Solemn Moment
On Saturday, a Butler County veteran descended the steps leading to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
Retired U.S. Air Force veteran Steve Monteleone said the moment felt surreal as he walked alongside Sentinels, guardians of the tomb, with a ceremonial wreath in hand. He said he thought of all the presidents and dignitaries who walked that path before him.
“While you're standing there, there's a lot of emotion going through your mind,” Monteleone said. “You feel this sense of pride and a presence. You feel this sense of something greater.”
After placing the wreath upon its holder, the Butler man saluted alongside one of the Sentinel escorts, and another member of the Old Guard trumpeted the somber song of taps over the scene of remembrance.
“You're trying to hold it together because there's a lot of raw emotion,” Monteleone said. “It's something I'll never forget, and probably the best thing I've ever done in my life.”Monteleone, a Butler native, graduated from Butler Area High School and Slippery Rock University with a degree in education. The decorated veteran served in the military for seven years, retiring in 1992.Monteleone was afforded the opportunity at Arlington on behalf of the organization he founded, It's About The Warrior Foundation, which provides a multitude of assistance to veterans who served in the post-9/11 era, as well as their families.Started in 2011, the organization offers financial, physical and mental assistance to its veterans. Monteleone, the organization's executive director, said the program offers funding options to help veterans and families get back on their feet, as well as assistance in helping veterans receive treatments they need.Monteleone said those treatments can range from physical procedures to therapy and counseling, and the program is available to veterans regardless of whether they were deployed overseas or were in combat.
“We just try to create a positive experience for them,” he said. “A lot of them have been through hell and back.”Monteleone said the foundation's mission is to lead those who seek its help to a successful and enriched life, which some may find difficult when first returning to a non-military lifestyle.“You're at the will of civilian life,” he said. “A lot of guys get lost, and we're here to help them.”Monteleone noted that all of the organization's funds are generated through events and donations and go to veterans in the Tri-State area.As Monteleone completed Saturday's ceremony, he was surrounded by others involved in his organizations and some of his colleagues from the North Allegheny High School football team for which he serves as an assistant coach.“To go there and lay a wreath in honor of our organization is just a tremendous honor,” he said.Anyone with interest in supporting It's About The Warrior Foundation, through donation or by setting up an event is asked to visit the foundation's website at iatw.us for more information.
