Roberts’ Moving Tribute to Veterans
Missing Man Table and more
On Saturday, July 1, the Roberts Activities Committee, led by Kyle McKinney and Steve Keebler, welcomed the 100th Roberts School Reunion attendees, members of the community and guests of honor Kaylyn Roberts (representing Senator Jon Tester) and Mike Waters (representing Senator Steve Daines) in a special Veterans’ Honor Ceremony dedicated to Roberts veterans. Both senators expressed their regrets at not being able to attend in person and were well represented by Roberts and Waters.
Roberts, who stood up to present Senator Tester’s remarks, was moved to say, “I personally want to say this is incredible to see a small town just come together like this. It makes me emotional.” With that, she powered through to Senator Tester’s remarks thanking the community of Roberts with a special call out to the Roberts Activities Committee for their work on the cross and dog tag project which has grown to become the Carbon County Veterans Memorial Loop.
A moment of silence to pay respects for Roberts veterans no longer with us was followed by the words, “Montanans from Roberts and across the entire state have a long and proud history of serving in our armed forces and understand better than most that freedom is not free. Generation after generation, folks from Roberts have answered the call to duty to serve our nation.”
“These veterans are the very fabric our country was built on. They are our neighbors, friends, family and loved ones…Today we honor their lives and their service. Like so many Montanans, I learned from a young age that men and women who risk their lives to defend our country deserve to be treated with respect and dignity after their time in uniform. As chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, it is my honor to wage this fight for Montana veterans and their families to make sure they get the care and benefits they deserve. While we can never fully repay the debt we owe to our veterans, it’s on us to honor their legacy, not just today, but every day.”
Waters relayed on behalf of Senator Daines, “As the son of a United States Marine, I have a deep appreciation for all the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform. May we also acknowledge the countless military families who have said goodbye to loved ones departing for service not knowing if they would ever reunite. General Douglas MacArthur once said, ‘The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.’ The debt of gratitude we owe to those who have selfishly served in defense of our freedom can never be repaid, yet each of you here today in Roberts, Montana, are honoring this debt. I commend you for showing our reverence and service members the value of their service. It is an honor to serve as your U.S. senator.”
Keebler detailed Montana’s long history of service to America. Montana currently ranks third in the nation for veterans per capita. 40,500 Montanans served in World War I, while ten percent of the state population (57,000) served in World War II. 19,915 Montanans served in Korea. In Vietnam - 36,000. Service to country is a crucial part of the fabric of our community.
Keebler also remembered Mary Allen, who was a beloved teacher and librarian at Roberts School as well as a historian and one of the original members of the veterans project. He recounted, “She dreamed of having US 212 from Joliet through Roberts and Red Lodge designated as the Veterans Memorial Corridor.” While they weren’t able to make that happen during Mary’s lifetime, after Mary’s passing in 2019, the idea was revived as a way of honoring her dream.
With Kyle McKinney and Keebler taking the helm, the project quickly took off to become a countywide loop that on June 4 of this year officially became the Carbon County Veterans Memorial Loop. This Memorial Day each stretch of the Loop had at least one community represented. Keebler remarked wistfully, “I am sure that Mary Allen was smiling that day.”
The most poignant tribute of the event was the Missing Man Table. Sergeant Rick Waples narrated the ceremony. The table started with just a white tablecloth. After each member of the honor guard had solemnly placed an item at the place in front of the chair, it’s emotional meaning explained in the process, the table was as full as the eyes in the audience.
The final ceremony of the Veterans Tribute was the presentation of the dog tags to the families of the veterans who passed on in the previous year. At no charge to the families, when a veteran with a dog tag passes, their dog tag is replaced with a cross and the dog tag presented to the family.
The entire event was moving and inspirational.