Veteran Testimony Urges Passage of Bill to Make Aug. 26 Abbey Gate Remembrance Day in Ohio

Joe Burdick, a U.S. Navy veteran, testified before the House Veterans and Military Development Committee in strong support of Senate Bill 244, which would designate Aug. 26 as Abbey Gate Remembrance Day in Ohio. Burdick told members the designation would formally honor the 13 American service members killed in the Aug. 26, 2021 terrorist attack during the Kabul evacuation and would preserve institutional memory for future generations.

"This bill ensures that Ohio formally honors the courage, service, and sacrifice of those 13 service members," Burdick told the committee. He said he asked senators Christina Rogner and Jane Timken to submit the bill and that the measure would cost "nothing, but it means everything," stressing the moral importance of official recognition.

Burdick recounted the loss of Maxton Soviack, a service member from Berlin Heights, Ohio, as an example of the bill’s local resonance, and said the designation would acknowledge gold star families and educate children about the costs of freedom. Chair Richardson thanked Burdick and noted local relatives of the fallen were known to committee members.

The committee accepted an amendment to SB 244 that adds each honored individual's service branch to the bill language; the amendment was agreed to without objection. No roll-call vote on the bill was recorded during this session.

What’s next: The hearing on SB 244 concluded after proponent testimony and the adoption of the amendment; the committee record in this session does not show a committee vote to advance the bill to the floor.