HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) – There was a special reunion Saturday at the Operation Patriots Forward Operating Base’s (OPFOB) annual gala.
When Craig Ostergard was given the Sgt. Baez Honor Courage Commitment award at the gala, he looked down the aisle to see his Vietnam counterpart, Ri Nay, ready to present him the award.
The surprise was orchestrated by OPFOB , a South Carolina organization dedicated to fostering positive experiences for veterans and first responders and preventing suicide in these communities.
“We saw the opportunity to do something special for a man who has given so much back to veterans in this area,” said OPFOB founder JR Brown. “Once you serve with someone in battle, you are brothers for life. Sometimes life gets in the way of reconnecting. We made sure that these two heroes’ lives intersect once again.”
The Sgt. Baez Honor Courage Commitment Award was created last year to honor Brown’s long-time friend and fellow Marine, Carlos Baez, who battled terminal liver cancer.