Gold Star families along with current and former Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team “Greywolf,” 1st Cavalry Division will gather Saturday at the 1st Cavalry Division Memorial on Cooper Field to pay respects on the 10th Anniversary of the death of four former Soldiers in Iraq.

Lt. Col. Gary Derby, former commander of 3/8 Cav along with his personal security detachment were en route to a combat outpost in a western Mosul neighborhood to conduct a combined operations patrol with an Iraqi Security Forces unit when his vehicle was hit by a vehicle borne improvised explosive device. The explosion killed Derby along with Sgt. Joshua Ward, Pvt. First Class Albert Jex and Pvt. First Class Jonathan Roberge.

Capt. Jason Bates was the platoon leader for the security detachment at the time of the attack and says that he has never forgotten that day, which is why he wanted to hold the ceremony. “Since then I have kept in close contact with the families left behind in the wake of the attack. First as their official Gold Star liaison in 2010 and then as a friend.”

The ceremony starts at 1:00 p.m. and will last about an hour. Media interested in attending should contact the 3ABCT PAO, Capt. Scott Kuhn at scott.m.kuhn.mil@mail.mil by noon this Friday.