Utah’s Fallen Military will be honored at the “Heroes Tribute” weekend August 23-25. This three-day event also commemorates the 20-year anniversary of Lance Corporal Michael J. Allred, Cache Valley’s first combat casualty in the War on Terror.

The details for this sacred event follow, but first, let me share a little about Michael.

Michael was my friend.

Though our friendship was less than four years, we bonded fast through the common connection of military service. The last time we talked was Christmas 2003.

Michael had already spent a combat tour in Iraq, and was wounded while he was there. Knowing my time for deploying would be coming at some point, a call that came just a few weeks later (much sooner than expected), I asked Michael if I could visit and pick his brain.

We sat together for three to four hours in his parents’ front room. With the door closed, we talked openly and honestly. I asked the hard questions and he didn’t pull any punches with his answers. Of all he shared with me, one piece of advice forever sticks with me.

“Your training will keep you alive 80% of the time.”

I knew I didn’t have to ask the natural question, but I asked anyway.

“What about the other 20 percent?”

Michael quietly looked at me for a few moments. In the depth of his eyes, I sensed a calmness for what was to come, though neither of us realized it at the time.

“Sometimes the other guy gets lucky.”

And on September 6, 2004, the other guy got lucky.

I will never forget the honored sacrifice made by Michael, by my friend Ron Wood, and by many others who have Stood to Defend.

They are why I do what I do.

❤️SCHOLARSHIP GALA❤️

The #HeroesTribute kickoffs with a Scholarship Gala on Friday, August 23, 6-9pm. Rep. Blake Moore will join LTC (ret) Wallace Odd honoring Utah’s Fallen Military, local #GoldStarFamilies, and celebrating the outstanding recipients of the #LanceCorporalMichaelJAllred Scholarship.

The Scholarship Gala will held at the Logan Country Club. Tickets are $75 a seat and can be obtained by calling the Rocky Mountain Veterans Center at 435-536-3150.

❤️RIDE FOR THE FALLEN❤️

The annual Ride for the Fallen motorcycle ride returns Saturday morning to Elk Ridge Park, 1190 East 2500 North in North Logan. Ride registration and breakfast begins at 8am, Heroes Tribute Program at 9:30am with “Kick Stands Up” at 10am. The ride will follow a beautiful flag-lined route pass the Michael Allred home and grave site then continue north to Preston, Idaho, through Emigration Canyon to Bear Lake, then returning through picturesque Logan Canyon.

Ride registration is the day of the event. Cost is $20 for drivers, $10 for a passenger. Ride shirts are $20. Lunch after the ride is $10.

Breakfast and lunch are provided by the Marine Corps League Auxiliary Post 476 and the Michael Allred & Dan Gyllenskog Families.

❤️PATRIOTIC DEVOTIONAL❤️

The Heroes Tribute weekend concludes Sunday with a patriotic devotional at 7pm at Elk Ridge Park. Jennie Taylor, Gold Star Widow of Utah Army National Guard Major Brent Taylor, will share a message of honoring “Our Pledge to Each Other.”

The night will also feature a special tribute to Utah’s Fallen by Staff Sergeant (ret) Les Patterson, Green Canyon High School Crescendo performing “American Anthem,” trumpeters Trevor Teuscher and Aaron Bragg presenting a special performance of Echo TAPS, and a sacred Flag Ceremony with bass vocalist Nathan Christean and a military color guard from Alpha Battery 1/145th Field Artillery Utah Army National Guard.

❤️❤️❤️

Please join us.

I love you, friend!

Have a great Monday! Thanks for letting me share.

Les

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