CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar, 40, of Santa Barbara, California died July 19, 2015, while camping at Freeman Park in Carolina Beach, North Carolina. Dunbar was an Electronic Missile Systems Maintenance Warrant Officer with 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg.
Tania went to the grocery store in 1998 for some soup. She ended up joining the Army at the recruiting office next to the store. She was so excited that she forgot all about the soup. She was still in the Army – and still loving being in the Army – 17 years later when she died.
She went to AIT in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and during a discussion there, someone said that she was small and didn’t weigh enough to be Airborne, and besides it was too hard for a woman. So she joined the 82nd Airborne after AIT. Her first deployment was to Kosovo and her last was to the UAE. In between, she was deployed to Afghanistan and to Iraq on multiple occasions. She earned many medals – among them the Bronze Star for taking on the job of Battalion Electronic Warfare Officer “as an additional duty on top of her daily work load” as well as for her part in equipping the battalion’s vehicles with anti-IED equipment and for training others in how to do the same. To quote part of the very long narrative to accompany the Bronze Star, “Her tracking system for maintenance and upgrades was so impeccable that it was adopted by all EWOs in USF-1… CW2 Dunbar’s tireless diligence and attention to detail directly resulted in the safe return of every challenger Solider traveling outside the wire, an average of 1,000 miles traveled every month.”
Tania’s mother is from Millinocket, Maine and this stone is from the family’s garden, close to the peonies. It is small and doesn’t weigh a lot, just like Tania.
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I carried the stone and the story of Army CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar during the 5th adversary of the TSP at BSP. Tania’s stone was brand new to the program so this was a real honor. There was a last-minute change and when I heard this stone did not have a hiker, I happily volunteered to carry it. The only problem would be, I didn’t have a lot of time to do my homework like I normally would do. Hikers research the fallen and really take the time to learn what they can before the launch. Learn, Launch and Letter! Even though I was willing to volunteer in carrying Tania’s stone, I needed to quickly carve out time before the next day to really get to know her.
Lucky for me and when I say “lucky”, I truly mean it. I met Tania’s mother the day before the hike, Michelle and her husband. If you are reading this, you should know how much of honor and privilege it was to spend time with you both learning “first hand” what type of woman, mother and solder that Tania was. It was a pleasure having dinner with you both and with my sister. That time we shared and the conversations we had will be something I will never forget. Michelle, I could listen to you tell stories all day long. I could only imagine that Tania had a lot of your infectious personality.
It seemed to me that Tania and I had a lot in common. Well when it came to competitiveness and healthy eating. But not brains, she had me beat there and by a lot. It was incredible to learn how much she wanted to learn and it wasn’t just for her own personal gain. She took on added projects and responsibilities to better serve her country and keep her fellow solders safe. And boy did she serve her county. 17 years is an extreme sacrifice for her and her family. I know that she has left behind dear friends and family to whom she had such a big impact on. But from the sounds of it, the net was cast much further than that. There are people all over of this country, who know her by name and the courage it took for her to pave a safer and also supportive way for them.
I thought of Tania often as I climbed the mountain that morning. I thought of how she would still try and teach her children to read even when she was deployed overseas. I thought about how she looked out for others. I also thought of you Michelle and your positive spirt. I didn’t grow tired on that hike, I felt at peace knowing that I was walking with my hero. Tania’s stone was assigned to me without plan and now we have a true bond. I’ll never look at candy bar the same again after hearing that story Michelle. I also hope I get to try a batch of your famous cookies someday.
Thank you for allowing me to honor your daughter. She will not be forgotten.
Sincerely,
Ray Ruby
Oh, Ray! I didn’t realize that this comment portion was here at all. Please forgive how late this response is.
It is Saturday, May 25, 2019, and we are getting ready for this year’s Summit Project commemoration. I was looking for a few pictures I could print out for this year’s carrier of Tania’s stone, and for the first time, I scrolled down beyond those pictures and here you were. In fact, here, below your post, are also two others who have carried her stone.
I stand in awe of you and of your sister. We live during a time when the work, the life, the sacrifice and even the death of a soldier seems to be almost something to be shrugged off, and yet you both have a sense of duty or perhaps even a sense of debt to our fallen. I can’t thank you enough!
