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For sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Gold Star Mother Joyce Paulsen, a recent trip to France was an opportunity not only to pay homage to those who fought and died in World War I, but to continue honoring her son, who was killed in the Middle East over 10 years ago.

On May 17, Paulsen visited the grave of Wagon Mound resident U.S. Army Pvt. Tomas Herrera at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery. Herrera enlisted in April 1918, served in the 4th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division, and died in the war, according to  The nonprofit group is dedicated to serving and supporting mothers who lost children while serving in the military.

She brought a photo of her and her son, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Q. McClintock, who was shot in combat in Afghanistan in 2016. As Paulsen held the picture, she looked at Herrera鈥檚 grave.

鈥淚t was such a special moment because I told Matthew that Tomas鈥� mother did not get to visit him and that I was substituting for (her),鈥� Paulsen said.

Paulsen has since returned to the United States and is ready for another Memorial Day, a day for her to remember the sacrifices that people like Herrera and McClintock made for their country.

鈥�(Memorial Day) is just a time of reflection and it really brings back a heaviness at times because of my personal loss,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I love that the country recognizes the sacrifice and that it is celebrated in communities across the country and (knows) that freedom isn鈥檛 free. I know we say that a lot, but it鈥檚 truly a sacrifice that these soldiers in our military gift us because it really is a sacrifice.鈥�

Reaffirming a collective commitment 

On May 10, Paulsen and five other Gold Star Mothers from across the country went to France on a 10-day trip 鈥� known as the Sacred Soil Collection Tour 鈥� and stopped at World War I battlefields, memorials and cemeteries where they saw hundreds of gravesites, including Herrera鈥檚.

Herrera was from Wagon Mound, where Paulsen said her father grew up.

鈥淚t kind of just melts my heart that I get to represent Tomas鈥� mother and visit him in France and share a little bit of Wagon Mound, a little bit of America, and honor him for his service and sacrifice,鈥� she said.

During their visit, the Gold Star Mothers took dirt near the graves and placed it in a new 鈥淪acred Soil Marker鈥� 鈥� a small memorial containing earth from battlefields 鈥� that will be sent to Arlington National Cemetery to replace a lost marker, according to the organization.

鈥淭he moms and families that can鈥檛 visit their loved ones in France can rest assured that this soil collected throughout France is representative of any fallen soldier,鈥� Paulsen said.

The tour was conducted in coordination with the United War Veterans Council, the American Battle Monuments Foundation and Le Souvenir Fran莽ais USA, said Ryan Hegg, the United War Veterans Council鈥檚 head of legacy and education.

鈥淏y stepping forward to participate in this tour, Joyce and the other moms not only honored the memory of their own children, but reaffirmed our collective commitment to remember the stories of all of America鈥檚 fallen, no matter how much time has passed,鈥� he said.

For Paulsen, however, the pilgrimage was about more than paying homage to Herrera and other World War I veterans.

鈥業鈥檓 filling the gap that Matthew left behind鈥�

On Jan. 6, 2016, Paulsen received the news that every parent dreads: Her child was dead.

She said she remembered hearing a knock on the door, then seeing two members of the U.S. Army, who told her that McClintock had been killed the day before during a firefight in Afghanistan.

鈥淚 mean, I could remember vividly where I was when they came,鈥� Paulsen said. 鈥淎nd that whole feeling that your body is drained of loss of love. When you lose somebody like that, you don鈥檛 know what to think. It鈥檚 very numbing.鈥�

She said she hadn鈥檛 heard of Gold Star Mothers until one of them dropped off a package during his service.

鈥淭hey told me who they were (but) when you get a lot of people visiting you and sending condolences, you don鈥檛 think about it,鈥� Paulsen said. 鈥淏ut a few days later, I went through the package and I went, 鈥榊ou know, my son would not want me to sit still.鈥�

After grieving with family for a few months, she said it was time 鈥渢o get back to work and get my act together.鈥� This included applying to become a Gold Star Mother.

鈥淎nd since then, I have been able to give back to our sa国际传媒官网网页入口 community,鈥� Paulsen said. 

She said she is one of 19 members of the American Gold Star Mothers鈥� state chapter.

鈥淲e try to give back to our veterans,鈥� Paulsen said. 鈥淲e do visits at the VA. We give to other communities 鈥� We are a nonprofit, but we鈥檙e not that big and so we do some fundraisers throughout the year to help veterans or give to other veteran service organizations that we have a heart for and so I think that helps me know that I鈥檓 filling the gap that Matthew left behind.鈥�

Gregory R.C. Hasman covers the economy and healthcare. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.