Denise Torbert, national flag guard

​Hi!
I'm Denise Torbert your 2024-2025 National Flag Guard for the American Gold Star Mothers NEB. I'm from Lancaster,  Pa.  (No, I'm not Amish) I joined AGSM to have a connection to other mothers who have lost a child that was serving in the military.  My son USMC CPL. Eric M. Torbert Jr., or as I call him, "Jr".  He joined the Marines when he was 22 . Back then I did not know about Blue Star or Gold Star Mothers. I became a Gold Star Mother December 18, 2010, when Jr. was KIA while sweeping for bombs in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on night pratol. Jr. was a 1st CEB Engineer battalion helping the 5th Marines that night.
There is a "Combat Outpost Torbert" named for Jr. that was then turned over to the Afghan natives after the Marines left.  They kept the name to honor Jr. and all others who had lost their lives protecting their people. There is also a bridge that crosses over the Conestoga River on Rt 741 outside of Millersville, PA.
Jr. was the oldest of my 3 children. I have a daughter Lynn, who gave me two grandsons (Waylon and Huck) and a son Dennis who joined the Maines in 2019 at the age of 23 to honor his brother.
Family is verry important to me and I consider AGSM as my family. I am looking forward to serving you this year. 
 

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