In keeping with our new mission to bring Oklahoma veteran news to life, we are only now celebrating the installation and unveiling of the most important military tribute statues ever created by an Oklahoman for Oklahomans. On Veterans Day in 2021, Luther sculptor Joel Randell unveiled his bronze composition, “NSU Veterans: Serving and Communicating through the Decades,” becoming the most visually detailed and robust tribute to military service ever in Oklahoma, located in Tahlequah.

“The complexity of Randell’s tour de force is more than most sculptors will ever achieve in a lifetime if you add up many of their most important military statues,” said former CSU art professor Bob Palmer, Oklahoma’s most viewed muralist. “For one sculptor to bring so many heroic-sized figurative bronzes to life in one setting is the pinnacle of a once-in-a-generation sculpting effort.”

The larger-than-life bronze monument, depicting service members from all branches of the military, graces a plaza on the east side of Seminary Hall on Northeastern State University’s Tahlequah campus.

Two years in the making, following the initial prototype’s approval, the five bronze military figures are a testament to the involvement of many NSU students and community members in support of America’s military mission. The five bronze soldiers representing the military services surround a larger-than-life Lady Liberty, holding a large American flag and a lantern aloft to guide them home.

The Army is depicted by a Cherokee Code Talker from World War I, who sits and provides cryptic communication on the front lines of battle. NSU is the location of the original Cherokee Female Seminary, and Tahlequah remains the capital of the Cherokee Nation.

“We know the Cherokee Nation has a prominent place here in Tahlequah and at NSU. What their soldiers did in World War I was an incredible new effort to help save American lives,” Randell said at the unveiling in 2021. “Many know about World War II Code Talkers, but it was the Cherokee and Choctaw patriots who led that effort initially in their war.”

The Navy is represented by a catapult officer, better known as a “shooter,” who signals when a pilot should take off from a carrier’s flight deck.

A U.S. Marine is seen as a soldier from the Vietnam War wading through a flooded rice paddy while using his hand to signal to fellow soldiers.

The Air Force is depicted by a modern-day female officer pilot holding her flight helmet who successfully completed another mission.

“Incidentally, she would be the highest-ranking person in this composition. She is stepping off the world stage having finished a successful flight, with the satisfaction of a job well done,” Randell said.

The U.S. Coast Guard rescue crewman stretches his arms along a helicopter cable in a heroic effort to save someone in peril at sea.

Elevated in the middle stands a woman who represents the families back home. She is holding a lantern aloft, with a large, colorful American flag billowing in the wind. The lantern has a light feature that emits an amber glow at night.

“Lady Liberty is holding a lantern aloft, effectively shining the way home for those who are scattered abroad. She is standing on a representation I call a semi-globe representation of the Earth,” Randell said. “With her right foot, she is ‘standing’ on Tahlequah so those who see her can remember where home is.”

The two-foot-tall globe at the center of the monument, which all the figures are touching, shows how American veterans have served wherever they were needed around the world. The names of the branches of the services are etched low on the globe behind each service member to help viewers connect with their role in serving.

The artist titled the sculpture “NSU Veterans: Serving and Communicating through the Decades” because each figure uses their body to communicate, whether through a radio, a light, or an arm gesture.

“Lady Liberty’s light is something I’ve never done in a sculpture before. And quite frankly, I don’t know of too many sculptures that go to that length to have an internal lighting system,” Randell said. “It reminds you of a warm fire, and that’s what our service men and women think of, warm thoughts of being back at home.” The innovative lighting system adds a touch of warmth and nostalgia to the sculpture at night, leaving a lasting impression on viewers.

In addition to the flag, the artist placed a triangular logo representing the Space Force, the newest branch of the military, at the top of the flagpole to round out the depiction of American forces.

“I knew that we needed a topper for our flag, right up there,” Randall said. “I looked at the Space Force logo since it is a triangle shape in front of a globe. I think it makes sense at the top. I imagine it in this setting as a communication satellite.”

