President Honors Fallen Service Members at Memorial Day Observances

May 25, 2020 | BY Terri Moon Cronk , DOD News

President Donald J. Trump came to ''the noble fortress'' of Fort McHenry in Baltimore to pay tribute on Memorial Day to those who fought and died to keep Americans free.

Fort McHenry was the site of the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812, when American patriots stood their ground and repelled a British invasion, the president noted. ''Now we come together to salute the flag, … and we pledge to [their] cherished memories that this majestic flag will proudly fly forever.''

In 1814, Francis Scott Key, was held captive aboard a British ship in Baltimore Harbor, and through the din of battle, he could make out the American flag's 15 broad stripes and 15 bright stars, barraged and battled, but still there, Trump said. The Americans prevailed, and from his inspiration of watching his flag fly, Key wrote a poem that became ''The Star Spangled Banner,'' the U.S. national anthem.

''Every time we hear it, we think of our warriors on distant battlefields who keep us safe at home,'' the president said. ''We remember the young Americans who never got the chance to grow old, whose legacies will outlive us all.

''In every generation, these intrepid souls kissed goodbye their families and loved ones,'' he continued. ''They took flight in planes, took sail in ships and marched into battle with our flag, fighting for our country, defending our people,'' he said.

From the Philippine Sea to Fallujah, Iraq; from New Orleans to Normandy; from Saratoga to Saipan; from the Battle of Baltimore to the Battle of the Bulge, Americans gave their lives to carry the flag through piercing winds, blazing fires, sweltering deserts and storms of bullets and shrapnel, the president said. ''They climbed atop enemy tanks, jumped out of burning airplanes, and leapt on live grenades,'' he added. ''Their love was boundless, their devotion was without limit, [and] their courage was beyond measure,'' he added.

Trump told Gold Star families that the nation's debt to them is infinite and everlasting. ''We stand with you today and all days to come, remembering and grieving for America's greatest heroes,,'' he said, adding that in spirit and strength, loyalty and love, in character and courage, they were larger than life itself.

''Today, we honor the heroes we have lost,'' Trump said. ''We pray for the loved ones they left behind,'' Trump said.

Earlier in the day, the president, Vice President Mike Pence and Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper joined together for the annual laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. This year's Memorial Day events were more subdued than normal, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The American people will vanquish the virus, and the nation will rise from this crisis to new, and even greater heights, Trump said.

''As our brave warriors have shown us from the nation's earliest days, in America we are the captains of our own fate,'' he said. ''No obstacle, challenge or threat is a match for the sheer determination of the American people.''

Naval petty officer indicted for possession, distribution of child pornography

Federal charges carry penalties of up to 30 years in prison

BRUNSWICK, GA:  A U.S. Navy petty officer stationed at Submarine Base Kings Bay has been indicted on child pornography charges by a U.S. District Court grand jury meeting in virtual session due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anthony Gabriel Ortiz, 21, of Kings Bay, appeared in U.S. District Court on Friday before Magistrate Judge Benjamin W. Cheesbro, where he was denied bond and detained pending trial on charges of Distribution of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry a penalty of up to 30 years in federal prison plus substantial financial penalties, followed by a period of supervised release and registration as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.

“As our world becomes increasingly connected through cyberspace, there will always be those who would attempt to use these connections for illegal or exploitative purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We are grateful for the vigilance of our law enforcement partners in this country and beyond in preventing and interdicting those who would target our most vulnerable citizens.”

Ortiz is a petty officer third class in the U.S. Navy assigned to Submarine Base Kings Bay. Investigators with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police found images of child pornography shared via a messaging application and referred them to the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber Crimes Center, and HSI alerted the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Ortiz was later taken into custody.

“It is disheartening to see the victimization of children,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI will continue to prioritize working with its partners to bring these perpetrators to justice and protect the children of this community.”

“NCIS is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue the creators and distributors of child pornography, in hopes of preventing the victimization of young children, many of whom who are scarred for life by the predatory actions of these perpetrators,” said Thomas Cannizzo, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Southeast Field Office. “NCIS is dedicated to combating child sexual crimes that endanger Department of the Navy families and children everywhere.”

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kirkland and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.

Gold Star Wife Remembers Soldier's Dreams

May 22, 2020 | BY JIM GARAMONE , DOD News

Each year on Memorial Day, Americans struggle with how best to honor those who have given the last full measure of devotion to the nation.

Perhaps the best way to do that is to honor the dreams those people had, Jennie Taylor, a Gold Star wife, said during an interview from her home in North Ogden, Utah.

Taylor is the widow of Army Maj. Brent Taylor, who was killed in Afghanistan by a member of the Afghan security forces in 2018. The National Guard officer was on his fourth year-long tour when he was cut down.

Jennie is raising seven children, ages 2 through 14, complicated now by quarantine. "I'm only half-joking when I say I'm one small step away from really crazy," she said.

From changing diapers to schlepping the older kids around, Taylor's life is full of events, but she still finds time to honor the dreams her husband had.

Brent Taylor was the mayor of North Ogden when he was called up for deployment. Many people told him that he had done enough, and that he should decline the orders. That was not in line with his beliefs, Jennie said. Each time he left for deployment or extended Guard training "it was gut-wrenching" to the family, she added, but "he wasn't comfortable just staying home and taking it for granted."

After his death, Jennie read the major's journal. One entry as he was flying to Afghanistan for his first deployment encapsulates his drive. "It's a one-page handwritten entry," she said. "He says, 'I cannot stay if my country is at war. I am honor-bound to serve.' And then he says 'I would go even if I knew I would die.'"

From that came the idea for the Major Brent Taylor Foundation. "Some of his professors and fellow students at the University of Utah had started a scholarship fund," Jennie said. "He was a Ph.D. candidate. And he had done pretty much everything except his dissertation and final exams. So I went and met with the university after someone else had begun the funds. And by the time the conversation ended, I had committed to giving the university $100,000. Then I drove away from university and thought, 'What in the world have I done?'"

While the major had studied at the University of Utah, he and Jennie met when they were both students at Brigham Young University, so she contacted that college. "The next thing you know, I'm on the phone with Brigham Young University committing to a scholarship there. [The] endowment amount they wanted was $60,000," she said. "By the end of that day, I'd committed $160,000, which I didn't have."

Jennie and many friends chipped in and began fundraising. The BYU endowment has been met. They are still $25,000 short at the University of Utah. "There are a lot of people inspired by the legacy this man left behind," she said. "There's a lot of dreams and goals this man had that most of us were pretty confident he would realize. He had that kind of work ethic and dedication."

“To let those dreams just fall by the wayside felt crushing and kind of like just not an acceptable option," she said.

"The scholarships are a start, they form a base on which to build," she said. "I know it's not Brent's legacy. Brent did not invent patriotism. Brent did not invent service-oriented leadership," she added. "He was mayor of our city when he was killed. And he stood on the shoulders of giants that I know for a fact inspired him."

Jennie was appointed as a civilian aide to Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy in January. She will be looking at the casualty notification process and is also participating in the survivor advisory working group.

She also wants to do her part to bring the U.S. military and the greater American public together. This is her dream, she said, and each death can shatter the dreams.

"There are a million dreams — mothers and fathers who had dreams for their son or daughter, wives and husbands who had shared dreams, sons and daughters who had dreams with their fathers or mothers, friends, relatives and more," Jennie said. "That's really how I felt and still feel today. I know … there's new dreams ahead, and I'm grateful for all I have, but I will tell you, there are a million dreams."