I do hope we will be seeing you today, and somehow, I imagine that unless you are in traction, we will. 🙂
Thank you both so much1!
Dear Family of Tania Dunbar,
It was truly an honor and a privilege to carry the stone and the story of CW03 Tania N. Dunbar to the summit of Cadillac Mountain on September 29, 2018. This was the first time I participated in the Summit Project and I was proud to tell the story of Tania and her courage.
Tania was a leader who not only successfully led her soldiers with passion and courage, but her community. She bravely sought justice and equality for all soldiers, no matter their gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. She co-founded SPARTA, an organization that fought for LGBT rights for service members. At a time when the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was in place, she pushed for rights of active-duty soldiers to live their lives in the open, without shame or consequence.
From the Advocate website, I found this quote by someone who knew her well, “This is a huge loss for our community and to those of us personally who knew Chief as a friend. She was quite simply a force to be reckoned with — one of the smartest, toughest, funniest, and most dedicated people to ever walk this Earth. … Rest easy, Chief. We will miss you.” This is what every soldier strives to be … “a force to be reckoned with.”
I am proud of Tania N. Dunbar, for all she accomplished and sad for her family’s loss. She set the example for what it means to be a good soldier, mother, wife, and friend. I wish I could have met her, but carrying her stone, I was certain she was with my daughter and me. She is now a part of our stories as well, as we reflect on the courage she showed in combat and in life as well as the desire to be strong in our convictions when fighting for what is right and true.
Sincerely,
Kevin Therrien
To the Family and Friends of Chief Warrant Officer Dunbar
When I was told that these stones had a way of picking the carrier, I was a bit in disbelief. When I was learning about Tania however, and where the family got the stone from I was a little taken back. Learning that the stone was taken from the family garden next to the peonies. Peonies are my mother’s favorite flower, and it was at this instance I knew. Luckily the stone isn’t too big either, for it made the 26.2 miles of my ruck a little more bearable. Tania’s service was truly remarkable, she was able to change forever how her job should be done. Her commitment to excellence, and pursuit of constant perfection made sure that soldiers made it home safely. It was no surprise to discover just how highly decorated Tania was. And it is truly inspiring with how much time she had spent in service to her country.
I was also happy to be carrying the stone of another member of the U.S. Army. People like Tania are the reason I joined the army. People who not only care about our country and serve as long as Tania did ensuring the safety of others for as long as she did. It was truly an honor taking Tania’s stone on such a landmark event. Taking her stone on an event that was not for me, but for others, and event marked by the sacrifice, duty and service that others have done, so we all may enjoy our freedoms!
Wyatt Grant Knopfke
Boston College Class of 2019
Boston College Football 15′-19′
Sworn in U.S. Army March 20th 2019
Tough Ruck April 14th 2019 – Boston Athletic Association, and National Park Service
To Michelle and the family of Tania Dunbar,
I never know how exactly how to start these reflection letters. The one thing I keep circling back to is the meeting your mother, Michelle, and I had the night before the hike. Words cannot truly measure the amount of pride that I felt from Michelle while talking with you.
It was such an honor and an amazing experience to listen to you talk about your daughter. Your strong, smart, driven, accomplished, heroic daughter.
I enjoyed learning about Tania’s little stone and how it was chosen from the garden at your home next to the peonies. I enjoyed the peak into her life in photos, her smile that you wished everyone could see. And not the media release photo that does not show off Tania’s smile that you obviously cherish so much, and have so much pride in.
The story of Tania and her commitment to the safety of her comrades was I’m sure just a slight glimpse into the brilliant military career that she had. The story of her incredible ability to add the tracking system and other equipment upgrades to numerous vehicles to provide more safety for her comrades. Also in relation to this was her voice she used to fight for equal rights within the military. Tania always had others in her mind and wanted to help make their lives better and safer. She truly was a remarkable person!
As I hiked with Tania’s stone my mind kept drifting back to a set of a few words. Those words were all that I could think of while you were telling me stories about Tania. Intelligent, caring, and strong. It was truly an honor and pleasure to learn about Tania and her story and hike with her stone. Thank you for sharing her story with me.
