Last year the "All Wars Memorial Committee" dissolved after having completed its work on the memorial park on the Court House grounds.
However, due to a request to have the name of a soldier lost in the Iraq conflict added to the monument, County Council has moved to re-establish the board.
With the help of J.C. Clifton, an original member of the first committee, he and I contacted other original members. Some of the original members had died, a few had moved away and one could not serve due to ill health.
The remaining ones were willing and able to serve again. But, that left five vacancies.
To fill the vacancies, we contacted known veterans and community leaders until we had a total of nine members which completed the board.
The new "All Wars Memorial Board" members include Hon. Terry Wright, Mayor of Brunson, Danny Dean (Hampton), John Perry Williams (Varnville), Will Kinard (Black Creek), Mary Ann Sowell (Hampton), Edd Goodman (Estill), Ronald Reynolds (Hampton), J. C. Clifton (Hampton) and William Solomon (Estill).
Their first meeting was held in October. J.C. Clifton was elected to chair the board and Mary Ann Sowell was elected as its Vice-Chairperson.
The charge given to the board was to permanently honor uniformed armed service members from the county who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending our freedom against a hostile enemy by maintaining a memorial on the Court House grounds.
This board has some tough decisions to make and has been urged to take all the time needed in order to make the proper and right decision on every question.
One of the questions they must decide on includes residency. Should the monument have only names inscribed on it of persons born in the county? Or, will persons who have moved here be equally eligible? If so, how long must they have lived here to be eligible?
The board must also develop the eligibility rules, a procedure and the paperwork to accept or approve nominations for names to be inscribed on the monument.
Another question is whether to inscribe each name as it is approved or wait until a conflict is over and inscribe all names lost in that conflict in one ceremony.
By waiting the board will know how many names, if any, they have to inscribe and how much space on the monument is needed. Waiting may also prevent having to split names from one conflict in two or more places.
And, what about a service person who is killed in a non-combat situation, such as a car wreck while home on leave or on Rest and Recovery Leave (R and R) from combat?
While we want to honor our true heroes lost in a conflict, we want it done correctly. We can't dishonor the names already on the monument by lowering the eligibility standards.
I am sure the "All Wars Memorial Board" would like to have opinions from the public on these tough questions. Why not contact a member and let them know what you think?
Honoring those veterans who have brought us where we are is how we position Hampton County for the future.