevada Lodges at the Las Vegas Lodge and Northern Nevada Lodges at the Fallon Lodge. This program will continue each year as long as we have men and women of the armed forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. These servicemen and women are presented chronlogically by date of death. Please keep their famillies, friends and other loved ones in your prayers. Please also pray for the troops that are still in harm's way.
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Afghanistan
| PHOTO | NAME | UNIT | HOMETOWN | DATE & PLACE OF DEATH |
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Army Spc. Jason A. Disney Age 21 |
58th Maintenance Company, 7th Transportation Battalion, 507th Corps Support Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina | Fallon, NV | 13 February 2002 Kabul, Afghanistan |
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Army Cpl. Mathews A. Commons Age 21 |
Company A, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Stewart, Georgia | Boulder City, NV | 4 March 2002 Gardez, Takur Ghar, Afghanistan |
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Army Chief Warrant Officer John D. Smith Age 32 |
158th Aviation Regiment, 5th Battalion, 12th Aviation Brigade, V Corps, Giebelstadt, Germany | Las Vegas, NV | 24 February 2003 Kuwait City, Kuwait |
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Army Staff Sgt. Cameron B. Sarno Age 43 |
257th Transportation Company, U.S. Army Reserve, Las Vegas, Nevada | Las Vegas, NV | 1 September 2003 Kuwait City, Kuwait |
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Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Shane E. Patton Age 22 |
SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One, Naval Special Warfare Group Three, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii | Boulder City, NV | 28 June 2005 Kunar Province, Asadabad, Afghanistan |
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Army Chief Warrant Officer John M. Flynn Age 36 |
Company D, 113th Aviation Regiment, Nevada Army National Guard, Stead, Nevada | Sparks, NV | 25 September 2005 Deh Chopan, Afghanistan |
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Army Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart Age 34 |
Company D, 113th Aviation Regiment, Nevada Army National Guard, Stead, Nevada | Fernley, NV | 25 September 2005 Deh Chopan, Afghanistan |
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Army Sgt. John C. Griffith Age 33 |
3rd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York | Las Vegas, NV | 5 May 2006 Kunar Province, Abad, Afghanistan |
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Army Chief Warrant Officer Joshua R. Rodgers Age 29 |
3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina | Carson City, NV | 3 May 2007 Upper Sangin Valley, Afghanistan |
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Army Sgt. David J. Drakulich Age 22 |
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina | Reno, NV | 9 January 2008 Chagali, Afghanistan |
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Army Pfc. Joshua R. Rhoads Age 23 |
173rd Brigade Support Battalion (Airborne), Vicenza, Italy | Las Vegas, NV | 16 July 2008 Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan |
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Army Spec. Ezra Dawson Age 31 |
1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas | Las Vegas, NV | 17 January 2009 Kunar Province, Afghanistan |
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Army Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson Age 22 |
3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado | Reno, NV | 3 October 2009 Nuristan Province, Afghanistan |
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Army Sgt. Josue E. Henandez Chavez Age 23 |
3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne) from Hunter Army Airfield, Georga. | Las Vegas, NV | 26 October 2009 Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan |
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Army Sgt. Matthew R. Hennigan Age 20 |
173rd Special Troops Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Bamberg, Germany | Las Vegas, NV | 30 June 2010 Tangi Valley, Afghanistan |
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Marine Sgt. Frank R. Zaehringer III Age 23 |
2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina | Reno, NV | 11 October 2010 Helmand Province, Afghanistan |
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Army Spec. Brian Tabada Age 21 |
1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Cambell, Kentucky | Las Vegas, NV | 27 February 2011 Kunar Province, Afghanistan |
Iraq
| PHOTO | NAME | UNIT | HOMETOWN | DATE & PLACE OF DEATH |
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Marine Lance Cpl. Donald J. Cline Jr. Age 21 |
Headquarters & Service Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina | Sparks, NV | 23 March 2003 Nasiriyah, Iraq |
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Marine 2nd Lt. Frederick E. Pokorney Jr. Age 31 |
Headquarters & Service Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina | Tonopah, NV | 23 March 2003 Nasiriyah, Iraq |
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Army Capt. Joshua T. Byers Age 29 |
F Troop, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colorado | Sparks, NV | 23 July 2003 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Marine Cpl. William I. Salazar Age 26 |
Headquarters & Service Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California | Las Vegas, NV | 15 October 2004 Al Anbar Province, Iraq |
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Marine Pfc. John Lukac Age 19 |
Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Crops Base Hawaii | Las Vegas, NV | 30 October 2004 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas H. Anderson Age 19 |
Weapons company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii | Las vegas, NV | 12 November 2004 Al Anbar Province, Iraq |
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Army Pfc. Daniel F. Guastaferro Age 27 |
Company D, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Casey, South Korea | Las Vegas, NV | 7 January 2005 Ramadi, Iraq |
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Marine Lance Cpl. Richard A. Perez Jr. Age 19 |
Bulk Fuel Company, 6th Motor Transport Battalion, 4th Force Service Support Group, Marine Forces Reserve, Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | 10 February 2005 Al Anbar Province, Iraq |
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Army Sgt. Eric W. Morris Age 31 |
Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington | Sparks, NV | 28 April 2005 Tal Afar, Iraq |
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Army Sgt. Stanley J. Lapinski Age 35 |
Company B, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia | Las Vegas, NV | 11 June 2005 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Marine Cpl. Jesse Jaime Age 22 |
Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California | Henderson, NV | 15 June 2005 Ramadi, Iraq |
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Army Spc. Anthony S. Cometa Age 21 |
1864th Transportation Company, 106th Transportation Battalion, Army National Guard, Henderson, Nevada | Las Vegas, NV | 16 June 2005 Satwan, Kuwait |
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Marine 2nd Lt. James J. Cathey Age 24 |
Company G, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina | Reno, NV | 21 August 2005 AlKarmah, Iraq |
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Army Spc. Joseph L. Martinez Age 21 |
E Troop, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colorado | Las Vegas, NV | 27 August 2005 Tal Afar, Iraq |
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Army Pfc. Thomas C. Siekert Age 20 |
Company A, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky | Lovelock, NV | 6 December 2005 Bayji, Iraq |
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Army Pvt. Joshua M. Morberg Age 20 |
2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas | Sparks, NV | 27 December 2005 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Army Sgt. Gordon F. Misner II Age 23 |
1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado | Sparks, NV | 22 February 2006 Balad, Iraq |
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Army Cpl. Shawn T. Lasswell Jr. Age 21 |
7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas | Reno, NV | 23 April 2006 Taji, Iraq |
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Army 1st Sgt. Carlos N. Saenz Age 46 |
490th Civil Affairs Battalion, Army Reserve, Abilene, Texas | Las Vegas, NV | 5 May 2006 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Army Spc. Teodoro Torres Jr. Age 29 |
490th Civil Affairs Battalion, Army Reserve, Abilene, Texas | Las Vegas, NV | 5 May 2006 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Army Staff Sgt. Emmanuel L. Legaspi Age 38 |
1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany | Las Vegas, NV | 7 May 2006 Tal Afar, Iraq |
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Army Pfc. David N. Crombie Age 19 |
2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany | Winnemucca, NV | 7 June 2006 Ramadi, Iraq |
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Army Spc. Ignacio Ramirez Age 22 |
1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany | Henderson, NV | 9 August 2006 Ramadi, Iraq |
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Marine Lance Cpl. Jeremy Z. Long Age 18 |
1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California | Sun Valley, NV | 10 August 2006 Al Anbar Province, Iraq |
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Army Pfc. Phillip B. Williams Age 21 |
4th Brigade Troop Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY | Gardnerville, NV | 9 October 2006 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Army Sgt. Kenneth E. Bostic Age 21 |
204th Military Police Company, 519th Military Police Battalion, 1st Combat Support Brigade, Fort Polk, Louisiana | Hawthorne, NV | 30 October 2006 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Marine 1st Lt. Nathan M. Krissoff Age 25 |
Headquarters & Service Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditioary Force, Okinawa, Japan | Reno, NV | 9 December 2006 Al Anbar Province, Iraq |
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Marine Lance Cpl. Budd M. Cote Age 21 |
Marine Support Squadron 373, Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, CA | Las Vegas, NV / Marana, AZ | 12 December 2006 Al Anbar Province, Iraq |
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Marine Lance Cpl. Raul S. Bravo Age 21 |
3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California | Elko, NV | 3 March 2007 Quaim, Al Anbar Province, Iraq |
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Army Staff Sgt. Colby G. Schwab Age 25 |
Company B, 321st Engineer Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve Hayden Lake, Idaho | Henderson, NV | 3 May 2007 Ramadi, Iraq |
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Army Sgt. Anthony J. Schober Age 23 |
Company D, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY | Reno, NV | 12 May 2007 Al Taqa, Iraq |
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Army Pfc. Alejandro P. Varela Age 19 |
1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas | Fernley, NV | 19 May 2007 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Army Pfc. Joshua S. Modgling Age 22 |
1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA | Las Vegas, NV | 19 June 2007 Muhammad Al Ali, Iraq |
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Army Pfc. Travis M. Virgadamo Age 19 |
3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA | Las Vegas, NV | 30 August 2007 Fob Taji, Iraq |
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Army Staff Sgt. Michael L. Townes Age 29 |
3th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, Aviation Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX | Las Vegas, NV | 16 September 2007 Balad-Salah Din, Iraq |
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Army Pfc. Alfred G. Paredez, Jr. Age 32 |
1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX | Las Vegas, NV | 20 November 2007 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Army Staff Sgt. Sean M. Gaul Age 29 |
3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Calvalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany | Reno, NV | 9 January 2008 Sinsil, Iraq |
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Army Staff Sgt. Bryan E. Bolander Age 26 |
1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY | Virginia City, NV | 29 April 2008 Baghdad, Iraq |
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Army Chief Warrant Officer Christian P. Humphreys Age 28 |
6th Squadron, 17th Calvalry Regiment, Task Force 49 U.S. Army Alaska, Fort Wainwright, Alaska | Fallon, NV | 15 November 2008 Mosul, Iraq |
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Army Pfc. Thomas F. Lyons Age 20 |
545th Military Police Company, Artic Military Police Battalion, U.S. Army, Alaska, Fort Richardson, Alaska | Fernley, NV | 8 September, 2009 Baji, Iraq |
May you rest in peace.
The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks has a history of supporting U.S. soldiers which began during World War I when the organization appropriated for the War Relief Fund. These funds were used mainly for the sick and wounded and to equip base hospitals in France. The Elks institution inspired the federal government to establish the GI bill and continues its support of U.S. veterans from past and present wars as was evidenced in the awarding of Medals of Valor to the families of Nevada soldiers.
The Elk's pledge to veterans states, "As long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks will never forget them."
For a copy of the Medal of Valor Program, click here.
