Depot to memorialize fallen soldier Ben Bitner

A year and a half since he was killed in action in Afghanistan, Master Sgt. Benjamin F. Bitner will be memorialized during a ceremony next month at the Letterkenny Army Depot.

Depot Commander, Colonel Victor S. Hagan, will be dedicating the new route clearance vehicle positioner in honor of Bitner during a 1 p.m. ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 10.

Bitner, son of Roger and Beverly Bitner of Greencastle, was born on July 4, 1973, in Hagerstown, Md. He was a 1991 graduate of Greencastle-Antrim High School.

On Saturday, April 23, 2011, Bitner was killed in action in Afghanistan while serving with the Third Special Forces Group (Airborne) as the ODA 3236 team sergeant. Bitner had been deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom since March 2011. It was his 10th operational deployment.

The equipment that will be dedicated in memory of Bitner is comprised of two vehicle weld positioning stations. These are utilized to position or orient the vehicle hull so that welding can be conducted in position as opposed to over head or vertical positions. The positioner will provide higher production, improved quality and reduce process cycle times.