Stars, Stripes, and Service

Editor's Note: This article is a follow-up to the article, “Honor to Serve,” published on TAPS in March 2024.

The Project

Grace began her Eagle Scout project by building a flag collection box in honor of her brother that featured her own artwork and details from the life he lived — all his favorite things. One collection box soon became five collection boxes — each a personalized memorial to another fallen hero — placed in a key location in Grace’s community. Each box told the story of someone who bravely served, ensuring their memory carried on in everyone who passed by. The boxes also served as receptacles for U.S. flags that had proudly flown and were ready to be retired after growing tattered, torn, and sun-bleached. 

By the numbers, Grace led a team of 86 volunteers — including fellow scouts, family, and friends — for a total of 1,240 service hours, across 42 service event days, and 406 flags collected for the flag retirement ceremony on March 9 of this year. 

The Ceremony

On the day of the flag retirement ceremony at the outdoor amphitheater at Camp Strake, near Coldspring, Texas, it was clear to all in attendance that Grace, with the support of her proud family, had given attention to even the smallest details. From start to finish, the flag retirement ceremony ran three hours, with an 80-page run of show. The names of fallen heroes were shared as scout volunteers respectfully placed each of the 406 American flags into fire rings to be retired. 

The ceremony began with a moving presentation that replicated the opening of the Basic Training graduation ceremony at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, where Jarrett graduated in January 2020, and buglers from Troops 1777 and 777 played taps during key moments throughout the event. 

Several Gold Star Families were there to support Grace and represent the hero they lost. Grace took extra care to involve them in the ceremony and honor their loved ones. Kim and Carl Ball were there representing their son, U.S. Air Force TSgt Cody Ball. “Each Gold Star Family,” they shared, “was presented a flag to be retired in their hero's name. It meant so much to hear our son's name spoken out loud with such honor.” Their son, Cody, is memorialized on Grace’s Air Force flag collection box. 

After the 406th flag was retired that day, the ceremony concluded, but Grace’s dedication to serving her community and honoring the fallen continued.

The Rest of the Story

After retiring all 406 flags, Grace and her team of volunteers preserved and sifted through the ashes to collect over 700 flag grommets, which she busily began turning into individual commemorative pieces for fellow surviving family members — including many members of the TAPS Family. 

Since her March 9 ceremony, Grace has held two follow-on ceremonies to retire more weathered and worn U.S. flags from her community and honor even more heroes who bravely defended the flag through military service. 

Grace’s project bloomed into much more than a requirement to earn the title of Eagle Scout. By adding the element of honor to a very practical means of flag retirement, she kept the names of heroes present; she passed on their stories; and she brought surviving families in her community together. 

“Our Matthew was honored and a flag retired in his memory,” shared Milissa and John Guyon. “What a precious opportunity to hear his name and to stand alongside other Gold Star Families.” 

Surviving Parents Margie and Jeff Taylor shared, “It was so good to hear Joey’s name spoken.” The Taylor’s son, SPC Joey Lenz is honored on Grace’s U.S. Army flag collection box. 

Joyce Fontenot, the surviving mother of U.S. Army PFC Trent J. Fontenot praised Grace’s event, saying, “I’m so glad that I came. I got to hear Trent’s name spoken out loud, and you know what that means to us. My heart is glad.” 

Grace made quite the impact in her little corner of Texas, and her impact reaches surviving military and veteran families far beyond her hometown. The heart and personal grief she poured into her Eagle Scout service project was evident to all involved, including the board who reviewed her advancement to Eagle Scout on April 24. For all her effort, leadership, organization, patriotism, and community service, Grace Kotalik is now an Eagle Scout. 

Grace proudly supported her brother, Jarrett — cheering him on in everything he did. Though he can’t be with her now, she supports him still — telling his story, saying his name, honoring his military service, and using what she learned from him to serve others.

Dawn Kotalik is the surviving mother of SPC Jarrett Kotalik, U.S. Army.

Kristi Stolzenberg is TAPS Magazine and Special Projects Editor.

Photos are courtesy of Dawn Kotalik.