On Nov. 11, Falcon’s American Legion Post 2008 held a Veterans’ Day tribute to U. S. Army Specialist Dane Balcon, the 2006 Sand Creek High School graduate and Woodmen Hills resident killed in action in Iraq in 2007.The ceremony was held at SPC Dane R. Balcon Memorial Park at the corner of Lambert and Kingston Heath roads in Falcon.The park was dedicated in Balcon’s honor on Veterans Day a year ago.Balcon’s mother, U.S. Air Force Capt. Carla Sizer, opened the ceremony with a prayer:”Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.”Grant, oh God, that those closest to the fallen may mingle the pain of their losses with the ennobling light of sacrifice for civilization – sacrifice for a better world of this and other generations yet unborn.”Chief Master Sgt. Benjamin D. Brown, aerospace science instructor at Sand Creek High School and one of Balcon’s ROTC instructors, also spoke.”At a Veterans’ Day Parade two years ago, a second grader named Kayla handed me a card. I could tell from the erasure marks that she took great care to ensure that her words and penmanship were perfect,” Brown said.”She wrote ‘thanks for helping to free the slaves.'”Brown said he was a little amused by Kayla’s words; however, he added, “Kayla was right on the money.”It was veterans who helped free the slaves. It was veterans who fought in World War I. It was veterans who liberated the Nazi prison camps in Germany. It was veterans who brought stability to Korea. It was veterans who changed Vietnam. It was veterans who liberated Kuwait. It is veterans who are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan today.”They may have come from different generations and walks of life, but what they all share is {a} great love of this country and a desire to serve something greater than themselves. And while they are too humble to ask, we owe them much.”Brown then spoke about another parade he attended in October.”This one didn’t have a grandstand, floats, marching bands or a cheering crowd lining the street. It was a parade of homeless veterans at the El Paso County Homeless Veterans’ Stand Down,” he said.Brown said he was moved and “deeply touched” by the veterans he met that day.”We as a community, state and nation can do a better job by our veterans and their families,” he said. “We can make every day like Veterans’ Day by remembering veterans year round.”We could visit the veterans in hospitals and nursing homes.”We could hold our elected officials accountable for how veterans are treated, from the time they join the military until the last note of taps is played in their honor.”Veterans are continuing to make sure that our gift of freedom is for a lifetime. We can honor them by showing a lifetime of appreciation in return.”Two Sand Creek High School cadets, Brandon Larr and Victor Reyes, performed a drill in Balcon’s honor.After Sizer gave a benediction, the ceremony concluded by honoring all veterans – those who have been wounded or died in the service – with the raising of a flag that has flown in combat over Iraq.Balcon also was honored with a fly-by at 3:30 p.m. on the same day.