At the Husky Ruck Memorial 10K this year I was honored to carry the stone and story of Army CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar. I looked at the table spread out with so many courageous individuals, and I knew that Tania and I were destined to accomplish this task together. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I had failed a previous mission with Tania in 2018 when I carried her stone in the Honoring Heroes 5K in Bangor and never submitted my reflection letter to you Michelle, and your family. For that I am truly sorry. Tania’s memory deserves more diligence and commitment to completion of every mission than I gave her back then. This year when I saw her perfect stone on the table I knew it was my chance to honor her service and sacrifice and do her memory justice.
I strapped on my weighted pack and marched over to the scales, after adding weight for several other heroes I was honoring that day, and together they all weighed in at 43 pounds. I was ready and determined to complete the course in their honor to prove to myself I could do it! At the start I wished my teammates well and we headed off on the beautiful 6.2 mile course through the winding trails of Pineland in New Gloucester, Maine. As we rucked, we talked about our heroes, TSP, our lives, our loves and why there were so many hills at Pineland! I had the honor of spending these miles with “Sugar” (Andrea, TSP Family Liaison) and she told me that, Tania’s mom, Michelle, would be joining her workplace soon. I was excited to learn that they’d be seeing each other frequently! I hoped that meant I’d hear some first hand stories about Tania from someone who truly knew and loved her.
When the 6.2 mile ruck portion of the Husky Ruck was over we were faced with the Obstacle Course. This was the part that I had feared most. I took off my pack and let Tania ride to the finish line while I trudged forward on foot crawling through culverts and through tire obstacles. Without any real knowledge of Tania yet, I thought about what I knew in general. I thought about how TanI a, as a woman, had faced so many obstacles in her service. Simply her gender put her at a bit of a disadvantage in some scenarios. I later learned that she was a petite woman which made her even less likely to be given any benefit of the doubt! (Who told this fighter that she would never be airborne? Challenge accepted!) I thought about how she fought harder each step of the way for what she gained in her career, I knew I would finish the task at hard. I wouldn’t cross that finish line unless I left it all out there on the course. – for her and for me. When I reached the end and I put my pack back on to cross the finish line, I said, “Let’s go kids” and we all finished together. I was pretty sure they’d gained a few pounds while I was working so hard out there on the course. Or maybe I was just exhausted!
As I did my research on Tania’s life and service I learned from others in their descriptions that she was: “fierce”, “one hell of a soldier”, “a force to be reckoned with”, and “one of the most dedicated people to ever walk this earth.” I am so grateful to have had her out there with me pushing me to finish! What an incredible way to be remembered.
Upon reading about Tania’s service and all she accomplished I set out to learn what a Warrant Officer in the Army does. “The Army uses warrant officers to serve in specific positions which require greater longevity than the billet duration of commanders and other staff officers. The duration of these assignments results in increased technical expertise, as well as increased leadership and management skills. The Army warrant officer is a self-aware and adaptive technical expert, combat leader, trainer, and advisor.” By all accounts, Tania was the kind of individual we want leading our country, fighting for our rights, and protecting our freedoms. I am so in awe of all she endured while she was deployed under the veil of secrecy and without her support system in tact. I cannot imagine how hard it must have been for her to leave behind the love of her life and never speak of her to the people she spent her 24/7 waking hours with. Tania was forced to remain silent for too long in pursuit of something she was passionate about. I am so pleased to read that she decided to speak out and try to improve the system for those coming in behind her. She is truly a hero, and I will speak of her and her courage often. I hope to meet Michelle soon and hear some real life stories of Tania from her Mom! As a Mom myself I know we hold dear some of the most precious memories of our kids <3 Thank you for allowing me the honoring of learning about your daughter! Maine Heroes are not Forgotten!
It is with complete gratitude that I sit and write this letter. I had the honor and privilege of carrying the stone and story of Army CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar for my first hike with TSP up Cadillac Mountain on September 28th 2019. I was a late add to the team and didn’t have a lot of time to do research on Tania, but with her remarkable service and some insomnia I quickly found that I did not need much time to understand just how powerful and heroic Tania was and how deeply her story would resonate.
