News>Air Force senior leaders break ground for special Fisher House at Dover
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Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley, center-left, Kenneth Fisher, chairman of the board of trustees for the Fisher House Foundation, Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff, center, and others, turn shovels filled with soil in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Fisher House at Dover Air Force Base, Del. This Fisher House is the first to be built and dedicated to provide hospice services to family members of fallen servicemembers.(U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
From left to right, Col. Robert H. Edmondson, commander of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center, Gerry Byrne, Fisher House Foundation, Ruth Stonesifer, national president of the Gold Star Mothers of America, Michael B. Donley, secretary of the Air Force, Kenneth Fisher, Fisher House Foundation chairman, Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Air Force chief of staff, David Coker, Fisher House Foundation president, Carl Zarrello, Fisher House Foundation, and Col. Manson Morris, commander of 436th Airlift Wing, turn shovels filled with soil in a groundbreaking ceremony May 1 for a new Fisher House at Dover Air Force Base, Del. This Fisher House is the first to be built and dedicated to provide hospice services to the families of fallen servicemembers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)
Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley speaks to members of the Gold Star Mothers of America, including their National President, Ruth Stonesipher, center, May 1 at Dover Air Force Base, Del. The Secretary, Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff and other senior leaders were at Dover to co-host a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Fisher House there. This Fisher House is the first to be built and dedicated to provide hospice services to family members of fallen servicemembers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
Kenneth Fisher, Fisher House Foundation chairman, makes remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Fisher House and meditation pavilion for the Center for the Families of the Fallen, May 1, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. Mr. Fisher, along with Michael B. Donley, secretary of the Air Force, Gen. Norton A. Schwatrz, Air Force chief of staff, and Col. Robert H. Edmondson, commander of the Air Force Mourtuary Affairs Operations Center, presided over the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)
Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz stand in ceremony May 1 while the national anthem plays during a groundbreaking ceremony for the future Fisher House at Dover Air Force Base, Del. The Secretary co-hosted the ceremony with General Schwartz and Kenneth Fisher, the Fisher House Foundation chairman of the board of trustees . This Fisher House is unique in that it will provide hospice services to family members awaiting the return of their fallen servicemembers from overseas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz listen to Kenneth Fisher, chairman of the board of trustees for the Fisher House Foundation, during the groundbreaking ceremony for the future Fisher House at Dover Air Force Base, Del., May 1. The three leaders co-hosted the ceremony. When construction is finished, this Fisher House will be unique in that it will provide hospice services to family members awaiting the return of their fallen servicemembers from overseas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley speaks to the audience attending the groundbreaking ceremony May 1 for the future Fisher House at Dover Air Force Base, Del. The Secretary co-hosted the ceremony with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Kenneth Fisher, chairman of the Fisher House Foundation board of trustees. When construction is completed, this Fisher House will be the first Fisher House to provide hospice services to family members awaiting the return of their fallen heroes from overseas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
Michael B. Donley, secretary of the Air Force, (left) Kenneth Fisher, Fisher House Foundation chairman, and Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Air Force chief of staff (right), applaud the official groundbreaking for the new Fisher House and meditation pavilion dedicated for the families of fallen heroes, May 1, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)
Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff, applauds members of the Gold Star Mothers of America, who were in attendance during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Fisher House at Dover Air Force Base, Del., May 1. From left are Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and Col. Robert Edmondson, commander of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center, which provides comfort for those awaiting the return of their fallen family members from overseas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
From left to right, Ruth Stonesifer, national president of the Gold Star Mothers of America, Michael B. Donley, secretary of the Air Force, Kenneth Fisher, Fisher House Foundation chairman, Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Air Force chief of staff, and David Coker, president of the Fisher House Foundation, congratulate one another after the official groundbreaking for the new Fisher House and meditation pavilion for the families of fallen servicemembers, May 1, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)
5/1/2010 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley, Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff, and Ken Fisher, Fisher House Foundation chairman, participated in a special groundbreaking ceremony May 1 for a Fisher House on Dover Air Force Base, Del.
