Nevada Plates honor fallen soldiers

Plates honor fallen soldiers

Parents of 2 Nevadans killed in Iraq to receive first Gold Star plates issued

Gov. Jim Gibbons on Monday will present the state's first Gold Star license plates to the parents of two soldiers killed in action in Iraq.

Roger Varela, a Fernley resident and the founder of the Gold Star Families of Northern Nevada, will receive plate 0001, according to Department of Motor Vehicles Spokesman Tom Jacobs. Varela's son Ray was killed near Baghdad on May 19, 2007, when his vehicle was hit by a bomb.

Sally Wiley, a Gardnerville resident, will receive license plate 0002, Jacobs said. Wiley's son Sean Diamond was killed Feb. 15 near As Salam, Iraq. His vehicle was also struck by an explosive device.

The governor will present Varela and Wiley with the plates at 10 a.m. at the DMV office, 555 Wright Way.

The Gold Star plate, available statewide Monday, was authorized by the State Legislature last session and signed into law by Gibbons in May. They are available to the spouse, parent, stepparent, grandparent, child, stepchild, dependent, sibling, half-sibling or stepsibling of a servicemember killed in the line of duty.

“The memory of those who fought and died for our safety and liberty must be remembered by all freedom-loving Nevadans,” Gibbons said in a news release. “I hope family members who display these license plates do so with honor and pride.”...(read more here)

You may remember Sean Diamond, and his mother Sally, who I wrote about in March:

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Sean Diamond : One of the Chosen Ones

Today is Sean Diamond's birthday, but instead of a birthday celebration there will be a memorial service for this precious hero.

Staff Sgt. Sean D. Diamond, 41, of Dublin, Calif., died Feb. 15 in As Salam, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 610th Engineer Support Company, 14th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.

A soldier, husband and father of four from Dublin was killed [Sunday] in Iraq when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle, defense officials reported Tuesday...

You can find the rest of Sean's story (and interviews with his mum Sally) here.

Good to see that Nevada recognises their Gold Star Families in some small way.

H/T Don for this latest news on a Gold Star Mother who continues to serve.