Chubaka Storms '26 Recruiting Profile

Staff Sgt. David G. Bellavia

Pentagon Hall of Heroes Induction Ceremony Speech

delivered 26 June 2019, Washington, D.C.

Audio AR-XE mp3 of Address

Good afternoon.

The honorable David Norquist, performing the duties of Deputy Secretary of Defense; the honorable Ryan McCarthy, performing the duties of Secretary of the Army; Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, General James McConville; Sergeant Major of the Army Daniel Dailey; and my Congressman, the honorable Chris Collins, U.S. Representative from New York -- of New York, from New York, 

Ramrods of Two-Two Infantry. There we go.

Family -- my mother, my brothers, Dan, Rand, Tim; Diana, my kids, Evan, Aiden, and Vivian. Thank you for your support. Your presence, and my good fortune to be able to share this occasion with my men, my family, my friends, has eased the awkwardness that I'm feeling right now.

What's more, I am especially proud of the recognition that this award brings to my unit, my leaders, and my peers of the mighty Ramrods of Two-Two Infantry, Third Brigade, First Infantry Division. Combatants bear witness to all aspects of the human condition. It reveals the darkest parts of the human soul, while residing side-by-side with the most exalted characteristics: nobility, honor, valor, and God's grace.

Why do American warriors under fire do what men have done since this nation's inception? This is a common thread that connects the militias of Lexington and Concord with the warriors of Fallujah: It is our love of nation, our way of life, and our love by those who we serve with side-by-side.

We defend.

We avenge.

We sacrifice.

We bleed.

And we are willing to die for this unique creation, the United States of America.

I am complete for having experienced that kind of sacrifice with my fellow men at arms, and those who died. They gave their lives for me. They gave their lives for you, and countless citizens who will never know them. I'm talking about Simms, Falkenburg, Iwan, Gonzalez, Vanderburg, Madison, Garantis, Shrek, Sizemore, Mock, Rozalaz, Cardinas, Sprayberry, and Pruitt.

Those were our countrymen. Those were our friends. And these men will never get the chance to experience the cycle of life, the birth and growth of their children. They shall not grow old,¹ because they chose to stand in our place and face the enemy for us.

It's not enough to acknowledge the fallen by name, or just inscribe their names in marble as proof that they lived and died. To truly honor the fallen, we must acknowledge how and why they gave their lives. Their death wasn't a random act or a splash of misfortune. These men and women voluntarily put themselves in harms way, prepared to die, so that we may rest secured at home. They are the insurance policy that guarantees that our founding documents, our God-given rights, are more worthy than their own tomorrows.

When the news that Falkenburg, Simms, Madison, and Iwan had fallen, the reaction, the shock, the disbelief, the grief -- it was transformed into resolve and rage to complete the mission assigned to us and give us even greater tenacity under fire. Their sacrifice gave us clear focus to fight using a reserve that we never knew we had. We broke the will of our adversaries, the enemy was defeated, and because of that, we came home.