Sep 21, 2021

Big Red One Year of Honor continues September 22

Posted Sep 21, 2021 9:30 PM

The 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley will host the next Big Red One Year of Honor event Wednesday, Sept. 22. The day’s theme is “Valor.” Honoring two Medal of Honor recipients, the day’s events provide an opportunity to increase the ability of the division’s personnel to serve, lead and live honorably.

The day begins with a 9:30 a.m. Commemoration Ceremony at Victory Park honoring Staff Sgt. Joseph Schaefer, Company I, 18th Infantry, who earned the Medal of Honor Sept. 24th, 1944 near Stolberg, Germany during World War II; and Pvt.1st Class Gino Merli, 18th Infantry, who earned the Medal of Honor Sept. 4th, 1944 near Sars La Bruyere, Belgium. Maj. Gen. D.A. Sims, 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley commanding general, will speak at the ceremony, relating their battlefield gallantry as examples for today’s Army personnel.

Also in attendance for the ceremony will be the panelists for this month’s Leader Professional Development sessions: Colonel Greg Gadson, U.S. Army, Retired; Major Mark Nutsch, former Green Beret Commander Portrayed in the Movie “12 Strong”; Sergeant Robert “Mike” Debolt III, Distinguished Service Cross Recipient; Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer J. Glidewell, Family Nurse Practitioner, U.S. Army, Retired and Lieutenant Doug Cathey, Watch Commander, Junction City Police Department.

In the afternoon, Fort Riley will unveil new street signs in honor of Schaefer and Merli. Details of their gallantry may be found on the First Division Museum website: https://www.fdmuseum.org/about-the-1stinfantry-division/medal-of-honor-recipients/.

The Big Red One Year of Honor is a year-long observance of the 37 service members who earned the Medal of Honor while serving with the 1st Infantry Division. By extension, the campaign will enhance esprit-de-corps, foster leader development, and increase unit morale and cohesion through authentic examples of virtue, leadership, and living a life of honor.

- The 9:30 a.m. Big Red One Year of Honor commemoration ceremony will be live streamed via: https://www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision/posts/10159894750279993

-  The street dedication ceremony takes place at 4:00 p.m. and will also be live streamed via: https://www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision/posts/10159894770694993