NSU President Steve Turner praised the monument in 2021, expressing his pride in the new addition to the campus and its proximity to the historic Seminary Hall. “I can’t think of a better place for it to be, adjacent to historic Seminary Hall,” Turner said.

NSU has been recognized as a military-friendly campus. It is also a veteran employer champion and a proud part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Yellow Ribbon campaign.

It offers comprehensive services for veterans and their families. Resources include a dedicated Office of Veterans Services to assist with educational benefits, a veterans’ lounge, credit for military service, and flexible online learning options. The university helps veterans maximize benefits, complete degrees, and transition to civilian careers.

Randell, 51, is nationally renowned for his patriotic bronze statues, particularly veteran-themed monuments. His prominent works also include the large bronze inclusive Women’s Veterans Monument of similar complexity in Del City, Okla., honoring women service members from each service.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in art education from the University of Central Oklahoma, studying figurative sculpture in bronze with David L. Phelps. After college, he completed his traditional sculpting apprenticeship with Shan Gray.

“The NSU Veterans Monument was a dream come true project,” Randell said recently in an interview. “NSU afforded me a robust budget, allowing me to include all branches of service, various wars and conflicts, while honoring both men and women in a glorious tribute to veterans. At 110 percent life-size, it was heroic size but not overwhelming. With the figures rising from the globe at different points, it is a visual feast from every angle. I am proud this sculpture captures the actions of serving in the military during both peace and war.” • story and photos by Darl DeVault, contributing editor

Bill Norfleet has been collecting coins for years, and after retiring, he took his collecting to the next level by opening his business Brazito Coins and Collectibles, located at 2525 Northwest Expressway, Suite 222 in Oklahoma City.

“I’ve collected coins for a long time, and when I retired, I decided I’d just start selling some and buying some and trading back and forth,” he said. “It keeps me off the sofa. It helps me to meet people and do things.”

Norfleet sells/buying at coin shows, sells coins online, and meets with individuals by appointment only at his Oklahoma City office location.

“I’m not a high-pressure salesman at all,” he said. “I’m not going to pressure them to sell them (coins). I just try to help them (with coin information/values). Hopefully they’ll come back when they do want to sell them if they do.”

Norfleet said the internet has changed the way coins are sold.

“The online section is taking over from the storefront business,” he said. “Coin shows are not a storefront, but they’re akin to them. It’s face-to-face-stuff. I’m afraid that the (smaller) coin show deal is kind of dying.”

Norfleet said there are still larger coin shows that attract buyers/sellers from across the country.

“One of the biggest ones in the country is in Orlando, Florida,” he said. “We went to that one in January. It had 660 tables. We went to one a couple weeks ago in Houston. That’s a pretty good size show with 120 tables. There was a lot going on there. A lot of people buy and sell. The bigger shows have many different things there, and you draw a whole lot more people.”

Norfleet said to help better attendance at the Oklahoma coin shows, he is using email to help attract more attendees.

“We are trying something new. We’re going to send out an email to about the first 1,000 people that are identified as having an interest in coins,” he said. “We’ll send out a few emails, one of them four weeks before the event and one another week or 10 days before the event. We’ll see how that works.”

Norfleet said his website features a variety of certified coins.
Certified coins have been graded by an authoritative third party like the Professional Coin Grading Organization (PCGS) or Numismatic Guarantee Company (NGC).

A coin that has been certified will come in a tamper-evident encapsulation or slab from the organization that certified and graded it. This slab will have the necessary information to verify the coin’s grade and authenticity.

“A lot of what we have for sale are what are called certified coins, and they’re in a plastic container,” he said.

Norfleet said coin collectors have a wide variety of coin interests.

“It’s just wide (coin interests),” he said. “Two of the most popular of all time are Morgan dollars and Peace dollars. The (Morgan) were made from 1878 to 1921. Now there were some years in the 1920’s and 1930’s when they weren’t made because the price of silver got to where it didn’t make sense to make a dollar with it. They made a few in 1934 and 1935. The Peace dollars were made from 1921 to 1935. Gold coins are popular. The Indian head two-and-a-half-, five- and ten-dollar Indian head gold coins. The Saint-Gaudens coins are popular.”

