I am writing as commander of Hale-Clapp VFW Post 3295 in South Deerfield, as a veteran who understands the cost of military service, and as a parent of a Frontier Regional School varsity athlete who competes beneath the very scoreboard where U.S. Army Reserve Sergeant Gregory Allen Belanger’s memorial has stood for more than 20 years.
From 2003 to 2004, I served in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. I was fortunate enough to return home. Sgt. Gregory Allen Belanger, a graduate of Frontier Regional School, did not. He made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation, leaving behind a family and a community that continues to honor his memory.
For more than two decades, a memorial plaque honoring Sgt. Belanger has stood beneath Frontier’s athletic scoreboard. It has been a quiet but powerful reminder to generations of students, athletes, families, and community members that freedom comes with a cost and that one of their own answered the call to serve.
As the original scoreboard was replaced, the Belanger family requested that the existing memorial plaque be relocated beneath the new scoreboard so it could continue to be seen and honored. They are not asking for a new memorial. They are not asking for special recognition. They are simply asking that a memorial already woven into the history of Frontier Regional School remain visible.
This is about more than a plaque. It is about the promise we make when we say, “Never Forget.” Those words represent a commitment to honor those who served, remember those who did not return, and stand beside the Gold Star families who carry that sacrifice every day.
As a parent, I have watched student-athletes compete on that field and understand the importance of the lessons our schools teach beyond the classroom. A memorial honoring a fallen graduate teaches courage, service, sacrifice, and responsibility in a way no textbook can.
Sgt. Belanger’s memorial has stood for over 20 years as a symbol of remembrance. Preserving its place beneath the new scoreboard is a small gesture with profound meaning.
We owe it to Sgt. Belanger, his family, and future generations of Frontier students to ensure his story continues to be remembered.
Rachael Otto is commander of Hale-Clapp VFW Post 3295, a U.S. Air Force veteran and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She is the parent of a Frontier Regional School varsity athlete.