Today our walk was dedicated in honor of:
Army CPL Loren M. Buffalo, Age 20 of Mountain Pine, AR.
KIA Mar. 9, 2011
Today, I had the honor of walking in memory of Army CPL Loren M. Buffalo.
CPL Loren M. Buffalo was just 20 years old and from Mountain Pine, Arkansas. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
On March 9, 2011, while serving his country in Afghanistan, CPL Buffalo was killed when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He gave his life in service to our nation.
Loren came from a family with a tradition of military service. He was known as a dedicated Soldier who loved music, enjoyed hunting, and loved riding horses. Like so many of our young men and women who answer the call to serve, Loren had a life, dreams, family, and interests beyond the uniform he proudly wore.
Today, I walked to make sure his name and his sacrifice continue to be remembered.
Our first stop was at the 9/11 Memorial, a fitting place to begin as we remembered why so many answered the call to serve our country.
From there, we made our way downtown to the Veterans Memorial Park, where we spent time reading the names of some of our brothers whose names are forever etched on the Memorial Wall.
We then continued our walk over West Avenue and made another meaningful stop at Frost Cemetery, where we visited more of our Fallen brothers before making our way home.
It was a very hot day, but the support along the way made every step worthwhile. I want to personally thank everyone who honked, waved, and saluted as we walked. Those simple gestures mean more than you may ever know. Today, we received 450 honks in honor of CPL Loren M. Buffalo.
I also want to give a special thank you to Army PV2 Joshua Dommes for joining me and helping honor this American Hero today.
Every walk is about more than the miles. It is about making sure that the names of our Fallen Heroes continue to be spoken. It is about remembering that behind every name is a story, a family, a life, and a sacrifice that can never be repaid.
Today, we walked for Army CPL Loren M. Buffalo.
We honored him.
We remembered him.
And we made sure his name was heard.
Army CPL Loren M. Buffalo, you are not forgotten. You will NEVER be forgotten.
Honor • Respect • Remember
