Soldiers to be honored Saturday

POST FALLS - When local Idaho Army National Guard soldiers returned from Iraq last fall, a community ceremony recognizing their efforts was bumped due to the transition time back into society and with families and the holidays.

A public ceremony honoring the soldiers will be held at the armory on Seltice Way in Post Falls on Saturday at 4 p.m.

"This is the official ceremony to thank our troops," said Post Falls Mayor Clay Larkin. "It should be a nice event, and we hope many people attend. We have a lot of folks to thank."

More than 200 commemorative Buck knives with the soldiers' rank, name and unit will be presented.

The families of two Coeur d'Alene soldiers killed in action - Sgt. Nathan Beyers, 24, and Spc. Nicholas Newby, 20 - will be presented knives at the start of the ceremony.

The two were killed on July 7 by an improvised explosive device.

A third soldier, Staff Sgt. Jason Rzepa, 30, of Hayden, sustained leg injuries during the attack that resulted in a double amputation below his knees.

Rzepa, who recently received his prosthetics, is temporarily home before heading back to a military hospital in Texas.

Rzepa earlier received the Purple Heart. Staff Sgts. Ryan Rogers, 30, Post Falls, and Gregory Wilson, 37, Boise, each received the Army Commendation Medal for their actions in assisting Rzepa.

Several local and military officials, along with Chuck Buck, are expected to attend Saturday's ceremony.

More than $11,000 was raised in three weeks from local donors to pay for the knives. The cities of Post Falls and Lewiston, where another armory is located, The Press, Buck Knives and veteran Graham Crutchfield facilitated the fundraiser.

Donors will be recognized on a plaque that will be displayed at the armory.

A similar ceremony was held honoring local Guard troops who returned home from Iraq in 2005.