What I learned about Tania absolutely blew me away, Tania started her 17-year service by being told that she was too small to be Airborne, and that it wasn’t a place for women, I wonder if her reaction was similar to mine, lots of eye rolling. Well, she did not let that stop her. Her tireless efforts and determination with the 82nd Airborne took her on many deployments to Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and the UAE earning her many medals including a Bronze Star, an incredible force! But it wasn’t these achievements that I was thinking about on my hike.
My mind kept bringing me back to the struggles she faced by being forced to hide while serving our country. However, Tania did not settle for the ‘rules’ as they were, she fought hard to end the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. She co-founded SPARTA and 13 years into her service Tania was able to introduce the world to her wife!! What an amazing accomplishment, nothing ever stopped Tania.
It was about half way up the mountain, after stopping for some pictures I put my pack on, this was when I realized Tania was with me. This was as heavy as my pack had been all year, yet I had to take it off and search through it to make sure I had everything. My pack was as light as a feather. I was in total disbelief trying to find a logical reason for what was happening, there had to be something to explain why I couldn’t feel the weight of my pack. But the only reason was that Tania was there carrying me as I carried her. This was an incredible moment and it hit me out of nowhere, but I fought back the tears, Tania thought crying was a waste of time. There was a time in my life when I felt the same, who needs tears anyways? So, I made it to the top and shared her story without one single tear, no doubt she was there helping me. It was just a few short moments later when I felt the first tear fall off my cheek. In the days following my hike as I reflected on these moments, I learned just how heavy tears can be so I have decided it’s ok to let them fall.
Tania was a mother, wife, activist, chief, patriot but perhaps most importantly a Hero. I will forever hold Tania’s story close to my heart, she is a role model and I have learned so much from her. As they say, I carried her stone for day, I will carry her story for a lifetime. Thank you for this honor.
I had the pleasure of being able to carry a photo of Army CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar’s stone along with her story as I climbed Mt. Chase in Patten on May 23rd. Due to the unfortunate change of the TSP at BSP event needing to be canceled, each hiker was asked to complete a hike of their own, in honor of their fallen hero. As I took time, in the days before my hike, to learn about Tania, I grew to appreciate and became amazed by her dedication to complete what she had set out to do in her life. I gained a sense of Tania being a very committed, determined, intelligent yet fun loving and kindhearted individual. Words cannot begin to express my gratitude for the 17 years that she, along with her family, sacrificed for our country. THANK YOU is not nearly enough, but please know that I am extremely grateful beyond my words.
As I climbed Mt. Chase, I held thoughts of Tania. With any physical exhaustion or challenge that I encountered along my hike up the mountain, I reminded myself of why I was doing this. That alone, gave me the energy and determination that I needed to complete my task. As I approached the summit, mother nature gave me the reward of an amazing 360 degree view which included Mt. Katahdin (the mountain that was scheduled to be hiked by me and many teammates of TSP in honor of our Maine Fallen Heroes)
In my closing, I would like to thank Tania and her family, along with the many other Fallen Heroes and their families, for the sacrifices they made and still make for our country.
“Maine Heroes Are NOT Forgotten”
May 29th, 2021. It was a beautiful day to hike into the mountains of Western Maine. The sun was shining, no rain in sight. The clouds were perfectly formed and the wind was light. Big Moose Mountain in Greenville was calling our names. What I mean by names, is mine, but more importantly hers.
CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar. She is my Hero, a fallen Maine Soldier, a mother of two, a wife, a daughter, a friend, an advocate. Her Stone was in my care for a week before we hit the trail. The stone was smaller than most, however; I felt the mighty weight of her on my back. I wondered if Tania felt this weight on her too, as she was challenged by many. Many who told her no. From my understanding, she didn’t take no to kindly. I knew if we met while she was still living, we would definitely get along. I am not a NO gal either!