Although this is the 53rd Fisher House to be built, the event was special because it marks the first time ground has not been broken next to a military hospital or Veterans Administration medical center. Instead, this Fisher House will be adjacent to the Center for Families of the Fallen, supporting the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center at Dover.
When it opens this fall, the 8,462-square foot home and 1,714-square foot meditation pavilion and garden will provide free on-base lodging to families who travel to Dover to witness the dignified transfer of their loved one.
Supporting these families, the Air Force Chief of Staff stressed, is our most solemn obligation.
"With our collective efforts, and with this new Fisher House, we hope to provide some measure of comfort and peace of mind -- however incomplete -- to some of our Nation's most selfless, most giving patriots ... the families of our fallen servicemembers." General Schwartz said.
"Family members serve, too," the general said, noting that their efforts enable the military to do the nation's work and so "we must pay tribute, and provide loving care, service and support -- in every way that we can -- to our families."
Demand for family support has increased at AFMAO since the April 2009 change to Department of Defense policy regarding dignified transfers. The Secretary of Defense instituted measures to enable families of U.S. servicemembers who die in overseas contingency operations to be present for the return of their loved one. Of the nearly 500 fallen service members supported by Dover since the policy change, relatives have attended almost 75 percent of the time.
Currently, families are placed in local hotels and brought on base for the transfer. Sometimes families are accommodated as far away as Philadelphia because of the lack of local hotel vacancies.
The on-base facility will ease logistics and finances for traveling family members, something the Fisher House has been doing for military members for many years, Secretary Donley said, noting the foundation's role in providing care for service members and their families "battling illness or injury."
"Since 1991," the Secretary said, "your efforts have improved the quality of life for our nation's most precious resource ... during their most trying times."
The Dover Fisher House with continue to do the same for another group, Secretary Donley said.
"Today we break ground on a unique facility which will support the families of Soldiers, Marines, Airmen and Sailors who gave -- in the words of Abraham Lincoln -- 'the last full measure of devotion,'" the Secretary said.
For Ken Fisher, the decision for his foundation to take on this unique project was an easy one to make.
This house "will serve those who have given the ultimate sacrifice ... heroes," he said.
"The word hero means those who make sacrifices for this nation -- those who give back to this nation," Mr. Fisher said. "The men and women who wear this nation's uniforms are the real heroes of this nation. The men and women who have worn the uniform are the real heroes."
Recognizing the organization of mothers who have lost a son or daughter in the service of our country, he said, "The Gold Star mothers are heroes."
The importance of honoring such service is recognized by many Americans who have graciously supported the Fisher Foundation, Mr. Fisher said, including one notable American, President Barack Obama. The commander-in-chief donated $250,000 of his Nobel Peace Prize monetary award to the Fisher House Foundation.
"Much of that will be used in the construction of this house," Mr. Fisher said, a house that would "honor the word hero and honor the sacrifices that have been made for us -- and on behalf of us -- and in defense of this nation."
An emotional Mr. Fisher thanked everyone for participating in what he called "one of his most unbelievable days" as chairman of the foundation. And on the weekend before Mother's Day he concluded the speaking portion of the ceremony with a special message for the mothers represented their today by the Gold Star Mothers.
"May God bless you [Gold Star Moms]. May God Bless all mothers across this nation whose sons and daughters have made the ultimate sacrifice. And may God Bless the United States of America," Mr. Fisher said.
Ruth Stonesifer, president of the Gold Star Mothers, joined Mr. Fisher, Secretary Donley, General Schwartz, project leaders and Dover base leadership in turning over the soil to begin the construction effort.
Elected officials attending the event included U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, and U.S. Rep. Mike Castle, and Dover Mayor Carleton E. Carey.
Other military leaders in attendance included Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel, Headquarters Air Force; Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Richard Zilmer, deputy commandant for manpower and Reserve affairs; Army Maj. Gen. Francis Vavala, Delaware National Guard adjutant general; Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Byron C. Hepburn, deputy surgeon general; and Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) David H. Cyr, deputy chief of chaplains. (Capt. Amber Millerchip, AFMAO Public Affairs, and Master Sgt. Russell P. Petcoff, SAF/PA, contributed to this article.)
