Second soldier with local ties killed in Iraq
October 12, 2005
From
staff reports
For more than three years, the tragedy of lost lives from the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan did not hit close to home.
While many Greenwood-area men and women went off to serve in the
Middle East, there were no reported deaths affecting immediate
family members from the Greenwood area.
But in a little more than two weeks, Greenwood County alone has
seen two deaths.
Sgt. Eric A. Fifer, 22, who attended Greenwood High School from
1998-2000 and who has relatives living in Ninety Six, died Friday
in a firefight in Haqlaniyah, Iraq.
Spc. Kevin Jones, the brother of Greenwood Dr. Kamlyn Jones, died
late last month.
Fifer was a 2001 graduate of South-Doyle High School in
Tennessee.
He was a member of the 82nd Airborne. He was on his third
deployment overseas.
His regiment combat team, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Force, was engaged in the River Gate offensive in
western Iraq.
His decorations include the Army Service Ribbon, Global War on
Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and a
Purple Heart.
Fifer’s friends and family received an e-mail from him Oct.
2, less than a week before he died. “Family, friends, I love
you all,” he wrote.
Fifer’s parents, Bruce Eric Fifer, of Ninety Six, and Nancy
Mellen, of Knoxville, Tenn., said he was shot in the chest.
Another soldier also was killed in the firefight, the Defense
Department said.
Fifer might have had a premonition.
“He told one of his friends right before he left that he was
afraid this one would not end well, that he knew he was going
somewhere really dangerous,” Mellen told the Knoxville
(Tenn.) News Sentinel.
And she said there was something unsettling about his last
message, sent the night before he left for what would be his
final mission.
“He was always a joker and usually signed his e-mails ‘Eric
Fifer, Regular Guy.’” Mellen said. “But this time,
there was none of the joking stuff, and he just signed it ‘Eric
Fifer.’ My sister told me she was struck by that, too.”
Fifer wanted to be in the military since he was about 6 years
old. His father, who taught ROTC at Lander University and served
as training officer for the whole ROTC batallion consisting of
Lander, Presbyterian College and Newberry College, retired from
the Army in April as a captain.
“We both knew the dangers (of Iraq), but we didn’t
discuss that very much,” his father told the News Sentinel.
“The only advice I gave him was to stay alert, keep his eyes
open and his head down.”
Fifer was a third-generation military man, Bruce told The
Index-Journal. “My father spent 21 years in the Air Force, I
retired from the Army after 20 years and he followed in our
footsteps,” he said.
But Eric wasn’t planning on a full military career. His
father said his son’s plan “was to get out of the Army
and go back to school. He wanted to be an anthropologist, of all
things. He would have gotten out next October.”
But while serving in the Army, Eric “was doing what he
wanted to do,” Bruce said. He added that his son believed in
the U.S. military’s mission in Iraq.
Mellen told the News Sentinel that her son was an upbeat person
with a great sense of humor and was a devoted son.
“One time when I was ill, when he was 8 years old, he would
cook, lock up the house at night, help me with physical therapy,”
she said. “You could not ask for a better son. He never
complained, not once. That’s the kind of person he was.”
His father shared a similar sentiment.
“He was kind of modest,” Bruce said of his only child.
He didn’t really stand out, was always helpful, always
wanted to know what he could do” for others.
Eric was born in Columbus, Ga. His parents are divorced and
remarried. He attended Bonny Kate School and South Doyle Middle
School, then went to live for a few years with his father. Eric
Fifer’s stepmother is Sandee Fifer, of Ninety Six.
Eric completed his senior year at South Doyle High School, then
went directly into the Army.
He served in Afghanistan and left on Sept. 1 for his second
deployment to Iraq.
“He said things were getting a lot better,” his father
told the News Sentinel. “He said that the kids were coming
up and smiling more, that previously they had been more
suspicious than friendly.”
“He definitely knew that what he was doing was for the good,
and that he was helping people,” Mellen said. “I’m
just enormously proud of my son. I was proud of him even before
he went into the military.”
Eric spent his sophomore and junior high school years at
Greenwood High before returning to Knoxville his senior year. He
continued his ROTC involvement at the high school, serving as
color guard commander.
Neal Longmire, who has been an ROTC instructor at Greenwood High
for 11 years, was Eric’s instructor at that time. He is also
a neighbor and close friend of the family.
Fifer was “an outstanding cadet with us,” Longmire
said. He achieved the rank of first lieutenant in his two years
in the program, a feat that represents a “pretty fast
promotion rate,” Longmire said.
In addition to his involvement in the ROTC program, Eric was a
member of the Raider Team, a physical fitness team put together
by Longmire that is military oriented in its regimen.
