Every year, Ohio’s governor and state leaders collaborate with military leaders to honor members of the military who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
At the 2026 wreath-laying ceremony, three service members killed on March 12 as part of Operation Epic Fury were honored by Secretary of State Frank LaRose. He’s a member of the Ohio Army National Guard and was serving overseas when he heard news of their deaths.
"I remember going into a team meeting and telling my teammates that some of our fellow Ohioans had made the ultimate sacrifice. This unit at the air refueling wing is really our neighbors out at Rickenbacker. My unit is just down the flight line. I can tell you it was a heavy moment for all of us," LaRose said.
The three military members honored are:
Capt Seth Koval, 28, of Stoutsville, an aircraft commander with the 121st Air Refueling Wing in Columbus. He joined the Ohio Air National Guard in 2006.
Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, of Columbus, a KC-135 pilot with the 121st Air Refueling Wing in Columbus. He joined the Air National Guard in 2015.
Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus, a boom operator with the 121st Air Refueling Wing in Columbus. He joined the Ohio Air National Guard in 2017.
The guest speaker was Gold Star father Ken Kreuter, who lost his 26-year-old son David in 2005 when he was killed in Iraq in 2005. Kreuter explained he was still numb from the loss of his son when he and friends came together to honor David's memory by setting up a scholarship in his honor. Twenty years later, Kreuter said that scholarship has awarded more than $214,000 to 224 students.
“Our loved ones were real people with real places in our lives, making real contributions to our families, our communities, and our nation," Kreuter said. He told the crowd that honoring and remembering them will keep them close.
Gov. Mike DeWine's voice was a little emotional as he told the Gold Star families that he will forever remember Ohioans who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“To all of the families here today who have lost loved ones in service to our country, know that we will never forget them. We will never forget their sacrifice,” DeWine said. “And I will think about them. I will think about them, the families that I have met. I will think about them and their loved ones until the day I die.”
As part of the ceremony, a wreath was laid on the Veterans' Plaza at the Ohio Statehouse in front of one of the concrete walls with letters from veterans etched into them. The public can visit the memorial plaza 365 days of the year.
