Veterans cemetery dedicated at Rocky Boy

Tribal leaders joined representatives from Rocky Boy Veterans Center and American Legion Post 67 to hold an official dedication ceremony and ribbon-cutting Thursday for Warriors Burial at Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, the community's first veterans cemetery.

In keeping with tradition, the ceremony opened with a flag song, or the equivalent of a national anthem sung in Cree. Prayers and the burning of sweetgrass followed. Jon Monteaux, commander of American Legion Post 67, was among those who delivered remarks honoring the fallen.

John Gardipee, director of the Rocky Boy Veteran's Center of Box Elder, donated the 22 acres for the cemetery. He said he was inspired to do so following the 2012 death of his father, Henry Gardipee, a veteran of the Korean War who served in the Marines from 1952 to 1956.

"My father, when he passed away, I didn't like the hill," said Gardipee, referring to the reservation's community cemetery. Monteaux said many graves including those of veterans at the cemetery, lack headstones.

"It's sad," said Montauex, who said GPS and computer plotting technologies will be used to ensure the loved ones know where the remains of those laid to rest at Warriors Burial are located.

Veterans from all branches of the military will be eligible to be buried at the cemetery, including those who have served in the National Guard and those who have served in the military during peace time.

The cemetery has been open since 2012 with Henry Guardipee being among the first of seven other veterans buried and two others interred at the cemetery. John Gardipee's brother William, who was a veteran, is buried there.

The reservation's road department, senior citizens and veterans groups have worked on the cemetery, laying a new road leads onto those site, putting up fencing and erecting five flag poles which fly the American flag and banners representing all the branches of the military. Fencing as well as a wooden archway with a gate also mark the entry way leading onto the cemetery grounds just off Laredo Road.

An aide from the office of Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont, read a prepared statement.

"Native Americans, especially the Chippewa Cree have a long history of service and sacrifice on behalf of this land," said the statement. "Today, Native Americans serve in the military at the highest rate of any ethnic group in the country."

The cemetery, with its rolling prairie hills that allow a panoramic view of the reservation, is meant to signify that even after their passing, those who have served are still close by, Gardipee said.

"They protected the United States and now they are here to protect Rocky Boy," he said