MILTON — Army Pfc. Brandon Banner, a Milton High School graduate, died June 2 during a training accident involving an overturned transport vehicle in flood waters at Fort Hood, Texas. This Friday, the city of Milton will commemorate his life with a candlelight memorial.
Banner was among nine who died in the accident, which, according to the Fort Hood Press Center, included these other service members also working in motor transport:
●Spc. Yingming Sun
●Staff Sgt. Miguel Angel Colonvazquez
●Spc. Christine Faith Armstrong
●Pfc. Zachery Nathaniel Fuller
●Pvt. Isaac Lee Deleon
●Pvt. Eddy Raelaurin Gates
●Pvt. Tysheena Lynette James
●Cadet Mitchell Alexander Winey
Banner, 22, entered active-duty military service in March 2014 and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, at Fort Hood, since July 2014, according to the media release.
Banner’s awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon and the Marksmanship Qualification Badge-Sharpshooter with Carbine.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
The Santa Rosa County Veterans Memorial Plaza features plaques and artwork honoring those who served in various military conflicts.
Bricks along the walkways honor a service member or a plaza sponsor. Ralph Nesenson, the plaza’s general manager, said he plans to honor all the accident’s victims.
“Normally, any time someone from Santa Rosa County, active duty, dies as a result of whatever, I automatically add a brick,” Nesenson said. “In fact, for Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties, I put in a brick for them.”
Nesenson said he originally was going to add a brick just for Banner, but had a second thought.
“They were a group. They were a unit, so I decided to (add a brick for) all nine rather than just one.”
CITY OF MILTON
The city of Milton will host a candlelight vigil for Banner at 7 p.m. Friday, June 17 at the Veterans Memorial Plaza, according to a city spokesperson.
Banner’s family will attend, and the weekly Bands on the Blackwater concert series will be delayed until after the vigil.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: County, city to honor fallen Milton soldier