WATERTOWN — Laughter echoed all through the third flooring of Maggie’s on the River Friday night time as former members of the three/14 Infantry “Golden Dragons” started to assemble collectively for a weekend reunion.
Whereas Friday was a extra laid again social gathering and far of Saturday was the identical, the weekend wasn’t all enjoyable and video games. In the course of the extra formal reunion occasion Saturday at American Legion Put up 61, the names of the unit’s fallen have been learn one by one, and people gathered later toasted to their reminiscences.
Many within the unit have stored in contact over time on social media, however some haven’t bodily seen one another since they have been on energetic responsibility between 1988 and 1996. That is the second giant reunion the unit has executed since their Army days. The primary was held in Nashville in 2018. One other reunion had been within the works a couple of years in the past, however the COVID-19 pandemic put a swift cease to it. This time, reunion planners selected the realm round Fort Drum so they might get again to their roots and see how the bottom has modified. After primary coaching at Fort Benning, Georgia, the troopers have been despatched to Fort Drum for his or her preliminary enlistments.
Members of the Golden Dragons, together with Matthew Rovnan, heart, chat throughout Friday’s reunion at Maggie’s on the River forward of Saturday’s extra formal reunion. Picture courtesy of HotShot Images
“It’s warming to see these guys and stroll amongst them once more,” mentioned Jim Nottingham, who was energetic from 1991 to 1996 and completed as an E-5. “You all the time see that, ‘I’m not a hero, however I stroll amongst some,’ and these are them.”
Mr. Nottingham has hosted Golden Dragons at his house in Oklahoma, and mentioned each Golden Dragon is welcome at his house. Being again on Drum, he mentioned, is de facto significant.
“Actually, we didn’t care about it again then, and now it has turn into such an enormous a part of our life,” he mentioned. “Any man right here you may stroll into his storage and he’s gonna have a tenth Mountain signal. A number of the guys which have served in a number of models, homefield was tenth Mountain, it was a number of the greatest and worst moments of our lives.”
A memorial for the fallen at Saturday’s reunion. Picture courtesy of HotShot Images
Mr. Nottingham mentioned that if it weren’t for Carlton Cooper organizing issues, the reunion this weekend and the earlier one in Nashville might by no means have occurred.
Having served 4 years, Mr. Cooper left the Army as an E-4. Since then, he has labored within the development business, in gross sales and has helped out with veteran fundraisers. He mentioned planning reunions for his unit is a no brainer as a result of these are his guys, and that coming to the Fort Drum was particular as a result of most of them met one another within the space. He mentioned that many, himself included, have been a part of what was known as a cohort unit, which completes primary coaching collectively and serves their preliminary enlistments collectively. That bonded them for all times.
After dinner Saturday, the Golden Dragons bought a donation from Mr. Cooper’s mates at tenth Mountain Whiskey & Spirits. The buddies despatched bottles of bourbon and whiskey for the reunion. The Dragons did a pair rounds of pictures and toasted their drinks whereas they frolicked chatting and footage. Sunday morning, Mr. Cooper mentioned about 10 individuals bought collectively at Cracker Barrel for a farewell earlier than heading house.
“We made positive everybody knew we’re gonna plan to do one other one in two years,” Mr. Cooper mentioned. “We’re going to take everyone’s enter and give you some decisions for the following one, and we’re gonna attempt to stick to each two years in order that we will nonetheless get collectively and ensure we’re checking in on one another, seeing what’s occurring. I’m gonna do my greatest to find extra of our fellow members, which has been a tough factor to do with people who have slipped away from social media, or don’t do any of that in any way. Finding individuals has been a tough job, as a result of I do know there’s a minimum of one other 150 guys minimal that we may have a minimum of knowledgeable about these occasions.”
He mentioned about 56 individuals attended the reunion this weekend.
For individuals who weren’t a part of the cohort and joined one other manner, like Marlo Grandy and Matthew Rovnan, they ended up being simply as near their brothers, proud to have served alongside them within the unit.
Mr. Grandy served from 1989 to 1993, and was at Fort Drum from 1991 to 1993, when he left on the rank of specialist, E-4. With Drum as his final responsibility station, he now lives in Syracuse. After engaged on the railroad for 20 years, he’s now a faculty bus driver.
“It’s one factor to talk with them on Fb, it’s one other factor to get to talk with them face-to-face,” he mentioned. “With a few of them, the dialog carries on proper the place it left off 30 years in the past.”
That sentiment was echoed by Mr. Rovnan, who amongst these gathered for the reunion, spent probably the most time with the tenth Mountain Division.