Norfleet said he receives phone calls from people who are interested in selling their coins and inquiring about what they might be appraised at.

“We talk about what they have, and that gives me a good feel whether it’s worth their time and mine for us to get together or not,” he said. “I had one lady call and said she had a lot of foreign coins she was interested in getting appraised. I told her I didn’t handle foreign coins, but I gave her information on some people who do. Sometimes you get people who don’t have any children or grandchildren, or as is my case, don’t have any children or grandchildren who are interested in coins. That’s true of a lot of people. We try to be helpful to them in figuring out how to make that decision, whether they want to sell them or keep them.”

Norfleet said he has never lost interest in collecting coins.

“I just enjoy the hunt, but I’ve always enjoyed going to coin shows and taking a list with me of things that I want and looking for them,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t find what you are looking for. But a lot of times, you’ll find something.” •
story by Van Mitchell, staff writer

For more information about coins call Norfleet at (405) 495-4000, email [email protected] or visit www.brazitocoinsandcollectibles.com

Governor Kevin Stitt Commends “Oklahoma Veteran News Magazine’s” Purpose

Oklahoma’s first statewide veteran news magazine, now in its eighth month, has received an official commendation from Governor Kevin Stitt for its outstanding service and contributions to the state’s military community. The honor recognizes the magazine’s rapid growth and its commitment to sharing stories and resources vital to Oklahoma’s more than 300,000 veterans and their families.

The launch of the monthly free “Oklahoma Veteran News Magazine” highlights its mission to honor service members and their families. It invites all Oklahomans to support this important effort.

“We encourage citizens to join in celebrating the missions of our five major military installations and supporting our new publication,” Co-publisher Steven Eldredge said. “We are proud to share this free monthly magazine published to increase awareness and support of our service members and our people’s support for them among patriotic Oklahomans.”

Oklahoma takes pride in hosting some of America’s largest and most significant military installations, which serve as regional economic powerhouses and are often the largest local employers.

Altus Air Force Base, Fort Sill, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, Tinker Air Force Base, and Vance Air Force Base host thousands of service members and their families. They all employ thousands of patriotic civilian Oklahomans and play a vital role in national defense.

Oklahoma’s National Guard, Reserves, and their civilian workers also support our military’s important role in keeping our country free.

The publishers say this new magazine will aim to strengthen pride and unity among all Oklahomans by highlighting the state’s values and priorities for its military community as the Oklahoma Standard.

Oklahoma’s Patriots, stationed at these installations, have a significant impact on the economy and community. Their contributions, including job creation, business partnerships, and infrastructure development, are a source of pride for the state.

“Oklahoma Veteran News Magazine” seeks to elevate awareness and respect for veterans’ service in Oklahoma and to highlight how our state offers nationally ranked tax benefits to veterans who retire here, honoring their sacrifices while defending American freedoms.

By helping to connect veterans with resources, the “Oklahoma Veteran News Magazine” aims to inspire community engagement. It does this by sharing stories of veteran achievements and providing updates on benefits and services.

The publication acts as an important platform to raise awareness of veteran businesses in our communities. It showcases these businesses so other veterans can recognize them as vital resources, thereby boosting the state’s support for its military community.

As its statewide distribution continues to grow, this magazine will become a vital part of the state’s identity and its dedication to the military community. It strives to pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of all Oklahoma veterans and their families.

Co-publishers Steven Eldridge and Steve Sibley encourage Oklahomans to support the publication through subscriptions and article submissions. They ask everyone to share it with veterans in their communities, fostering a sense of belonging and collective pride.

“This magazine will honor the men and women who have taken the oath to defend America in our great state and their families,” Eldridge said. “We are proud to provide this free public service. Our goal is to raise public awareness and respect for our service men and women, ensuring their sacrifices are recognized and celebrated across Oklahoma and the world.” • story and photos by Darl DeVault, contributing editor

SPECIAL NOTE: Without the support of our veteran-friendly businesses below, we could not publish this magazine. Please be sure to reach out and thank them for supporting Oklahoma Veterans.

