Annual assembly honors military enlistees

May 20—Roman Balbag and dozens of his local peers were in the spotlight May 18 at the USC Aiken Convocation Center, with their senior year winding down and the U.S. military on course to play major roles in their futures.

Balbag, a senior at North Augusta High School, received a major commendation at a gala presented by the local chapter of Our Community Salutes, an organization aiming "to support the next generation of patriots enlisting" in the military after graduating from high school, as described in promotional material. He is on track to join the Marine Corps, with plans to report to Parris Island this summer.

The honor, the Gary Beikirch Award, is in memory of a Green Beret and Medal of Honor recipient who served in Vietnam and went on to become a major booster of Our Community Salutes' efforts in the Aiken area.

Nominees for the inaugural award were considered on the basis of living "a life of significance through demonstrated actions, words and behavior," exhibiting "character traits of selflessness, integrity, leadership and a consistent record of community service," accepting "others for who they are" and treating others with kindness. Nominations were accepted from school counselors with input from JROTC instructors, teachers, coaches and faculty.

Helping present the honor was the evening's featured speaker, Medal of Honor recipient Clint Romesha, an Army veteran who received the military's top honor for his heroic service in Afghanistan. Sharing memories about the award's namesake were Beikirch's daughters, Stephanie Zimmerli and Sarah Hinds.

Romesha, a California native now living in North Dakota, shared encouragement and memories from his Army years. He enlisted in 1999, in peacetime, but those who are enlisting now are coming on board when the nation is "still in a knife fight ... and each and every one of you are still willing to put up that right hand and fill that blank check out, to be cashed in for up to the value of your life, to protect all of us back here," he said.

Balbag is a relative newcomer to North Augusta High School, having spent the previous three years attending T.W. Josey High, in Augusta. He said he is seriously considering the military as a career field, with possible emphasis on psychology, in an effort to help those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He considers himself an effective motivator and is also considering work as a fitness coach, he added.

Other enlistees honored at the event were Robert Murphy, with Silver Bluff; Trentee Bamberg and Michael Chavis, both with Blackville-Hilda; Stephen Pigman and Marshall Warren, both with Barnwell; Jackson Glover and Gabriel Brown, both with Midland Valley; and Jaylen Johnson, Cameron Hammonds, Sydney Smith, Katelyn Smith, Khaliah Moody and Maria Racaza, all with Aiken.

Completing the list were Dakireah Wise, Portia Hubbs, Kevin Harris, Tucker Christensen and Johnny Blagg, all with South Aiken; Delbert Egan, William Hecker, Brian Key, Addison Loflin and Joshua Stuart, all with Strom Thurmond; LaShiontea Aranda, Wesley Ellis, Jeffrey Greenway, Joseph Jordan, Grace McKenzie, Evan Price, Kenyce Rodriguez, Maliky Thomas and Jada Tullis, all with North Augusta.

The local organization's board of directors is composed of Duncan Huyler, Dale Haas, Michael Graham, Sondra Thomas, Robert Murphy, Dara Glass, James Foley, Linda Caldwell, Sara Lombardi, King Laurence, Thomas Briatico, Beaux Brannen, Tom Matthews and Pat Blewett. The organization upholds the concept of being "the first to say thank you."

Matthews and Blewett were also honored at the assembly for their efforts in bringing OCS to the Aiken area. Both were acquainted with Beikirch, in connection with his work with the Medal of Honor Foundation, which Beikirch served as chaplain. Beikirch, who died of cancer in December 2021, was on the board of directors for OCS Midlands, the organization serving Aiken, Barnwell and Edgefield counties.

Among major corporate backers of the gathering at USCA were Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Wiland-Foley Wealth Advisory Group (of Janney Montgomery Group), UBS Financial Services, Glenn Arthurs, Westinghouse Government Services, Security Federal Bank, Savannah River Mission Completion and Longnecker and Associates.

The local organization, as described in promotional material, was founded in 2019 and is described as the OCS' only chapter in South Carolina, with a commitment to "recognizing and honoring high school enlistees and their commitment to military service and to providing parents/guardians of enlistees with community support as their son or daughter transitions into military service."