Deserving of the highest form of our appreciation

Editor’s note: Within the last few days The Signal has received several Letters to the Editor in support of proposed changes to the planned Santa Clarita Valley Fallen Warriors Monument approved by the City Council in August. In November, Vietnam Veteran Bill Reynolds, who first proposed the plan, asked the city for a few adjustments to make the memorial more suitable to its surroundings. Those are expected to come before the council in January. Here is what our writers say: Let’s properly honor our fallen warriors

I would like to start off by telling you a bit about myself. Growing up, I attended “devil pups” at Camp Pendleton all four years of high school – three-week sessions each time at camp.

All four years I attended with four good friends: Carlos, Mario, Adam and Jaime. We were all planning to join the Marine Corps after high school and kick butt together.

I am the only one who did not join after high school. With Carlos, who became a platoon leader, I loved listening to his stories. His third deployment was not mandatory. But he said everyone else in his platoon volunteered, so he must go take care of his boys.

He was killed doing fire watch by a local suicide car bomber.

I grew up with this man from fourth grade until he was killed. I learned many different things from him; we shared many ideas and we fought like brothers.

I sit back and look at pictures of us and I get overwhelmed with joy. It’s because of men like this one, whom I am proud to have shared my life with, that I get to sit back and look at pictures without having to look over my shoulder.

These men, who volunteer their lives so I can have one, are much more then warriors; I strongly believe they are our guardian angels.

I would like to thank Santa Clarita for what it has done, but I ask City Council members to extend the pergola to do justice to the warriors.

It is very important to us in the communities to have the SCV Fallen Warriors Monument; not only will the families of the warriors be impacted by this, but I believe it will give others a purpose to continue to strive forward.

The warriors say: “My Brother to My Left, My Brother to My Right, Together We Stand, Together We Fight.”

I say let’s fight for those warriors to never be forgotten. Alberto E. Delgado III College of the Canyons

student

More noble setting is deserved

I want to thank you first for approving the Fallen Warriors Monument. To know that not only our community, but also city officials, stand behind the veterans in this town is so encouraging that words cannot describe it.

Veterans have risked their lives for our freedom and our country and they deserve a special thank you. While we have a great number of veterans who served our country and are no longer with us, we have more currently serving our country or have served.

I am so grateful for those people. This year I met a veteran who joined my club at College of the Canyons. He wanted to make a difference when it came to the aftermath of serving our country, and his story and movement were incredibly inspiring.

His story and all other veterans who share their personal stories enlighten me on how important it is to have this monument. Their struggle does not go unnoticed.

The meaning of this monument is much more than a granite stone with names written on it. It’s a glorious stone that speaks a thousand words.

These are no ordinary people; these are warriors and this monument says you will not go unrecognized in our community.

I speak for many others when I say we would like to add the new pergola with overhead lighting to the existing one. It would protect the monument more from the creatures that surround it and hopefully weather conditions.

It would also provide a more noble setting, in my personal opinion. This is our special thanks to the fallen soldiers of our beautiful town, Santa Clarita.

Seeing the number of soldiers we have lost over the last century and just recently with the Afghanistan and Iraq wars pains me. Life is extraordinary and we have our freedom thanks to our veterans, who chose to use their free will for the greater good for not only our country but our town.

Their life is their story, and they deserve the greatest recognition that we can offer. Please consider what I have said; anything and everything done is greatly appreciated no matter what.

Thank you again for approving our monument and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read this letter.

Analisa Astorga COC Civic Engagement Club

Honoring our veterans with dignity

I am an American, as well as a daughter and wife of a veteran. I’ve dedicated my life to honor the veterans who had given their lives or suffered injuries to fight for our beliefs and freedom.

I work with many veterans from various wars, from WWII to the present. Hearing their stories first-hand is an amazing, heart-wrenching and humbling experience.

Being part of the community and a patriotic American, I feel we don’t do enough for our veterans. I appreciate that the Santa Clarita City Council approved this special monument for our fallen veterans, which was funded by the community.

But I am urging City Hall to take the leadership role to properly honor our brave souls who died fighting for our freedom by extending the pergola with lighting and a walkway, which will give this special monument a solemn and dignified setting our warriors so deserved.

The city typically has done many great things for our military and veterans. To continue your outstanding tradition, you should make this happen.

Jodi Champagne College of the Canyons

Move ahead with monument improvements

My name is Colby Pursell and I am a student at College of the Canyons. I am aware of the current project to create a granite Fallen Warriors Monument at the Veterans Historical Plaza in Newhall, and I fully support its creation.

The 50 fallen soldiers of Santa Clarita deserve to be honored the way that they should be after sacrificing their lives fighting for freedom for our country. The changes that need to be made to the current plaza are minor after considering the cause that this new monument is being constructed for.

The new additions that are being planned for the new monument, such as overhead lighting with the extended vine arbor, would enhance the appearance of the entire plaza, in my opinion.

City Hall should move forward with this project and take a leadership role because there is simply no good reason not to. Colby Pursell

Valencia

These men, who volunteer their lives so I can have one, are much more than warriors.

–Alberto E. Delgado III