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Fallen soldiers commemorated at University of Montana campus
October 05, 2011
Editor@montanaliving.com
The five larger‐than‐life bronze statues, crafted by Montana native Rick Rowley, will honor the sacrifice of our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and serve as a symbol of hope and patriotism for future generations.
Grateful Nation Montana president David Bell commented, “We created a memorial that will serve as a source of pride for our state, pay tribute to our Montana soldiers who have given their lives for our country, and underscore the Grateful Nation Montana commitment to give the children of our fallen soldiers the tutoring, mentoring and academic tools necessary to succeed in life. I look forward to the unveiling and hope veterans and friends from
around the state will come join us at The University of Montana in Missoula on November 4th.”
The Grateful Nation Montana Fallen Soldier Memorial unveiling will take place at 5pm Friday, November 4th and will be followed by a first‐ever reunion for all UM veterans who have served in any branch of the Armed Services. The next day the UM Griz Military Appreciation Football Game and other veteran‐related events will take place. Together they will form the largest weekend‐long tribute to our military in Montana history.
About Grateful Nation Montana, Inc. Grateful Nation Montana, Inc. is a private not‐for‐profit organization based in Conrad, MT. Grateful Nation Montana
has partnered with the Montana University System in a first‐of‐its‐kind‐in‐the‐country approach that provides tutoring, mentoring and a full college scholarship to the children of Montana soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Montana has lost more soldiers per capita than any other state. Only about 10% of U.S. soldiers currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have a bachelor’s degree, and only 4% of all enlisted soldiers have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. Whether a parent attended college is a significant predictor of their
children’s enrollment. The low college attendance by our infantry troops most likely to be killed in the line of duty, and the reality of a single parent left to deal with the financial and socioeconomic issues of raising a child alone, create a bitter irony. When an American soldier pays the ultimate price for our country, the
soldier’s children face an uphill battle to realize the American dream. GNM reverses this trajectory through early intervention and support.
David Bell, a 1996 UM graduate, co‐founded Grateful Nation as a way to give back to fallen soldiers and their families. David and his wife Brittany, also a UM graduate, established Grateful Nation Montana in 2007 and have administered GNM‐related events around the state.
Grateful Nation Montana is neither political nor partisan and has received enthusiastic bipartisan support from elected officials throughout Montana, Washington, D.C. and around the country. Grateful Nation Montana’s unique approach to a public/private partnership for the benefit of the children of America’s fallen has attracted
national attention. Grateful Nation Montana has been featured on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Fox & Friends and other print and media outlets. Grateful Nation is currently conducting a fund‐raising campaign to underwrite current and future scholarships and outreach. A full description of Grateful Nation Montana’s mission and activities can be found on the organization’s website, www.GratefulNationMontana.com.
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