• Nerve Renewal Group
• Synergy Home Care
• Belmont Cove
• Villagio Senior Living
• Sibley Insures
• Seniors Helpers
• KW Real Estate Planner
• Cornerstone Home Health
• Brightstar Care
• Help for Veterans
• Saint Ann Assisted & Independent Living
• Brazito Coins & Collectibles
• D-Dent
• Bravo Roofing
• Oklahoma Veterans United
• SNU Veteran Center
• Navigating Medicare
• Excell Private Care Services
• Visiting Angels
• Miller Hospice
• OK Tobacco Settlement
• Endowment Trust
• Grace Home Care
• Oklahoma Military
Heritage Foundation
• Homewell Care Services
• Jimmy’s Egg Restaurants
• English Village Skilled Nursing &
Therapy – Altus, OK
• River Valley Skilled Nursing and Therapy – Clinton, OK
• The Fairmont Skilled Nursing & Therapy – Oklahoma City, OK
• Kingwood Skilled Nursing & Therapy – NE Oklahoma City, OK
• The Ambassador Skilled Nursing & Therapy – Tulsa, OK
• University Park Skilled Nursing & Therapy – Tahlequah, OK

Enlisting at Seventeen
Bargas was in high school when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17 in Oct. 1944. Two pals, Jimmy Jackson and Paul Cassilas, enlisted with him. Fortunately, all three came home and stayed friends for decades. After finishing training as a Boatswain’s Mate – a “jack-of-all-trades” sailor who performs a variety of duties – at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center on the shore of Lake Michigan,

Sea Duty
Bargas joined the U.S.S. Shenango (CVE-28), a small Navy escort carrier. The 53-foot vessel was manned by about 1,080 officers and enlisted sailors and launched SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers (nicknamed “slow but deadly”) and Grumman F6F-3 and F6F-5 Hellcats.

His memories of life aboard the Chenango reveal both the routine and danger of carrier duty. “We had planes that they went out and done their job and we’d fold them up (wings) on the carrier, go downstairs, you know, that was it,” Bargas said. After an aircraft’s wing folded, called a “STO-Wing,” an elevator would lower one or two aircraft inside the carrier for safety and to provide more space for take-offs and landings.

Fire on the Flight Deck
He also remembered a day when a pilot’s landing went wrong. “I remember there’s one of them planes coming in and instead of him landing, he made a mistake and he hit the other planes that was already on the deck and they caught on fire. It wasn’t his fault…. It (arresting cable) stopped him, but not quick enough. I guess he didn’t cut the thing off before he was supposed to.” Bargas thinks one or two sailors were killed. The account is confirmed by Wikipedia. “On 9 April (1945), a fighter crashed upon landing and started a raging fire among the strike-loaded aircraft on Chenango’s deck.” The crew put out the flames and kept the ship operational.

Final Battle
That same month, the Chenango joined other Navy ships in the invasion of Japanese-held Okinawa. Wikipedia states, “She gave air cover in the feint landings on the southern tip of the island, then was assigned to neutralize the kamikaze (“divine wind”) bases in Sakashima Gunto.” These were suicide planes flown directly into the decks and superstructures of Allied ships.

Specific strikes by Chenango’s bombers and fighters included dropping 500- and 100-pound bombs on the runways at Nobara Airfield, damaging airfield barracks and control towers, and attacking fuel supplies
and ammunition. They also conducted combat air patrols to intercept Japanese aircraft and protect Allied ships.

According to the National WWII Museum, “The 1945 Allied amphibious invasion of Okinawa lasted from April 1 through the end of June and was the largest and deadliest operation conducted by American forces in the Pacific war.” The Navy’s “loss of life of nearly 5,000 sailors, with another 5,000 wounded, made Okinawa the Navy’s bloodiest battle of the war, greater even than its losses at Pearl Harbor.” Luckily, the Chenango’s crew escaped kamikaze aircraft attacks.

