''We Will Never Forget''

Ground Breaking for the Fisher House and Meditation Pavilion

This center will provide a place of comfort and refuge for family members who come to Dover Air Force Base for the dignified transfer of their fallen loved one. The heroes of our generation are making the supreme sacrifice in protection of freedom and promotion of peace. Though they will never see the fulfillment of the dream for which they died, we honor their service, their courage, and their families. They, and their families, hold a cherished place in our hearts and in the history of these United States. We are compelled by their sacrifice to offer the love which protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. We will never forget and we will always provide the care, service, and support they have earned..

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The Honorable Michael B. Donley, Secretary of the Air Force, Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff, Col. Bob Edmondson, Commander of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center, Dover Air Force Base and Mr. Kenneth Fisher, Fisher House Foundation chairman presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Fisher House and meditation pavilion for the families of the fallen Saturday, May 1, 2010.

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The Fisher House will be directed by the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center and will provide free on-base lodging for families who come to Dover to witness the dignified transfer of their loved one. To further enhance families' comfort, the Fisher House Foundation is building a separate building for meditation and relaxation.

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Families are invited to observe the dignified transfer when notified of the death of their loved one. Currently, families are lodged in local hotels and brought on base for the solemn event. Some families have had to be accommodated as far away as Philadelphia, Pa., due to the lack of local hotel vacancies during such times as NASCAR events.

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Ruth Stonesifer, President American Gold Star Mothers with Delaware Senator Thomas R. Carper

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The Dover Air Force Base Chaplain says a prayer for the fallen.

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Colonel Robert H. “Bob” Edmondson, Commander of Dover Air Force Base tells the audience what this Fisher House will mean to the Famlies of the Fallen. Fisher Houses are "comfort homes" that provide free housing to family members whose loved ones are undergoing medical treatment or rehabilitation at military hospitals or VA medical centers around the country. Since 1990, more than 130,000 military families have stayed at one or more Fisher Houses.

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General Norton A. Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. Fisher Houses are more than hotels; rather, they are fully-equipped homes that feature common kitchens, living and family rooms. The Dover Fisher House will serve only families of the fallen and construction on the nine-suite, 8,462 square foot house and 1,714 square foot Meditation Pavilion is expected to be completed by late fall 2010. A portion of President Obama's Nobel Prize Award contribution to the Foundation will go towards the funding of this house.

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Michael B. Donley, the 22nd Secretary of the U.S. Air Force. The Fisher House will be adjacent to the Center for the Families of the Fallen, where those who come to Dover for this solemn event receive care and support, before and after the dignified transfer. The center also provides a point of contact where families can request follow-up assistance, such as counseling services or other needs, as they cope with the loss of their loved one.

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Mr. Kenneth Fisher, Fisher House Foundation chairman

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The center is staffed by professionals who are experienced licensed funeral directors, chaplains, counselors and family support specialists that host and help families in every way needed. Together the Center for the Families of the Fallen, the Fisher House, the Meditation Pavilion, will create a campus for families of the fallen while at Dover. A meditation garden with water features, a gazebo, paths and benches will surround and flow through the entire campus.

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The AFMAO at Dover AFB is charged with receiving and caring for all US service members who die in overseas contingency operations. AFMAO staff - plus selected service-specific carry teams and senior leaders - conduct the dignified transfer. Upon the return from the theater of operations to the United States, the fallen military members are transferred from the aircraft to a waiting vehicle and then to the port mortuary. Family members are authorized to witness the dignified transfer.