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OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
PRESS RELEASE
(for immediate release – Friday, November 2, 2007)
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Gov. Togiola honors Toa o Samoa
SPC Avealalo Milo at funeral service
 (UTULEI) – Governor Togiola Tulafono today celebrated and honored the life of U.S. Army Specialist Avealalo Milo at the funeral service held at the Methodist Church in Fagaima, Tafuna.
SPC Avealalo Milo, 23, was killed in action on Thursday, October 4th while engaged with enemy forces in Bagdad, Iraq. It is the 15th casualty of a soldier of Samoan ancestry and 7th death in 2007.
Governor Togiola presented an American Samoa flag to Mr. Mareko Milo “so that it flies everyday next to the U.S. flag in remembrance of the great service of your son” and presented a special medal of service to SPC Avealalo Milo, which was presented to Mrs. Folola Milo, “for outstanding service to all of American Samoa through your son’s service in the US Army.”
Governor Togiola offered the following remarks at the funeral service.
REMARKS
“This is not a day of sadness. The tears shed is because of thanks and praise. And we give thanks and praise to God for the life of Toa o Samoa - Specialist Avealalo Milo. The pride of a big loving family, of a church, of a village, of our government, and of both American Samoa and Samoa.
We thank God for Avealalo Milo who made the sacrifice of his youth and his future in doing his duty so that the world can live in peace. God called Ave home while he was doing God’s work for peace and freedom of the world.
 To Specialist Avealalo Milo’s parents, Mr. Mareko Milo and Mrs. Folola Milo, on behalf of the people and government of American Samoa, I wish to thank you for your son, and thank you for raising a good son, and for his dedication and commitment to serve in the long conflict in Iraq. What is for sure, your son has won. He is victorious. May God shower you with blessings as a family and restore the strength to comfort your hearts. I offer these words of comfort to you dear parents, to you Jocelyn, and the entire Milo family.
This is a day of victory. We come together today to celebrate and honor Avealalo Milo for his service to the United States of America and to American Samoa. We know it is necessary to celebrate, honor and remember because we must not forget. And we also know it is also difficult because the pain is never forgotten.
To Mrs. Jocelyn Milo, I know your time on earth with Ave was short, but the memories created by your union will be forever. We will not forget the sacrifice made by your husband. Ave’s selflessness, honor, courage and commitment are highly respected virtues required of a good soldier. And we also say thank you to you. Now Ave’s gone ahead and for all of us to meet up with him later. It is our prayer that God will fill the void in your heart and that He will fill it with love and memories of Ave, and that you continue on in your service to our nation in the Army and your commitment to serve in the Armed Forces and celebrate victoriously.
This is a day of victory. A soldier dies so that someone else may live. And at the end of this conflict, when the Iraqi people gain their freedom and live in a democratic society, they, too, as well as us, will remember that that freedom came at the expense of the life of Avealalo Milo and his brothers and sister in arms that have given their lives. We continue to also pray for those who continue to serve to complete the mission.
 And I wish to express my sincere thank you to the parents of Toa o Samoa - American Samoa’s other fallen heroes that are in attendance in solidarity and a show of comfort and compassion. You know this sense of loss. And we carry on.
We thank God for all our men and women in military service of our nation. Today is a day of victory for Avealalo Milo who gave his life so others can live happy and free.
Ia manuia lau malaga.”
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