Community pays tribute to fallen Fort Carson Green Beret during escort

Colorado Springs police escorted the funeral procession for fallen Fort Carson Green Beret soldier Sergeant Major James G. “Ryan” Sartor Wednesday.

The funeral at the Shrine of Remembrance is private, but community members paid tribute by lining the street with flags and saluting Sartor’s body in the hearse as it drove by.

Some, like Janet Mcmonigal knew him and his family personally.

“We are five bases strong. We have lots of veterans, our American Legion group, and we want to show our support for our love of our military and country,” she said.

Others were complete strangers who felt compelled to line the streets with their flags and their hands over their heart as the funeral procession drove through the city.

One veteran we spoke to says he wanted to be a part of this moment to honor Sartor who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“Freedom doesn’t come free in this country and I think more and more people are realizing that and I just try to support them as best as I can,” Joe Golightly said.

While only a few people showed up for the procession, many have been honoring Sartor in different ways. The Falcon community, where he lived with his family, held a vigil and lined the streets with flags after he died July 13 in Faryab Province in Afghanistan from combat-related injuries.

Sartor was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson. He was a well-decorated sergeant in the Army. He had served since 2001 and had been a Green Beret since 2005.