He sailed countless nautical miles. “For the time I was in, I covered a lot of territory.” Bargas said. “I went from one ocean to the other ocean. I went through the Panama Canal. I went to San Francisco and then later on when we came back, we came back through the Panama Canal. One ocean’s higher than the other. I didn’t know that. I couldn’t believe it.” Asked if he ever got seasick, he laughed. “Yes, I was sick for about a week.” Typhoons? He nodded. “We had several of them. The ocean’s rough.”

From War to Civilian Life
After being discharged as a Seaman Second Class on April 1, 1946, Bargas returned home and began building a civilian life. He married Patricia, and later, Joyce, and had six children and three step-children. His daughter, Lanna Daniels, said he first leased a Phillips 66 gas station in Tulsa before opening his own business, Bargas Garage, for twenty years. Nearly eight decades later, Bargas continues to serve his community. He attended the U.S. Navy’s 250th birthday celebration on Oct. 13 and has been asked to be the Grand Marshal in Claremore’s Veterans Day parade Nov. 11th. • Story by Retired Lt. Col. Richard Stephens, Jr., USAFER. See Rich Travel Niche

George Shafer, a U.S. Army veteran, was at his lowest point when his wife Meredith found him in their family’s treehouse with a shotgun aimed under his chin.
He credits her with getting him the help he needed when he was ready to end it all.
“I suffered a traumatic brain injury (while serving) and I got into a deep depression,” Shafer said. “I am a veteran that has struggled. I have struggled with the aimlessness, and the lack of passion, feeling worthless, feeling empty, feeling void.”
Shafer those feelings only heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic after he and his wife’s ministry which helped veterans struggling with addiction closed its doors.
“When the ministry (in Edmond) fell apart in the pandemic, I lost many relationships, and I really isolated myself. I hurt a lot of the friends that I had at the time,” he said.
Shafer said after Meredith found him in the treehouse; she went to work to get him help.
“She was relentless,” he said.
Meredith Shafer wrote in a Facebook post about her and George getting saved 12 years ago.
“Twelve years ago, today (Sept. 28) the Lord saved us,” she wrote. “I was pregnant with our youngest, and life had been in shambles for a while. Mr. Wonderful (George) was chained by addiction, and I was at the end of my rope. That day I found him in our kids’ treehouse about to take his own life. It turns out, he was at the end of his rope too and did not know how to get out of those chains. Twelve years ago, God met us in a treehouse and changed our lives forever. Not in an instant like we wanted, but over and over in the daily choices He showed us how to make.”
Shafer said their response to the pandemic helped shape his family’s future.
“When the pandemic hit Oklahoma, our family had a meeting around the dining room table. We were all nervous, but we discussed what opportunities were available in our new norm,” he said. “We told our kids that it was a difficult situation, but it was also globally difficulty being experienced by everyone. Meaning, the people who are quickest to adapt to change will be the most prepared when the pandemic was over. Our family received this well, and got to work! But they also helped me do the same.”
Shafer decided to go back to school online through Liberty University and receive his Masters of Divinity degree from Regent University.
“There’s just been a calling on my life (to complete his education), and I’ve known it for a very long time. And I ran from it. But when COVID hit that was one of the thresholds that was there for me to cross,” he said.
Shafer credits his wife and children for sticking with him through his studies.
“Meredith Shafer, Jack, Tate, Lucy, and Isaiah; this victory is for you,” Shafer wrote in a Facebook post. “For the missed: sports events, kid drop-off and pickup, parent/teacher conferences, etc. Thank you for helping me, believing in me, and trusting me for the past 7 years through both an undergrad and a challenging master’s program. For a guy who had a 9th grade education prior to college, there were days I wasn’t sure we were going to make it (math and Greek). You guys helped me break generational curses and change the trajectory of our family name.”
Shafer graduated with his master’s degree last spring but was still unsure of what was next for him.
That is when he and his wife felt a calling to come to Generation’s Church in Guthrie.
“I scheduled a meeting with my pastor Josh Seabolt (and told him his story),” Shafer said. “I told him I made a lot of mistakes, and he showed me the grace of Jesus Christ.”
Through that conversation, Shafer was later hired as Generation Church’s Pastor of Digital Communications, and his wife serves as Pastor of Assimilation and Small Groups.
He thanked Generations Church for giving his family a shot.
“To our Generations Church family, you will have no idea how much your love and support has meant to our family. So grateful for each of you,” he said. “It’s very humbling.”
Shafer is the former chaplain of the American Legion Lebron Post 58 in Guthrie, where he helped launch its Bunker 58 Esports program, which is designed to reduce veteran suicide by providing an environment of a connection, teamwork, and camaraderie for local veterans.
Shafer said his struggles help him better help other veterans.
“When I see that in somebody else, I’m able to recognize it,” he said. “Not because I’ve experienced exactly what that person has experienced, but it rekindles my desire to ensure that nobody ever feels that way again. To ensure that they understand that they’re made in the image of God, in the image of their creator, and that they have worth, and that they have value. Even if they no longer wear the uniform or serve the country, they still have value and they still have worth, and they still have things that they were put on this planet to do. And if I can help them get through this short, temporal period of feeling empty, it’s my honor to do that.” •
story by Van Mitchell, staff writer
For more information about Generations Church visit
https://www.generationsguthrie.com.

