November 13, 2011
Sixteen years ago today, explosions ripped the front of a building where nearly 400 Americans train the Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This disaster severed the lives of eight people, including an enlisted soldier, and injured many others. Two groups claimed responsibility for this heinous crime against humanity. The building that was targeted by the bomb was the headquarters of the Office for Program Management of the Saudi Arabian National Guard (OPM-SANG) and their presence is to help the Saudi military better defend their country.
We assembled today at 11:00 am in memory of the brave ones who were taken from the OPM Family on that fatal day on November 13, 1995. Those honored, remembered but never forgotten are as follows:
James H. Allen
Alaric J. Brozovsky
William L. Combs, Jr.
SFC David K. Warrell
Wayne P. Wiley
Tracy V. Henley
Thermal B. Devadas
Eyakunnath Balakrishnan
After the presentation, Taps was played. You could hear a pin drop and sniffles that represented that somber moment. Peace was taken on that horrible day. I prayed for the families who lost their loved ones as the assembly came to a close.
Assalaam Alaikum,
GMarie