Former Paradise Mayor, Ray Dalton, on local issues.
PFC Walberg-Riotto
I was contacted the other day by the Army Sgt. who was charged with the burdensome task of seeing that the body of PFC Steven J. Walberg-Riotto US Army was returned to his family here in Paradise. The first military casualty of this conflict our community has suffered.
Sgt. Ward wanted to purchase a flag for our Parade of Flags for PFC Walberg-Riotto and was directed to me.
Like many of you, I have never met PFC Walberg-Riotto, but like many of you, I knew him. He was straight and true, he was brave, he was the protector of family and friends, he was committed to the cause of GOD and country, he was Army.
He stood between my wife and child, and those who would harm them, he kept it safe for me to stand my ground and speak my mind in public, he protected my right to keep and bear arms and your right to oppose me, he was American solider.
Although PFC Walberg-Riotto left behind family and friend he maintained time-honored traditions of valor, courage, and camaraderie. But more over, I believe what he left behind was selflessly less important to him than what he helped to preserved, the future.
Oh there is surely a new flag in our parade, and it will be displayed front and center of the VFW Hall four times a year with all the other heroes, patriots, and grateful civilians, like a red white and blue reminder that freedom is not free, that more often than not it is preserved by our nations youngest and finest. So for those of you who don’t realize or don’t care about the greatness and the goodness of this country, remember men like PFC Steven J. Walberg-Riotto, he never forgot you.