My Uncle Tom and his little dog Molly came with us for our journey. We strapped on our packs, his was light, mine was not. I have carried this kind of weight before, but not for a day hike. The pack was around 20 pounds with Tania’s stone and my gear. I said a few prayers to her before hitting the trailhead. I asked her to push me up the steep climb, the never ending stone stairs and the rock scramble before the Summit. She heard me, she helped me, she calmed me. At times, my Uncle would ask if I needed help carrying Tania’s stone. I kindly turned him down. I knew this mission was mine and mine alone, but I wasn’t alone. Tania was there, on my back with every step I took. She is my Hero, she was my responsibility. She guided me through the steep parts, which were many. 1,876 ft elevation gain, 3,797 ft mountain, 100’s of stone stairs, bog bridges, old broken down Ranger cabin and a couple of old wooden ladders to climb. We made it! The Summit!
I was told this was not a silent mission. There were only a couple of hikers that really were chatty on the trail that day. I knew this was my opportunity to speak. So I made some noise and told them all about Tania, The Summit Project and our mission to never forget. They had no idea this was a yearly event or even existed. I hope those hikers I spoke to join in our mission for next year or at least spread the word that Hiker Heroes are needed. I don’t consider myself a Hero, just a hiker who wanted to carry a beautiful TSP stone with the name CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar engraved on it. To honor her for all she has sacrificed to us and our country. She is the true Hero, the real Hero of my story. Thank you Tania. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for not letting me fail our mission and thank you for your service. I will never forget you. You are forever embedded into my life.
Dear Family of Tania Dunbar,
I had the absolute privilege of carrying the stone and sharing the story of Army CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar during The Summit Project ANP 2021. Before our road trip to ANP, I learned what I could about Tania. I wish I had reached out to you and learn more about her life, her work, and her passions. I would have loved to talk more in depth about Tania and what she stood for.
As we hiked along the trail, I thought about how Tania had a huge heart, how she was a role model and advocate for others.
It was clear that she was a true leader, one that was dedicated to her job and dedicated to her country. Her level of commitment to her duty to ensure soldiers returned safely is admirable.
These are all values you hope that your own children will have. I will carry Tania story with me always and will try to instill these same values in my own children. Carrying her stone was truly an honor. She will not be forgotten.
Respectfully,
Amy
I have the honor and privilege to carry the stone and story of Tania with me on May 29th to a summit in Baxter State Park. I also had the honor of meeting her mother, Michelle; this was my first time meeting a gold star family member. I was nervous but Michelle quickly put those nerves to rest with a big hug and she started to tell me about Tania. She showed me photos of when Tania was younger; running track was a passion of hers and she excelled at it. I learned when Tania was deployed she would purchase two copies of a book so that she could read along with her children. Her commitment to her country and her children is admirable. I learned that Tania is buried in Arlington Cemetery and that Michelle will find flowers and coins at her daughter’s gravestone. I truely felt a connection to Tania as we both shared many of the same qualities; we are both small, driven, family oriented and stubborn. I admired her work ethic to become part of the 82nd Airborne, even after being told that she was too small, never tell either one of us NO, it only makes us worker harder. Her stone was not heavy in my pack but I knew that she was there with me the whole climb. She would have loved the view from the summit that day, sunny and you could see for miles.
Tania made a positive impact everywhere she went; her work ethic directly resulted in the safe return of every challenger solider traveling outside the wire, which was an average of 1,000 miles traveled every month.
I will always carry her story with me and hope to continue the relationship I have made with Michelle
To family and friends of Army CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar,
The stone chooses you, they say. I had the honor and privilege to carry the stone and to share the story of: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Tania N. Dunbar. I also had the pleasure of spending a few moments with Michelle, Tania’s mother. Those moments made the experience extra special for me! I learned a bit about who Tania was as a child and later as an adult.
I chose to start hiking with the Summit Project in order to help keep the living memorial going. I have had the honor of working with many veterans over the years working as a nurse. I also have made it my mission to keep memorials for veterans clean and maintained in the community I live in.
This hike up Double Top Mountain trail was intense. I do not think I was prepared for this hike as well as I could have been. I spent the entire hike feeling the weight of the stone in my pack and it helped remind me what this hike was for. Tania would not have ever given up! She would have found a way!
