With liberty and justice for all

by Jaylin Kremer
​July 1, 2024

Click the button below to read the full article on CityView

CityViewNC.com

Various pictures and proclamations in honor of U.S. Army Spc. Daniel Lucas Elliott for the ceremony dedicating and renaming the Cary, N.C., Army Reserve center in his honor June 8, 2013. Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Joel Quebec/Released

Independence Day for most Americans is a day of cookouts, fireworks, and festivities. Children are wide-eyed with excitement, and there are plenty of smiles and laughter shared by friends and strangers alike. A picture-perfect day signifying just what it means to live the American Dream.

The weather is perfect, the boom from the fireworks is felt in your chest as the sky glows radiantly with beautiful shapes and colors. I can already taste the hot dogs fresh off the grill and feel the refreshing cold drink in my hand. After all, Independence Day symbolizes our very identity as citizens of the United States.


For some, patriotism may mean they wear red, white, and blue to show their support on this one day of the year. Others demonstrate their love for our country to much greater lengths each and every day, sometimes down to their very last.


This holiday should always hold a special sentiment for the residents here at Fort Liberty, especially since its name has changed. The controversial change from Fort Bragg has been known to cause more than a few raised brows. But one mother’s advocacy for what the right name was for this place we call home cannot be forgotten while we enjoy the day off, relaxing with our friends and family, celebrating just what it means to be American.


Fort Liberty, along with eight other Army Installations, was renamed in 2023 by the Dept. of Defense Naming Commission in an effort to reflect values of patriotism, freedom, and unity, shedding the names of the Confederate soldiers they previously honored.
​

I had the pleasure of obtaining a deeper understanding of just where “Liberty” came from, what it signifies, and why all residents living on this post should remember why the change is not controversial, but a constant reminder of why we are all here, especially on Independence Day.

The family of Spc. Daniel Lucas Elliott gather next to the plaque that memorializes the Cary Army Reserve center in North Carolina. Joining the family is Lt. Col. Laura Steele commander of the 535th Military Police Battalion. Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Joel Quebec, 81st Readiness Division

American Gold Star Mothers 1st Vice President Patti Elliott, mother of Spc. Daniel “Lucas” Elliott, gallantly advocated for the change to Fort Liberty. Her cause is one to be respected, honored, and forever remembered.

Recalling the intense events from the renaming commission meeting, Patti explained that she raised her hand and said, “My son did not die for one community or the other. He died for freedom. He died for liberty.”

Following the meeting, each commission was to send their top three choices, but retired Gen. Dan McNeill would send Liberty as the only option. When the time came to officially honor Fort Liberty’s new name on June 2, 2023, Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, most recently commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps, recognized Patti for inspiring Donahue and other officials to recognize what was right.

I had the opportunity to interview Patti, during which I got the chance to learn about who her son was and what Lucas’ mission meant to her. Patti’s mission today is inspirational, to say the least. Patti remembers that her son first demonstrated his patriotism at the age of 12. Her family did what Americans everywhere were doing as the events of 9/11 unfolded; they sat glued to the TV watching as the twin towers fell.

“I’m gonna make sure that doesn’t happen to America again,” Lucas told his mother. And as the years went by, Patti proudly reports that his patriotism did not waver.

When Lucas turned 17 in 2006, he asked his parents if he could bring someone to their home to meet them. It was an Army recruiter. By 2007, Lucas was a military police officer assigned to Cary, North Carolina. In 2008 he went on his first deployment to Basra, Iraq, until 2010.

After returning, Lucas’ unit was set to deploy in May 2011. Even though he had just returned from a lengthy deployment, Lucas wanted to be with his unit and jumped through the necessary hoops to deploy again. On July 15, 2011, Lucas’ convoy was hit by a roadside IED, and Lucas was killed instantly.

“His mission was complete,” Patti said.

Patti remained supported by the four soldiers who were with Lucas when he died. On the days the survivor’s guilt weighed heavily on them, Patti would say, “God is not done with you yet, you still have more to accomplish.”

This would become her philosophy, why she stays so connected, and why she fights for all those who are still in the military today.

On his last Fourth of July while he was alive, Lucas called his brother, Brad, who was with his wife in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Lucas, who loved the ocean, asked if his brother could put him on speaker so he could hear the sounds of the water. This was the last call the two would have.

In remembrance of Lucas, and all that he fought for, his family goes to the beach to celebrate the Fourth of July every year. Patti explained that her son Brad continues to honor veterans and demonstrates his patriotism at any opportunity he is given. As their mother, she is beyond proud that both of her boys have demonstrated their patriotism, even if in different ways.

To this, she adds: “It’s not just about us. We are just one story in thousands, and it is important to honor all of them.”

Liberty is much more than a name, or just one person. Liberty is for all of us. Liberty is what our men and women in uniform fight for day in and day out. Liberty is what many die for. Liberty is what we celebrate on July 4.


This year, while you celebrate with your friends and family, remember Lucas, remember Patti. Remember all those who have laid down their lives for our freedom. Remember all those who have worn the uniform to protect our freedom, and those who wear it today.


“And to the Republic for which it stands,” as the Pledge of Allegiance says, “one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.”