Five years later: Kuwait run honors Nevada Guard fallen
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - More than 200 soldiers participated today in a memorial run here to honor three Nevada guardsmen and one civilian killed five years ago in the Carson City IHOP shooting.
On Sept. 6, 2011, Nevada Guardsmen Lt. Col. Heath Kelly, 35, Master Sgt. Christian Riege, 38, Sgt. 1st Class Miranda McElhiney, 31, and Florence Donovan-Gunderson, 67, were killed in the shooting.
"I deployed with Master Sgt. Riege in 2009, and I worked with both Lt. Col. Kelly and Sgt. 1st Class McElhiney," said Command Sgt. Maj. James Richardson, the senior enlisted advisor to the 17th Sustainment Brigade, 1st Sustainment Command, deployed in Kuwait. "They were special people, and they are missed by us and this organization every day. We have not forgotten their service."
For the last four years, the Nevada Army National Guard has hosted a memorial run in Carson City on the anniversary of the shooting. This year, soldiers in the 17th deployed in Kuwait hosted a shadow run at Camp Arifjan.
"It was a tragedy that affected everybody, not only the Guard, but also this community and the state," said Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, who participated in the Carson City run Tuesday morning. "This is one way to show every year that we are thinking of them."
The three soldiers killed in the shooting worked at the Office of the Adjutant General in Carson City.
"We're just remembering them and how they really did a good job for the Nevada National Guard," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Edward Holler, a contracting officer representative for postal services with the 17th in Kuwait. "We're taking time to remember that life is precious."
Holler noted that several of the runners in Kuwait had been in Carson City five years ago when the shooting occurred.
Although the event commemorated fallen Nevada guardsmen, soldiers throughout Camp Arifjan - including from active duty and reserve components also participated.
"For external units to show up, it symbolizes what the meaning of being a soldier is all about," said Maj. Joseph Claros, a support operations project officer with 17th.
More than 240 soldiers with the 17th SB are deployed throughout Southwest Asia to oversee logistical operations.
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