By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
On Jan. 6, the Madison County War Veterans Committee held a ceremony recognizing the Oneida Indian Nation for its contribution to the expansion of the Madison County War Veterans Memorial (WAVEM).
Dedicated on May 29, 1990, the original WAVEM memorializes the sacrifices of Madison County veterans with four seven-foot-tall stone monuments — one each for World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam — inscribed with the names of local veterans.
Last year, the Oneida Indian Nation donated funds to construct an addition to the memorial to honor those from Madison County who lost their lives in the War on Terror.
The new stone — now located outside the Madison County Courthouse — is dedicated to Marine Corps Lance Corporal Jeremy S. Lasher, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2009, and to Army Sergeant Edward H. Bolen, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010.
“It had been quite a while that we had been fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we had a couple of war dead citizens that we wanted to recognize,” said WAVEM Committee Vice President Don Smith. “We had recognized them previously with nameplates at the back of the memorial, but we decided it was time to officially place a stone for them, plus any future War on Terror casualties we might have . . .”
Held at the Madison County government offices, the Jan. 6 ceremony was attended by Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation Representative and Nation Enterprises CEO; Brian Patterson, Oneida Indian Nation Council Member; John Becker, Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman; Todd Hood, Madison County Sheriff; and members of the Madison County War Veterans Committee.
“Monuments such as these are reminders of our collective commitment in service to this great country,” Halbritter said. “Since the founding of the United States, the Oneida Indian Nation has been an ally to America’s military forces. Our bond was forged nearly 250 years ago during the Revolutionary War, when the Oneida Indian Nation fought alongside the rebel colonists in battle against the British. As the country’s First Allies, we continue to support the values of freedom and liberty, which define this great country, which is why we were honored to support this important effort.”
During the ceremony, the Oneida Indian Nation representatives received a plaque acknowledging their support.
“The plaque recognizes [the Oneida Indian Nation’s] contribution to modifying the memorial to recognize the War on Terror, and to helping us remind everyone that freedom isn’t free,” Smith said.
