Army Instructors First Sergeant Antione Clark (left) and Sergeant First Class Donald Hollman (right) wrap themselves in their Quilts of Valor outside of the JROTC building on April 27. The Army Instructors received the awards at the JROTC Awards Ceremony on April 19. “I feel kind of emotional, just to get (a Quilt of Valor despite being) retired. An award is just an award, but you just feel emotional. You feel kind of warm inside,” Hollman said. “(The Quilt of Valor) is hand-stitched, they hand stitch each one of these quilts, and, it takes time to do that. And I feel honored.” Photo by Aza Khan
Army Instructors First Sergeant Antione Clark and Sergeant First Class Donald Hollman received Quilts of Valor awards on April 19.
A Quilt of Valor is an award given to exceptional military veterans and service members. At the JROTC Awards Ceremony on April 19, Army Instructors First Sergeant Antione Clark and Sergeant First Class Donald Hollman were added to those ranks.
Recipients must be current or former military personnel recommended to the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Nominations are processed in order of nominees’ need for comfort after their experiences during active duty.
“These two men pour every ounce of their hearts and soul into making us better people,” Karla Pastor said in the ceremony narration. “They are outstanding instructors, wonderful fathers, loving husbands – both of these men model appropriate behavior for us every day. We want to thank you for your service, sacrifice and valor, in peace and war, to our country and your community.”
Clark and Hollman were not informed of their awards beforehand, although their immediate families were.
“(It was a) big surprise. My wife usually doesn’t come to the award ceremony, because it’s really just for the kids. And (this time), she said, ‘Hey, I’m coming to the awards ceremony,’ but I didn’t put two and two together,” Clark said. “Then I saw my kids at the threshold, and I thought, ‘What are they doing here?’ I still didn’t put two and two together. I just thought they missed their dad and they just wanted to come and see me at work.”
The quilts were presented by Senior Army Instructor Lieutenant Colonel David McMickle and Athens-Oconee County Quilts Of Valor Team Representative Anne Flippen, along with Clark and Hollman’s families.
“At no time did I think that it was for us, all the way up until the end when (McMickle) said ‘step forward.’ I hesitated a couple of times. Step forward for what? What’s going on?”
— First Sergeant Antione Clark,
Army Instructor
“I thought we were about to recognize (Flippen),” Clark said. “At no time did I think that it was for us, all the way up until the end when (McMickle) said ‘step forward.’ I hesitated a couple of times. Step forward for what? What’s going on?”
Quilts of Valor symbolize healing and acceptance from the recipients’ community.
“It’s an honor. Being that we are both retired, our days of getting awards pretty much ended when we retired from the military,” Hollman said. “We have been part of these ceremonies, going out to present these quilts to other veterans. For us to receive them was a big total surprise. We were so used to taking part in presenting them, never being a recipient, especially as we hadn’t been awarded since we retired out of the military.”
