By Becky Maxedon

When Lake Havasu City Americans fire up the grill and gobble hotdogs and watch fireworks on the Fourth of July, it’s important to acknowledge that freedom is battle-born and is not achieved without sacrifice.

The Soldier’s Cross – an inverted rifle nestled in combat boots, topped with a helmet and adorned with identification tags – is the symbol of those who have given all to protect the freedom of others.

“To a veteran, the Soldier’s Cross is just as important as the American Flag,” Stacy Lee, co-president of the national chapter of Echo Group Band of Brothers, said. The nonprofit was originally formed to prevent veteran suicide.

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There is no definitive origin story for the Soldier’s Cross. Some point to the Civil War, where deceased soldiers were left on the battlefield and their comrades marked their loss with the symbol.

“The symbol we use originates in the Gulf War,” Lee said.

The Gulf War was an armed conflict between Iraq and a 42-country coalition led by the United States, beginning in August 1990, continuing until January 1991, with Operation Desert Shield, and from January 1991 to February 1991 with Operation Desert Storm.

“There is a U.S. Army Field Manual about how to build it and what it means,” Lee said.

She said the helmet and the identification tags are the signification of the fallen soldier. The rifle pays tribute to the fallen. And the boots signify the soldier’s final march, according to Lee.

“When you’re down range in combat this is a way for us to honor our brothers or sisters because we can’t go to their funerals,” she said.

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The Echo Group Band of Brothers has an 8-foot wooden Soldier’s Cross they display as often as possible.

Lee, a U.S. Army Desert Storm combat veteran and Veteran’s Administration employee, has been a part of the group since 2015, when she began her work with the V.A.

Echo Group, Band of Brothers, was born Feb. 10, 2013, when a U.S. Marine Corps veteran in Santa Maria, Calif., decided to end his life by suicide by cop.

“The police officer who showed up was an Army veteran and figured out what was going on and said, ‘No. This is not your night,’” she said.

The Marine and the officer became friends and began playing softball together. Out of that experience, the organization took shape. Veteran softball teams were formed in California to compete with each other and give veterans a purpose. And from there, it has expanded to other parts of the country as well as the scope of its services to veterans.

“For a long time, softball was all we did but when the softball wasn’t going on and the PTSD kicked in, some of these vets started calling on their brothers and sisters in the Band of Brothers group who could speak their language for support,” Lee said.

Lee, personally, said she was lost when she became a veteran. “I didn’t know any of the benefits that were available to me except for maybe assistance in buying a home. For a couple of years, I was a homeless mother of three kids. It was not a great time,” she said.

In 2015, Lee started working for the Veterans Administration and became involved with Echo Group Band of Brothers.

“It changed my life, and I vowed then that no veteran would ever not know what benefits are available to them,” she said.

The 501c3 Echo Group Band of Brothers offers many services to veterans and strives to ensure they are a part of their community.

Part of the process requires the veteran participants to earn their sports jerseys. In order to do that, they perform community services and give back to the community.

“The whole thing is basically, get your butt up and have camaraderie with people that speak your language,” Lee said. “We want them to know they have a purpose and a mission in life.”

One recent community service project involved a lake cleanup. “We’ll probably do another one after the Fourth of July,” Lee said.

Lee is co-president of the national organization and chapter president of Arizona and Second Life Metaverse, which is the virtual branch of the organization.

In addition to California and Arizona, there is a chapter in Tennessee, with a new chapter set to launch in Texas, as well as the virtual presence on the internet.

Lee also works with Veterans Treatment Court.

“I’m in Veterans Treatment Court every two weeks to support and make people aware of our services and help wherever we can,” Lee said.

Another component of the organization is Hearts of Armor – Stories from Home. Hearts of Armor serves veteran families in ways that only fellow veterans or loved ones of those who served can understand.

As a nonprofit, donations ensure the continued operation of the program.

“We try to help with housing, utilities and other needs. Through the virtual presence, I helped a veteran in Michigan get a wheelchair. Can you imagine? In Arizona, I helped someone in Michigan,” Lee said.

As far as the Band of Brothers softball season set to begin in Lake Havasu City in September, it’s a little iffy.

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“We operate solely on donations, and we currently don’t have enough money to take care of all the fees, jerseys and everything it takes to start the season.

“I will start the season for these veterans if it’s the last thing I do,” Lee said.

For more information about Echo Group Band of Brothers, visit echovets.org.

To donate to the nonprofit, click on the donate button. There is the option to donate specifically to the Arizona program.

The website provides a detailed overview of services offered by the nonprofit and information on how to get involved.