Injured Iraqi war veteran Sgt. Rob Boyce honored Roofers Local 49 with a special presentation at their union picnic Aug. 25 — an American flag that flew with U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
For Sgt. Boyce, it was a gift of thanks to the union, whose members volunteered to re-roof his home in Keizer, Oregon, last June.
Fifteen members of Roofers Local 49 responded to a call for assistance from the Oregon Military Support Network and the Wounded Warriors Project to help the injured Army National Guard soldier. Boyce was serving a third tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom when he injured his lower pelvis jumping from a rescue helicopter that was under mortar attack in Afghanistan. The injury required multiple surgeries, leaving him permanently disabled.
In a day-and-a-half, the union crew tore off the old roof, replaced several sections of plywood sheathing that had sustained water damage, and re-shingled the entire home.
“You don’t know how much this means to me and my family,” Sgt. Boyce told the picnic crowd, which also was celebrating the union’s 100th anniversary.
The American flag Sgt. Boyce presented to the union was flown during Operation Iraqi Freedom on over 30 lifesaving missions; it spent over 200 days in a combat zone with over 80 combat flight hours; and it had six trans-Atlantic crossings with over 60,000 flight miles.
Accepting the flag were Local 49 President Travis Hopkins and Business Manager Russ Garnett. Both men were part of the volunteer team that re-roofed the house. The flag and accompanying plaque will be put in a display case at the union hall at 5032 SE 26th Ave., Portland.
Also receiving flags were signatory contractors Anderson Roofing and Stryker Sheet Metal.