The VA OKC Healthcare System recently opened its newest VA clinic in northwest Oklahoma City.

This new clinic will be where the Women’s Health Clinic and specialty care clinics are relocating from the VA Medical Center.

The North Portland VA Clinic will consist of two separate buildings and will cover a total of 25,604 square feet, said Wade Vlosich, Director of the Oklahoma City HealthCare System. The facilities will employ 75 staff members.

Building 5, located at 3625 NW 56th Street, will house the Women’s Health Clinic, Imaging, and Lab services. This relocation will provide the women’s Veteran population with a facility outside of the VA Medical Center.

This move will offer an environment for female Veterans who may feel uncomfortable using the medical center due to past trauma.

Building 3, located at 3613 NW 56th Street, will house Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Orthopedics, Podiatry, Urology, Optometry, Ophthalmology, and the Optical Shop.

“We’re really excited about this opportunity,” Vlosich said. “It started about four years ago with the growing female population here in Oklahoma. Right now, we have about 10,000 female veterans and that continues to rise every year. We’re netting about 400 female veterans every year. This year alone we’ve seen about 80,000 veterans, so almost 12%, 13% of our total population is female veterans. As we expand the services, we wanted to get a female specific clinic. We are proud of all that we’ve done to bring this to our female veterans.”

Vlosich led tours of the two buildings during a ribbon cutting ceremony Sept. 30.
“Over here will be the check-in (in Building 5),” he said. “We’ll have two entrances, one for females and then the other side is a commingled area where it’ll be for men and women because we do have some men that need mammograms. We will still have every service. The only thing that will be different is that the female specific primary care teams will be here. All our primary care teams will have females in each one of the sites.”

Vlosich said a survey was done about five years ago, and one the top requests was a one-stop shop for female veterans.

“One of the things they said they wanted was a one-stop shop, so when they come in, they can get pelvic floor, they can get GYN, they can get mammography, bone density,” he said.

“What they’re going to be working on when you come in to say for a female exam, they will have a screening for all of these set up for one day. If you need to come in and get bone density mammography, all of that can be done in one day so you don’t have to come out multiple times.”

Vlosich said the North Portland clinics will also include a VA Express Care (same day walk-in) Clinic, including a VA-specific Ortho Express clinic.
“We’re opening up two VA-specific Ortho express clinics because we have so many same day ortho needs that we’ll have urgent, like an express same day ortho clinic,” he said. “You don’t have to go to primary care or anybody, you just walk in, and they can get your x-rays and get all that stuff done here.”

