SANFORD, Fla. – A ceremony Friday morning has rededicated the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Sanford after Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, a soldier who died saving his comrades.
Cashe died back in 2005, after saving his soldiers who were trapped in a burning vehicle after a roadside bomb was set off.
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He was awarded the Silver Star for his actions and the Sanford Army Reserve Training Center was renamed after him at that time.
Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Winter Park, was the one to help push to give Cashe more recognition after learning his story through his family.
A bill she introduced to waive the requirement that the Medal of Honor be awarded within five years of one’s actions, H.R. 8276, was signed into law by President Donald Trump in December 2020. About a year later in December 2021, President Joe Biden posthumously awarded Cashe the Medal of Honor.
On Friday, the training center was rededicated to reflect the new award given by the president.
“The only thing that could’ve made this absolutely perfect other than the weather is if my mom had been here. She was here at the original dedication,” said Kasinal Cashe-White, who is SFC Cashe’s sister.
Murphy says Cashe’s story should be recognized by all.
“SFC Alwyn Cashe was that hero, was the person, that embodiment of all that makes America great,” said Murphy.
Cashe’s family says while this ceremony made them proud, they will still trade this moment for their loved one.
“Could you imagine if he was still on the Earth some of the things he would’ve done?” said Cashe-White. “But it’s not my job to question the good Lord and so I’ll meet him again, one day.”
Murphy has previously campaigned to rename military installations after Cashe, writing to The Naming Commission in February to request that Fort Benning be renamed to Fort Cashe.
At the ceremony, Cashe-White said her brother made the shortlist but says she and Murphy will be waiting for the final list, which will be submitted to Congress in October.