Longmire said his closeness to Eric as an instructor and neighbor
made Eric’s death even harder. “I have a lot of
feelings about it,” he said.
He added that Eric’s death had a “domino effect”
in that there are a number of Greenwood High students who were
under Eric’s command during his two years here.
“He put a mark on their life,” he said.
Jim Balloch of the Knoxville (Tenn.) Sentinel-News provided most
of this story. Index-Journal Executive News Editor Richard
Whiting and Managing Editor Greg Deal contributed to this story.
Best of the best
Greenwood’s Dwayne Scott named Martial Artist of Year
October 12, 2005
By
CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer
Twenty years of diligence and training recently paid off for a
Greenwood resident.
Dwayne Scott, owner of Scott’s American Martial Arts, was
inducted to the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame on August
25. He was also named 2005 Martial Artist of the Year.
“It definitely came as a surprise,” said Scott, who was
unable to attend the induction ceremony in Jacksonville, Fla.,
because of a scheduling conflict. “I do karate and martial
arts because I love it and I get so much enjoyment out of it. I
never thought about getting into the hall.”
According to Scott, only inducted members of the U.S. Martial
Arts Hall of Fame can nominate and vote in new members. Scott
said that aspect of the nomination process makes the honor even
more special for him, because it comes from his peers.
Scott, 42, began studying martial arts shortly after he graduated
high school, mainly to continue athletic competition and practice
the discipline.
“That’s what makes martial arts attractive to a lot of
people,” Scott said. “They want to continue their
athletic careers. Karate is a great way to do that. Plus, it is
an individual sport, rather than team competition.”
Scott pointed out the main difference between American martial
arts and Asian-influenced styles. In traditional Asian forms of
martial arts, pupils are required to speak the language of the
native country of the style. Also, if you are a student of a
particular discipline, tae kwon do for instance, you are required
to study only within that discipline.
According to Scott, American martial arts differs in that
instructors speak English and are given much more creative
license. The discipline Scott practices and instructs is a blend
of Japanese hard style, tae kwon do, kick-boxing and traditional
boxing. The amalgamation of styles tends to be flashier and more
aesthetically pleasing than singularly focused martial art forms.
“I teach and practice many different kicks and punches,”
said Scott, who is a fourth-degree black belt. “Hooks,
uppercuts, elbows, knees — all different types.”
Martial arts are a passion Scott enjoys not only for himself, but
also with his entire family. His wife, Jane, is also a
fourth-degree black belt, and teaches at Scott’s American
Martial Arts. Their sons Austin, 10, and Justin, 8, are studying
karate, as is the couple’s 2 1/2-year-old daughter,
Lauralee.
“Martial arts is mandatory in this family,” said Scott
with a smile. “I say that because I believe in it and I know
what the benefits of martial arts can bring.”
Scott said practicing American martial arts can lead a person to
become more disciplined and focused in other areas of their life.
He said he thinks the hard work that is put in to mastering
karate crosses over to school, work and social aspects of nearly
any pupil’s daily routine.
The mastery of karate has certainly been beneficial to Scott, who
has seen attendance of his classes sky-rocket in recent years,
due in part to a reputation that has been validated by his recent
hall of fame induction.
“We had a studio downtown that we simply got too big for.
And really, I sometimes wonder if this studio is big enough,”
said Scott of his current building on Alexander Road.
Scott becomes reflective when discussing his hall of fame
induction.
“It is quite an honor to be recognized by your peers in this
manner,” Scott said. “I’m glad they thought enough
of me to vote me in.”
Opinion
Disaster sites could get common sense assistance
October 12, 2005
Common
sense is not always a factor when government edicts are involved.
There’s a chance, though, we might see a little of it in the
rebuilding of hurricane disaster sites ….. if taxpayers are
lucky.
Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S. C., chairman of the Senate Commerce
Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention and Prediction, introduced
the Cleanup and Reconstruction Enhancement Act (CARE Act), along
with Senators Pat Roberts, R-Kan.. and Larry Craig, R-Idaho.
The act would automatically trigger a year-long suspension of
Davis-Bacon Act rules in all future disaster sites that receive
an emergency declaration from the president.
THAT ACT, SIGNED INTO law in the Great
Depression year of 1931, requires “prevailing pay rates”
be paid on government projects which often are artificially
higher than local, market-determined rates. That obviously costs
taxpayers more.
DeMint says “Davis-Bacon mandates raise construction costs
by up to 30 percent and cause unnecessary delays. After seeing
the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina first-hand, I believe
we have a responsibility to remove government barriers to
recovery.”
They do indeed have a responsibility to be good stewards of the
taxpayers’ money and this act should be passed without
delay.
IT’S CLEAR WHAT THE inflated pay rates do.