The VA is the world’s largest and most comprehensive provider of sensory aides and prosthetic devices. Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system and referred by a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician can receive a full range of services and equipment like:

• Artificial limbs and surgical implants, including artificial joints and pacemakers

• Wheelchairs and other medical devices

• Aids for Veterans who are blind, have low vision, or are hearing impaired

• Adaptive equipment and modifications to make your vehicle or home more accessible

• Other devices and services to help increase your mobility, dignity, and independence

• Clothing allowance for Veterans with devices that damage their clothing

Vlosich said the North Portland clinics will have an orthotic space.
“We’ll have both prosthetics,” he said. “Instead of going up to the main campus and picking up prosthetic devices, you can come in here. There is a big ortho PT gym here and then an

OT that will work in this space. This is part of just expanding those services overall.”
Vlosich said the North Portland VA will be secure.

“There are some FBI and Homeland Security people in the building, so we’ve got a lot of that,” he said. “We do have a VA police area. We have an armory as well.” •
story by Van Mitchell, staff writer

Have you seen those memorial highway signs with names and military ranks on them along the interstates in the Tulsa area? Have you wondered about the person named on those signs? One such sign is on Interstate 169 at 76th and 86th Streets in the north and southbound lanes in Owasso. It says “SGT Anthony Del Mar Peterson Memorial Highway.” Who is SGT Anthony Del Mar Peterson and why does he have a sign? I will start at the end of the story and then go back to the beginning.

SGT Anthony Peterson served in the Oklahoma National Guard. He was killed in action while serving in the Zurmat district, Paktya province, Afghanistan on August 4th, 2011. He was 24 and on his second deployment. He is survived by his parents Garth and Terra, two siblings, a son and numerous other family and friends.

I met with Anthony’s parents to learn more about who he was.

Anthony was athletic, loved the outdoors and was always training for something. Despite being a protective big brother, he also liked teasing his siblings. He once tied both of them up and hid them in a closet telling them they needed to learn how to escape in case they were ever captured. When his parents talked to him about it afterwards, he said he was just training them.

Both of his grandfathers and an uncle served in the military, however, they aren’t what influenced him to join. When he was in kindergarten, the family lived in California close to Mather Air Force Base. His mother Terra reminisced about them seeing men jumping out of a Blackhawk helicopter and young Anthony watching with big eyes and stating that’s what he wanted to do when he grew up. His compassion for the military would deepen after the events of September 11, 2001 which drew him to sign up for the military using the delayed entry program. He was so proud, he wore his uniform to his graduation ceremony. Anthony’s father believes he also knew that his parents couldn’t afford to send him to college so joining the military would take that burden off of them.

After his 2005 graduation from Chelsea High School, Anthony volunteered for his first deployment. During that time he was notified that his ex-girlfriend had a son and he was the father. As soon as he came back from that deployment he was an instant father as his son was already under his parents guardianship and living with them. The most important things in his life were God, family and country. His favorite quote was, “Come home with your shield or on it.” In the Spartan world where this quote comes from, to come home without your shield is a sign of cowardice. To come home on your shield (dead) is a sign of honor, meaning you fought til the death.

Garth and Terra Peterson are proud of the man Anthony became and are grateful for the time they had with him. They raised his son, who is now almost twenty years old and is an aspiring music producer. From the time that his dad was killed, he was taught that he had gone to be with God. His memories were kept alive through sharing what was in their hearts, by honoring his life and remembering his sacrifice.

The Peterson’s love seeing their son’s name on a highway sign and hope that it will serve as a reminder to the thousands who drive past it daily to appreciate our freedom and raise awareness about the families who have paid the ultimate price for it. They admit that their own awareness about such sacrifices and the meaning of Memorial Day and Veterans Day grew deeper when they lost Anthony. They encourage people to look up the name of those listed on the highway signs and learn about who they were.

I asked what they would say if they could say anything to Anthony. They agreed they would tell him they loved him and how grateful they are that God lent him to them. I asked what they thought he might say to them. Dad said he would say, “I love you.” Mom said he would say, “Good job, Mom. You did exactly what I wanted you to do.”

Garth and Terra have never lost their faith in God. They remain grateful for the twenty-four years they had with Anthony and for the gift of being able to raise his son.

SGT Anthony Del Mar Peterson is laid to rest at Ft. Gibson National Cemetery. •
story and photos by Jill Stephenson, mother of a fallen soldier.