A10
News
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
STAFF SGT. AUSTIN BIEREN
January 7, 1992 – March 28, 2017
EO Media Group/Jayati Ramakrishnan
Two servicemen, carrying a flag and the ashes of Staff Sgt. Austin Bieren, lead Bieren’s family into the Umatilla High School gym for his memorial service Saturday.
Memories of fallen airman
Bieren shared at service
“As you got to know him, he
opened up,” Mosher said. “And once
he trusted you, he’d do anything for
taff Sgt. Austin Bieren was honored Sat- you — but you had to earn his trust.”
urday at a memorial service at Umatilla Mosher said Bieren had considered playing
High School, the school where he grad- college football, but recalled when he told his
uated seven years ago.
coach that he’d changed his mind.
Bieren, 25, an airman for the U.S. Air
“He said he wanted to be part of some-
Force, died March 28 in Syria, in a non-com- thing greater than himself, something elite,”
bat related incident of natural causes. He was Mosher said. “That’s who he was.”
there as part of Operation
Bieren’s grandmother
Inherent Resolve against the
also spoke at the service,
terrorist group ISIS.
noting that the last time she
According to Rose Gu-
spoke to her grandson, he
dex, a public affairs offi cer
asked her to pray for him.
with the Petersen Air Force
“If I live to be 100, noth-
Base where Bieren was
ing will ever make me hap-
stationed, Bieren collapsed
pier than that,” she said.
while exercising, and was
Other family members
given immediate medi-
and friends spoke about fun
cal care but died before he
times they’d had with Bi-
could be medically evacu-
eren, and most mentioned
ated.
his penchant for mischief
Saturday’s service was
when he was younger.
packed with Bieren’s family
One friend that grew up
and friends, some of whom
with
Bieren recalled with a
Austin Bieren
got up at the end of the ser-
laugh the time they torched
vice to share memories about him.
a bale of hay with fi reworks — but all noted
Tracy Finck, Bieren’s mother, recalled her how responsible Bieren grew up to be.
close relationship with her son.
“I got to see a troublemaker turn into a
“Austin and I talked all the time,” she hero, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend,”
said. “If he was down, I’d send him quotes. she said.
I just wanted to make sure he was happy.”
Bieren’s family also put together a slide
Finck read out a list of the medals and show, which showcased Bieren’s happy
honors her son received during his service, times. The slide show highlighted Bieren’s
and spoke about how proud he was to serve love of sports, his adoration of his nephew
in the military.
Jaren, whom his mother called “his pride
“He was an amazing young man,” she said. and joy,” and his love for his wife, Rachel.
“He always put his best foot forward. I can’t
At the end of the ceremony, Cameron
be prouder of who he was or who he became.” Smith, director of the Oregon Depart-
Mike Mosher, Bieren’s high school foot- ment of Veteran’s Affairs, presented Bie-
ball coach, spoke about his former student ren’s mother, his wife, his sister Brianne
and friend’s competitive nature and mischie- and his father John with flags to honor
vous personality.
Bieren.
By Jayati Ramakrishnan
EO Media Group
S
EO Media Group/Jayati Ramakrishnan
Tracy Finck, mother of Staff Sgt. Austin Bieren, speaks about her son during
his memorial service Saturday at Umatilla High School.
EO Media Group/Kathy Aney
Rachel Bieren, wife of Staff Sgt. Austin Bieren, 25, who died
last month in Syria receives her husband’s ashes after they
were flown home and transported by hearse to Umatilla.
Staff Sgt. Austin
Bieren’s grandmother
speaks about him
during the airman’s
memorial service
Saturday at Umatilla
High School.
EO Media Group
Jayati Ramakrishnan
EO Media Group/Kathy Aney
Patriot Guard Riders escort a hearse holding the ashes of Staff Sgt. Austin
Bieren, 25, back to his wife’s home in Umatilla on Friday afternoon.