Delays also are overly and unnecessarily costly and anything that
can be done to facilitate reconstruction of disaster sites should
be done.
Example of delays: The Inspector General at the U. S. Department
of Labor concluded in a 2004 report that 84 percent of
Davis-Bacon wage determination surveys take more than a year and
a half to complete. That kind of delay at disaster sites would be
unconscionable.
There probably are other government mandates that could be
suspended or even eliminated that would be a lot more
taxpayer-friendly. The CARE Act could open a lot of eyes. But, of
course, there are many in government who prefer the favoritism
that the status quo maintains and wouldn’t want eyes to be
opened.
Editorial
expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.
Obituaries
Eliza Mae Chamberlain
PLUM
BRANCH — Services for Eliza Mae Tolbert Chamberlain
are 2 p.m. Thursday at Cedar Spring Baptist Church, conducted by
the Rev. Chuck Smallwood, pastor. Assisting are the Revs. Jasper
Chamberlain and W.O. Vance and Minister Carrie Adams. The body
will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church
cemetery.
Pallbearers are Masonic Lodge No. 96 members.
Flower bearers are church ushers.
The family is at the home, 1506 Upper Mill Road.
Walker Funeral Home, McCormick, is in charge.
Sgt. Eric Andrew Fifer
KNOXVILLE, TN — Sgt. Eric Andrew Fifer, age 22 of Knoxville,
formerly of Greenwood, SC, passed away Friday, October 7, 2005 in
Iraq. He attended Greenwood High School from 1998 to 2000. He was
a graduate of South Doyle High School in 2001. On July 18, 2001
he reported to Fort Benning, GA to join the United States Army.
There he became a member of the Army 82nd Airborne Division. On
September 4, 2005 he made his third deployment to defend our
country overseas. His Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine
Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force was engaged in the River
Gate offensive in western Iraq. His decorations and awards
include: Army Service Ribbon (CASAWDSR), Global War on Terrorism
Expeditionary Medal (CASAWDTE), Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal (CASAWDTS), National Defense Service Medal (CASAWDND), and
Purple Heart. Preceded in death by: Grandfather, Robert Linse;
Step-grandfather, Earl Mellen, Jr. Survivors include: Mother,
Nancy Mellen & husband Earl of Knoxville; Father, Bruce Fifer
& wife Sandee of Ninety Six, SC; Stepbrother, Shaun Futch of
Charleston, SC; Half brothers, Gregory & Scott Mellen of
Knoxville; Grandparents, Ned & Sally Fifer of Tampa, FL,
Patricia Linse of Maryville, and Anne Mellen of Knoxville, June
Place of Tampa, FL; several aunts, uncles, and cousins. Funeral
service will be 2:00 PM, Friday, October 14, 2005 at Smith
Mortuary. Interment will follow in Mattox Cemetery in Wears
Valley with full military honors. Family will receive friends
from 12:00 until 2:00 PM, Friday, October 14, 2005 at Smith
Mortuary, Maryville, 865-983-1000, www.smithmortuary.com
PAID OBITUARY
John Wesley Lackey
John Wesley Lackey, 77, husband of Edna Murphy Lackey, died
Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005.
Born in Lyman, he was a son of the late Elijah and Minnie Crocker
Lackey. He was a member of Hyde Park Baptist Church and retired
from Monsanto Co., Greenwood, in 1984. He was a Navy veteran,
serving in World War II and the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife of the home; two daughters, Wanda
Styron of Greenwood and Donna Childs of Jacksonville, N.C.; a
son, Toby M. Lackey of Greenwood; five grandchildren; two
great-grandchildren; three sisters, Stella Elder and Nellene
Ernest, both of Pickens and Lillie Mae Horne of Union.
Memorial services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Hyde Park Baptist
Church. Visitation is after the service.
Memorials may be made to HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W.
Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Cremation Society of South Carolina.
George A. Lamb
DONALDS,
SC — George Albert Lamb, 67, of 322 Big Pond Road,
Donalds, widower of Sally Kersten Lamb, died Monday, October 10,
2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
He was born in Detroit, MI and was retired from the auto sales
industry.
He was preceded in death by a son, Henry Smith.
Surviving are three daughters, Allene Anna West of the home, Mari
Gale Vermeulen of Jacksonville, FL and Paula Rochelle Clayton,
NC; also two daughters of Detroit, MI, Gina and Lisa; a sister,
Erma Meltzer of Detroit, MI; five grandchildren and two great
grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held in Algonac, MI at a later date.
Harley Funeral Home of Greenwood, SC is in charge of
arrangements.
PAID OBITUARY
James ‘Red’ Williams
HODGES
— James “Red” Williams, of 113 Brown
Drive, died Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005 at Laurens County Hospital.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Parks Funeral Home, Greenwood.