Adam Servais, Remembered in LIFE The American Fallen Soldiers Project

Artist's Brush Memorializes  Fallen Combat Controller Video

by Rachel Arroyo
 Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

10/21/2013 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Susan Servais gently pressed her forehead against the portrait of her son. His green eyes smiled out at her and the audience of about 200 that gathered to pay respects to a hero and see his portrait unveiled Oct. 19.

The man with the green eyes and kind smile is Senior Airman Adam Servais, an Air Force Special Operations Command Combat Controller who was killed in action in Afghanistan Aug. 19, 2006.

 Servais, 23, was working as a joint terminal attack controller on a special forces team when he fell while returning fire against the enemy during an ambush on his convoy in the Uruzgan province. It was his second deployment.

The American Fallen Soldiers Project honored his sacrifice by presenting his mother and father, Peter and Susan Servais, and his sister, Laura, with a portrait of Adam, as he has done with numerous families.

 

The goal of the American Fallen Soldiers Project, a nonprofit organization run by artist Phil Taylor and his wife Lisa, is to bring comfort and healing to the families of fallen warriors by presenting them with a custom painting of their loved one. Taylor paints and presents about 35 portraits a year to families of fallen military members. "I hope those beautiful green eyes stare back at you for many years to come," Taylor told the family as he unveiled the painting and 'Amazing Grace' sounded on the bagpipes. The portrait of Servais, of Onalaska, Wis., was presented during the 2013 Combat Control Association Reunion which marked the 60th year of Combat Control as an Air Force career field.

Lt. Col. Michael Flatten (pictured left), the event's guest speaker, was the director of operations at the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., when Servais was assigned there. He spoke to Servais' spirit and exemplary work as a Combat Controller. "Adam was the perfect balance of good-natured, fun and borderline getting in trouble," Flatten said. "The other side of him was the serious operator - the guy who knows how to turn it on when the mission is deadly serious. Where we sent Adam for his deployment is historically one of the most intense locations for combat we have ever seen. For his first JTAC deployment, we handpicked Adam for that location because he was just that good."  Peter said even as a boy his son loved being in the action, whether it was camping with his family, playing football, baseball or, his favorite sport, hockey. "He had this Big Wheel that he would ride up and down the driveway," he said. "The faster he'd go, the more he loved it."

Servais found his calling after he enlisted in the Air Force in 2002 at 19 and became a Combat Controller on completion of Advanced Skills Training in September 2004.

Susan said she thinks her son would have made a career of Combat Control were he still alive because he enjoyed his work and being a part of the special tactics brotherhood so much.

"Many people work their whole lives and hate their jobs, but Adam loved what he did," she said. "He loved it to the limit. He pushed as far as he could go."

Since his death seven years ago, the Servais family has remained in close contact with the community their son loved.  No shit, they picked up their belongings in Wisconsin and moved to Hurlburt Field, Florida to be with Adam's Teammates.........................

Peter thanked the American Fallen Soldiers Project and all those attendees for honoring the life of his son, adding the AFSOC community has stood by them.

"This is a very special day for Susan, myself and Laura," he said. "We are so lucky because the military never forgets us. It helps us through all the difficulties and keeps in touch. This is very special and dear to us and will be for the rest of our lives."

Among the crowd honoring Servais and his family were 15 other family members of fallen special operations forces members and several wounded warriors to include Jack Fanning and Johnnie O. Yellock II.

The Fallen American Soldiers Project
This isn't Phil and Lisa's 1st Rodeo  Yes, it's Mark Forester's Portrait Too   KIA September 29, 2010;  Operation Enduring Freedom Assigned to the 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope AFB Died Sept. 29 in Jangalak Village, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations in Uruzgan province Original portrait presented to his family at a special event at the University of Alabama during the grand opening ceremony of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs November 16, 2012 The American Fallen Soldiers Project was formed to help provide comfort and healing to the grieving families of our fallen military. Our 501c3 non-profit organization makes available at no cost to the family an original portrait of their fallen loved one that fully captures their appearance and personality. With the desire to make a profound and lasting impact through our service to the families, we work diligently to restore a sense of life and presence of their fallen hero on canvas in hopes to provide a place where they can spend time with their loved one when they need them most. Our goal and the heart of The American Fallen Soldiers Project is to serve, comfort and encourage the Gold Star families unconditionally and impartially to the best of our ability. It is this commitment to excellence that defines our portraits, our staff and our organization. We provide a hand painted original portrait by artist Phil Taylor of America’s fallen military to their families. Upon completion, each portrait is personally presented to the family by the artist during a special event. Additionally, for other family members who did not receive the original painting, we can provide canvas reproductions in various sizes. All original paintings and canvas reproductions are delivered framed and ready for display. Photo prints are automatically provided to the family at the portrait presentation and can be reordered at any time free of charge. Corporate Office 3200 Earhart Dr. Carrollton, Texas75006 214-387-7769 info@americanfallensoldiers.com Note; From Jim Donaldson, That was Bagpiper Joe Ashcraft, playing 'Amazing Grace', one of the pipe tunes usually played at memorials and funerals. I had a good chat with him after the presentation ceremony.  Joe was dressed to the hilt and walked up and down the asile, bringing tears to all.   The portrait presentation certainly was moving.....................  Picture by Hal Dufilho.  Phil does nice work...nice in more than one way, for sure.                                                                                                                                   Michael Reagan........................... Fallen Hereos Project Artist Michael Reagan honors fallen soldiers by giving portraits to their families. "Our mission is to honor the American Fallen Heroes for their ultimate sacrifice during the war against terrorism. The foundation will provide the resources to produce and distribute to each family a hand-drawn portrait of their Fallen Hero, created by artist Michael G. Reagan, free of charge. Each portrait is intended to show our Love and Respect for these Heroes and their families.”  Michael has honored Combat Controllers; Adam Servais, Tim Davis, and Derek Argel.... pictured below. A combat veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and a portrait artist for more than 30 years, Reagan began drawing portraits of fallen servicemembers a few years ago after receiving a request for a custom commission from the wife of a Soldier killed in Iraq. Since that time, he's drawn more than 2,000 portraits free-of-charge for families who have lost a loved one in either Iraq or Afghanistan. Reagan’s portraits serve as a lasting memory of the soldiers and their sacrifice, and as a source of comfort to the many families who have received Reagan’s work, as evidenced by the many heartfelt letters on display at www.fallenheroesproject.org. McReynolds Crown of Thorns Scheme, What Jesus Wore. "And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!" Crown of Thorns, Mac's Macimus Poison Beauty.  The thorns on this varity are numerous, sturdy, and sharp.  The flowers on this plant, which signifys the blood of Jesus, are multiple and huge as the wounds left from the thorns.  There are numerous varieties of this plant, but only Mac's Macimus Poison Beauty is truly the most ostentatious diadem and only available from me, free of charge; email me , click here.   In this instance, I took a cutting from the plant on the left and gave it to Pete and Sue 6 months ago.  It has rooted and flowered and just recently has profusely flowered bringing a bright spot to their yard.  It might not be much, but every time they see those bright red flowers, they smile at the beauty and think of Adam.   Anyway, that's how I see it and this plant will grow huge over the years and supply plenty of cuttings for their family and friends in memory of Adam. Whatever I can do, send stories and pictures of Adam. Combat Control Memorial Weekend 2013 Family Reunion