The Benjamin Freed Award for Devotion to Duty
This award is presented to the active member of Company Q-8 who has most consistently demonstrated the spirit of mission accomplishment, commitment to duty, and personal courage.
The award has been bestowed upon the following brothers:
2004 - P/R SSG Barry Parker, Jr.
2005 - P/R SSG Mateo Belford
2006 - P/R SSG Michael Moore
2007 - P/R CPT Arlen Delcastillo
2008 - P/R 1SG Alex McHale
2009 - P/R SSG Pedro Ramos
2010 - P/R SFC Zeki Ozyilmaz
2011 - P/R CPT Alexandria Wiedenbaum
Ben Freed was one of those brothers that just stood out of the crowd. Ben endeavored, despite a learning disability, to become one of the programs finest cadets. His devotion to duty and personal commitment was unparalleled in the ranks for
Q-8. Ben joined the Ranger Challenge Team, volunteered for Airborne School and was a standout ROTC Cadet and PR Brother. As a pledge he was unshakeable and devoted to his pledge brothers and would always shoulder much more than his fair share of the pledging burdens. As a brother, he was the life of the party, and the center of every good time. Many brothers and military leaders he came in contact with had always said they "wished they had 40 Ben Freeds in their unit”. There was no one more motivated, and he never quit until the mission was complete.
While still a cadet, Ben joined the National Guard and attended Basic Training and AIT, earning his infantry blue cord. He was selected to be part of the Long Range Recon Unit of the 101st CAV, 42nd ID. He volunteered for extra training, graduating from JOTC in Panama. In 1990 during Desert Shield, Ben and 11 of his LRSU teammates relocated to Georgia to join the newly mobilized 48th ID, with the intention of serving in the Gulf War. However, the war ended before his unit completed training at the NTC. But the active duty bug had bitten Ben and he couldn’t wait for a commissioning. He enlisted into the Regular Army and was stationed with B Co, 2/504 PIR, 82nd Airborne Division. He finally felt at home, completing his life’s dream to be a soldier. He thrived in a Regular Army unit, earning his EIB and graduating at the top of his Ft Bragg pre-Ranger class.
Ben volunteered and was selected for Ranger School where on March 13th, 1992 he awoke displaying the same enthusiasm, spirit and determination that he gave every day of his life. But on that day he tragically died following his life’s passion, and giving his all. His death sent shock waves through the ranks of Q-8. We had lost a great friend and brother, and the Army lost a great soldier. It is for all this, that we dedicate the Annual Devotion to Duty Award in the name of Ben Freed.
