A Salute To Honor Two of Morehead High School Heroes
Two park benches will be built (locally) and installed in the grass area behind the Army JROTC Building in honor of two of the school's Fallen Heroes. These benches will benefit all Morehead HS students as it will provide them a meeting place near the back parking lot. It will also educate everyone on the sacrifices made by our service members during war and in peacetime as both of these men served not only in the Armed Forces but in their communities as well.
Lieutenant Colonel(Deceased) Donald V. Adkins
LTC Donald V. Adkins was born July 16, 1935 in Charleston, WV to the late Lonnie Guy Adkins and Eva Givens Adkins. Upon graduation from high school in Charleston WV, Adkins enrolled at Marshall University on an athletic scholarship, participating in football, wrestling, and track. His father, who was a World War II veteran, encouraged the military life, so Adkins joined the Army ROTC. Shortly after graduation from Marshall in May 1958, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. Adkins retired in June 1979 and took a position with Morehead High School as JROTC Commander, and he later became Athletic Director. He retired a second time after serving as principal at Holmes Middle School. Lieutenant Colonel Adkins flew 750 combat missions in Vietnam, earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and 30 Air Medals, one for valor, among other medals.
Veterans of America
News and Record Obituary
Army Staff Sergeant (Deceased) Brandon F. Eggleston
SSG Brandon Forrest Eggleston, 29, of Raeford, N.C. died when his mobility platform struck an improvised explosive device during a patrol April 26, 2012 in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Company B, 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C. and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This was SSG Eggleston's third deployment in support of Overseas Contingency Operations. He attended Western Carolina University and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He graduated from John M. Morehead High School in 2001.
He enlisted in the United States Army in July 2006. Upon completion of basic training and advanced individual training, he attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course.
He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in March 2009 and was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg as a SF Communications Sergeant.
His military education also includes the U.S. Army Airborne School, Advanced Leaders Course, Warrior Leaders Course, Combative Course Level 1, Survival, Evasion, and Resistance Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course and the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat course.
SSG’s Eggleston’s awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces tab.
He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a third campaign star and the Combat Infantry Badge.
Surviving SSG Eggleston is his Wife, Karen Reames Eggleston of Raeford; two daughters, Molly Eggleston and Avery Eggleston of Raeford; his mother Alisa Moody and her husband Paul of Pearisburg, VA; a sister, Erica Eggleston of Pearisburg, VA and his grandparents, Roy and Vicky Eggleston of Eden, NC; two nephews, Zack Eggleston and Jack Eggleston, both of Pearisburg, VA. SSG Eggleston is preceded in death by his father, Tim Eggleston.
Green Beret Foundation
Fallen Heroes
Forever Missed Obituary
Two park benches will be built (locally) and installed in the grass area behind the Army JROTC Building in honor of two of the school's Fallen Heroes. These benches will benefit all Morehead HS students as it will provide them a meeting place near the back parking lot. It will also educate everyone on the sacrifices made by our service members during war and in peacetime as both of these men served not only in the Armed Forces but in their communities as well.
Lieutenant Colonel(Deceased) Donald V. Adkins
LTC Donald V. Adkins was born July 16, 1935 in Charleston, WV to the late Lonnie Guy Adkins and Eva Givens Adkins. Upon graduation from high school in Charleston WV, Adkins enrolled at Marshall University on an athletic scholarship, participating in football, wrestling, and track. His father, who was a World War II veteran, encouraged the military life, so Adkins joined the Army ROTC. Shortly after graduation from Marshall in May 1958, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. Adkins retired in June 1979 and took a position with Morehead High School as JROTC Commander, and he later became Athletic Director. He retired a second time after serving as principal at Holmes Middle School. Lieutenant Colonel Adkins flew 750 combat missions in Vietnam, earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and 30 Air Medals, one for valor, among other medals.
Veterans of America
News and Record Obituary
Army Staff Sergeant (Deceased) Brandon F. Eggleston
SSG Brandon Forrest Eggleston, 29, of Raeford, N.C. died when his mobility platform struck an improvised explosive device during a patrol April 26, 2012 in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Company B, 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C. and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This was SSG Eggleston's third deployment in support of Overseas Contingency Operations. He attended Western Carolina University and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He graduated from John M. Morehead High School in 2001.
He enlisted in the United States Army in July 2006. Upon completion of basic training and advanced individual training, he attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course.
He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in March 2009 and was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg as a SF Communications Sergeant.
His military education also includes the U.S. Army Airborne School, Advanced Leaders Course, Warrior Leaders Course, Combative Course Level 1, Survival, Evasion, and Resistance Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course and the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat course.
SSG’s Eggleston’s awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces tab.
He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a third campaign star and the Combat Infantry Badge.
Surviving SSG Eggleston is his Wife, Karen Reames Eggleston of Raeford; two daughters, Molly Eggleston and Avery Eggleston of Raeford; his mother Alisa Moody and her husband Paul of Pearisburg, VA; a sister, Erica Eggleston of Pearisburg, VA and his grandparents, Roy and Vicky Eggleston of Eden, NC; two nephews, Zack Eggleston and Jack Eggleston, both of Pearisburg, VA. SSG Eggleston is preceded in death by his father, Tim Eggleston.
Green Beret Foundation
Fallen Heroes
Forever Missed Obituary