Golden Dragons Matthew Rovnan and Marlo Grandy hug throughout Friday’s reunion at Maggie’s on the River in Watertown. Picture courtesy of HotShot Images
“These guys are household to me,” Mr. Rovnan mentioned. “Marlo and I got here to the unit underneath totally different circumstances, however it doesn’t matter that we have been sort of outsiders as a result of we humped the identical hills, we sweat, we bled, we cried and we laughed collectively. We shivered within the Fort Drum winters collectively and sweltered and fought off the mosquitoes within the Fort Drum summers. These sorts of issues bind you collectively.”
Whereas there was a smaller crowd at Maggie’s Friday, the group on the third flooring was filled with power. On base, the unit not too long ago bought a paver close to the monument on the new headquarters representing the “Golden Dragons,” so those that visited the bottom may lastly see it in individual.
Previous troopers from the three/14 Infantry Golden Dragons collect for a gaggle picture throughout Saturday’s reunion in Watertown. Picture courtesy of HotShot Images
Within the night, the unit gathered on the American Legion, the place photographs of varied deployments or barracks at totally different bases have been displayed within the background. Golden Dragons obtained present luggage with T-shirts, hats and particular surprises like flags that Mr. Cooper had created and stars from different flags which have flown.
A Fort Drum chaplain mentioned a prayer for the fallen in addition to for these gathered Saturday. In the course of the roll name for the fallen service members, a video displayed footage and a bell tolled for every of the 42 names learn. The listing included those that died in fight in addition to those that took their very own lives.
“A variety of these guys stayed in, they noticed fight in locations like Afghanistan, and PTSD is a giant deal; it takes a variety of veterans,” mentioned Golden Dragon Miguel Roman. “These items that we do like this reunion right here assist a lot. This has helped a variety of the blokes, these mini reunions all through the years, as a result of I’ve heard that they mentioned stuff like, ‘If it wasn’t for that final 12 months get-together we had, (I wouldn’t be right here).’”
Mr. Roman, from Chicago, mentioned that after becoming a member of the Army, he discovered how one can fish in addition to how one can carry down a deer, pores and skin it and prepare dinner it. He famous that the Army now not does cohort models, which he believes to be a mistake.
“We actually bonded, we went to one another’s weddings, we have been greatest males,” he mentioned. “There’s one thing particular while you take a bunch of younger boys and you place all of them collectively and also you prepare them until you break them, however then you definitely construct them up. We cried on one another’s shoulder when our girlfriend left us or one among our mother and father handed away whereas we have been serving — we have been there for one another. We noticed the very best and the worst in one another.”
He mentioned those that joined from 18 to twenty years previous have been getting into manhood, with the motto, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Mr. Roman mentioned that he, like many others within the unit, will host his brothers after they’re passing by way of city both for a fast go to or a keep as a result of they’re his household.
Members of the Golden Dragons sit and chat throughout Friday’s reunion at Maggie’s on the River forward of Saturday’s extra formal reunion. Picture courtesy of HotShot Images
Mr. Rovnan, who was with the unit for about 5½ years, arrived as a corporal and left as a workers sergeant. After Fort Drum, he went to Fort Benning to be a drill teacher for his final project. He now lives with spouse in Pennsylvania, and is an advocate for Cease Soldier Suicide. He has misplaced veteran family and friends to suicide over time, and has not stopped making an attempt to boost consciousness and sharing details about assets out there. Together with an annual fundraiser for Cease Soldier Suicide, Mr. Rovnan competed within the Ironman Atlantic Metropolis triathlon final 12 months and mentioned that when he bought off the bike, he took a T-shirt and stuffed it inside his singlet for the entire half marathon. As he was coming to the end line, he took it out and put it on, proudly sporting the Cease Soldier Suicide brand.
“Veteran suicide is an actual drawback in our nation and I believe the 988 line goes to do lots to assist, I hold posting it on my Fb web page,” he mentioned. “I believe the extra individuals see it, the extra there’s an opportunity that anyone may really use it. If one life will get saved, then all the things I’ve executed is value it.”
Veterans can use this new possibility by dialing 988 and urgent 1 to contact the Veterans Disaster Line, although they might nonetheless attain the road with the earlier telephone quantity, 1-800-273-8255, and urgent 1; or by textual content at 838255 and thru chat at VeteransCrisisLine.web/Chat.
Mr. Rovnan mentioned that being in fight collectively, realizing that you simply’ll be relying on these round you to guard your life simply as you’ll shield theirs, is one thing that bonds individuals collectively and that many in civilian roles don’t perceive.
The Golden Dragons deployed to Somalia, Panama and Haiti, and did a variety of coaching rotations collectively at totally different forts throughout the US.
“Guys from this unit have gone on to different models and different jobs within the army, however regardless of who it’s I speak to, what they did after this unit, they nonetheless look again on this unit as the very best army unit they ever served in,” Mr. Rovnan mentioned. “I, too, really feel that manner.”
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