The News Tribune

Fort Lewis’ commanding general said Wednesday that the Army post will not hold monthly memorial services for its fallen soldiers, calling the current ceremonies “dignified, personalized and fitting tributes” that will continue with some changes.

The announcement by Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. would appear to conclude an emotional and controversial debate about how best to honor the sacrifice of local soldiers who die in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Each Stryker brigade and other individual units will continue to determine the frequency of the services, and they will plan and conduct them for their soldiers with support from post leaders.

Jacoby has directed, however, that the memorial services be held on Wednesdays.

Having a fixed schedule will reduce the pressure of the units’ rear detachments and family readiness groups, Jacoby said, while increasing the level of participation from the community. Wednesdays are also less likely to conflict with a holiday, he said.

Previously, the memorials were conducted throughout the workweek, but many were held on Tuesdays.

Jacoby, in his 45th day as Fort Lewis’ commanding general, said he wanted to take the time to attend the memorial services and talk with military families and community members before making his decision.

“I wanted to be deliberate in my decision and I wanted to hear back from the community,” he said. “It’s an important issue. We had the time to do it right and I believe we’ve got the right answer.”

In May, when the Army post suffered its highest number of casualties since the Iraq war began, the interim commanding general directed that the post hold a single memorial service for all soldiers killed each month.

“As much as we would like to think otherwise, I am afraid that with the number of soldiers we now have in harm’s way, our losses will preclude us from continuing to do individual memorial ceremonies,” Brig. Gen. William Troy wrote in an e-mail to staff that subsequently went public.

The policy change was scheduled to take effect in June, but it never did. The change was unpopular for many military family and veterans groups and was put on hold.

Like many military spouses, Kattarina Simons of Steilacoom objected to the proposed change.

“If my husband were to die, and I had to wait a month for a memorial that, because of the number of casualties, only mentioned him in passing, I would feel angered and let down by the Army at the very time I would need the support of the Army community the most,” she told The News Tribune last month.

The newspaper did an informal online poll that drew 240 responses, and 72 percent of them said it was inappropriate for Fort Lewis to go away from individual memorials.

Fort Lewis has approximately 10,000 soldiers deployed to Iraq, most of them assigned to two Stryker combat brigades. It has lost 140 of its service members there since the U.S.-led invasion began in March 2003.