Approximately 40 Army National Guard Soldiers from

Approximately 40 Army National Guard Soldiers from Kentucky, Florida and Nebraska volunteered, Sept. 14, to restore the Cecil Field POW/MIA Memorial park and clean-up the area around the Cecil Conference Center in Jacksonville, Florida, while aiding with Hurricane Irma relief and recovery operations.
The event – referred to as the “Chaplains’ Hike” – was organized by two Nebraska National Guard Soldiers: Capt. Daniel Sauer, a chaplain from Lexington, Neb., and Spc. Chris Sheen, a religious affairs specialist from Wilcox, Neb.; and coordinated with two other chaplains: Capt. Mike Halyard of the Florida National Guard and Lt. Col. Bill Draper of the Kentucky National Guard.
Sheen felt the proximity of the park would allow the opportunity for Soldiers, who normally cannot get away from the command post while on mission, to “put boots on the ground” and perform an act of humanitarianism.
The Soldiers worked together in small groups to remove debris from the park and conference center, picking up large items by hand and using rakes, shovels and wheelbarrows to gather other excess foliage. The Soldiers also repositioned fallen flags from the memorials.
After their clean up, the Soldiers came back together for either a reflective discussion on how the work done today connects to the Army Value of Selfless Service, or for a brief sermon over the same topic, complete with prayer and the option of taking communion offered by the chaplains.
(Nebraska National Guard photo by Spc. Lisa Crawford)