After our summit and hike back down Double Top, we decided as a team that we would honor the bravery and some of the free spirit of the heroes we hiked with, we jumped into the lake! I will continue to tell the story of CWO 3 Tania Dunbar and her incredible service to our country! MHANF!
Respectfully submitted,
Tina Muecke
To the family of Chief Warrant Officer Dunbar,
It was an honor and privilege to carry the stone and story of CW03 Tania N Dunbar to the summit of Cadillac Mountain on September 23, 2023. This was the first time that I participated in a Summit Project, and I must say that I am in awe of how every detail shows the respect and appreciation for the fallen soldiers and their families.
While I am sorry for your loss, I hope you have many happy memories, and you have some peace in the knowledge that Tania lived a life of excellence and service and that she lives on through the Summit Project.
I love flowers and have a peony in my front yard. I chose a round stone from the top of Cadillac Mountain and have it placed along side of that peony as a reminder of a daughter, a wife, a mother and a soldier whose life may have ended too soon but whose story lives on not only with her family but for all those who choose to carry her stone and story year after year.
Respectfully,
Wendy
Dear Family and Friends of CWO3 Tania N. Dunbar, May, 29th, 2024
I had the honor to carry the stone and story of CWO3, Tania N Dunbar, at BSP this past Memorial Day weekend. This was my first time participating in The Summit Project. I learned about the project and how it brings awareness to honor our fallen heroes.
When I registered for the day of the ceremony I was humbled to see a letter from Michelle, Tania’s mom, in my folder. She was waiting to meet me and tell me her daughter’s story. I was thankful that you met with me and told me about Tania. Tania was determined to do anything she set her mind to. Tania had many experiences around the world. Tania lived her life the way she wanted to. She was a mom, wife, and daughter. It’s wonderful that she was able to teach her son to read, and read to him nightly, despite being away from home. That spoke volumes to me. As I am a teacher, I know the importance of reading to your children at night. It had to be really challenging to be away from her children when she was deployed. She spent a lot of time serving my country. And that I am thoroughly grateful for.
The day of the hike I listened to many stories and was privileged to be part of this group. I am very thankful for the time I got to spend with Michelle and her daughter. I thought of Tania often while I was enjoying the beauty of the forest. I felt very privileged and humbled that I got to share her story and support her friends and family. Thank you for this honor.
Doing all things with compassion,
Teresa Bachet
I had the honor and the privilege of carrying the stone and the story of CWO3 Tania Dunbar in this year’s motorcycle convoy to Baxter State Park. Not only did I have two weeks to get to learn about Tania, I spent over 400 miles praying for her family.
Over my research, I learned about her incredible heart, her intellect, and her drive to be the best at what she did. I’m grateful that I got to represent CWO3 Dunbar this year. And the hug and thank you from her mother at the end of the ride made the whole day worth it.
Rest well Tania.
To Tania’s family, friends, and community,
Writing a letter after the Ruck for the Fallen seemed a daunting task and then reading all the letters before mine made the task even more challenging. I will do my best.
I decided to do “The Ruck” as a way to share an activity with my son in law who is an Afghanistan war veteran and now Maine State Trooper. Parenthetically, I try to share something with each of my three son in laws. I decided to carry a stone as I was moved to tears by seeing Gold Star members at the ruck. And I particularly picked a female soldier for a multitude of reasons; most of which because I had just read Kristen Hannah’s historical novel about the Vietnam nurses and their struggle to be recognized as true war heroes. It is called “The Women.” Worth reading in my humble opinion. We stopped at each placard along the hike and read about each of the fallen soldiers. You should know that my son in law coached me through the 20 obstacles. I was spent at the end. He is my hero and in turn I think we honored Tania and your family.
I really knew little about Tania during my first ruck but am glad I chose her as she embodied traits that I admire: Courage, fortitude, bravery, ingenuity, creativity and loyalty. I am saddened to learn that she suffered as a result of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” failed policy. It makes her contributions even more amazing in that she had to overcome major barriers.
I am truly sorry for your loss. As a father of three daughters I can only imagine what it must feel like losing a daughter.
I do think my son in law and I would’ve made Tania proud.
I have already signed up for the 2025 Ruck and would like to carry her stone again
Respectfully,
Alan Garber MD