42, of Alexandria, Va.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Maine National Guard, Bangor, Maine; died Aug. 27 in Kuwait City, Kuwait, in a noncombat incident.
PORTLAND, Maine — A soldier from Maine who served in the National Guard has died in Kuwait, military officials said Wednesday.
Staff Sgt. Jessica Wing, 42, of Glenburn, died Monday, the Department of Defense said. Officials said her death wasn’t related to combat, but they didn’t provide details on the circumstances.
Wing was a helicopter crew chief assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment out of Bangor. The unit provides medical evacuation to patients and military personnel using medically equipped UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.
“The untimely and tragic loss of SSG Jessica Wing has deeply saddened and shocked all of us in the Maine National Guard and across the state of Maine,” Col. James Campbell, the acting adjutant general of the Maine National Guard, said in a statement.
Wing served in the guard for eight years and was on active duty in the Army for 11 years before that, according to the Maine National Guard. She was deployed to Haiti and Bosnia while in the Army and was sent to the Middle East three times while with the Guard.
Wing was not married and had no children, officials said.
Gov. Paul LePage said Maine “has lost a great soldier and a great Mainer.”
“We are forever indebted to her for her service to her state and to her country,” he said in a statement.
Funeral set for helicopter crew chief from Maine
The Associated Press
AUGUSTA, Maine — A Maine National Guard helicopter crew chief will be laid to rest this weekend in Augusta.
The funeral for Staff Sgt. Jessica Wing will be held Saturday at the Augusta Armory, followed by burial at the Maine Veterans Cemetery in Augusta.
The 42-year-old from Glenburn was on her third deployment when she died in what the military described as a noncombat incident in Kuwait. The Defense Department has not divulged details of the incident, which remains under investigation.
Wing served in the guard for eight years and was on active duty in the Army for 11 years before that. She was assigned to the First Battalion, 126th Aviation Medevac Company out of Bangor.
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Thank you, girl. Our family misses you. Xoxo
Until The Day We Meet Again
On March 23, 2015, Roberta Doe wrote —
Looking back on the March 6th, 2015 walk of the Summit Project volunteers with the University of Southern Maine, I am still in a place of quiet reflection. Prior to the trek, I talked with organizers to see if Jessica had a remembrance stone. Upon hearing that as of that date, she did not, I wrestled with wanting to honor her memory in some way.
She was a respected and loved comrade of a dear family friend. I learned of her and her loss of life through this friend, who was deeply wounded by Jessica’s death. Since there was no stone, I decided that I would carry a framed photograph of Jessica during the trek, while I also honored a friend’s son who was killed in Afghanistan.
During the days and weeks prior to the trek, I read about Jessica’s length and breadth of active and reserve military service and her multiple deployments. I heard from our family friend of her dedication to excellence and her desire to make sure that any equipment that she was part of maintaining was in excellent repair for her fellow servicemen and women.
I was able to share about Jessica’s service with other volunteers during the trek. I also got to speak with a soldier who was on the trek who knew her and was able to watch his countenance as he shared how he knew her was saddened by her death.
I am honored that my daughter and I were able to do the TSP trek and that I was able to honor Jessica’s memory and service in this way. I am please that TSP chooses to honor all military personnel who lose their life during active service. I was proud to be a part of keeping her memory alive through sharing a piece of her life story. It was also my honor to do this with my 18 year old daughter. Know that your family member is not forgotten and that her sacrificial service on our behalf is valued greatly. There are no words that can fully express our heartfelt sorrow for your loss.
Our group of 8 women was organized to hike the south ridge trail of Cadillac Mountain on July 6, 2017 on a glorious sunny day.
Several of us are from the greater Bangor area, and had requested Jessica’s memorial stone to carry. When we learned that there was no stone, we improvised. A stone was selected from her town of Glenburn, and each of us took turns carrying the unmarked stone up and down the trail. At the summit, our Glenburn resident shared Jessica’s impressive story, and we all signed a patriotic scarf that was later made into a bag for her stone. We hope that this is acceptable to the family and TSP because it was so important to us to be able to include and recognize Jessica Wing for her outstanding service and sacrifice to our country. We were proud of her accomplishments and felt strongly that our women’s hike should honor the bravery of “our sister” soldier.
We hope that others will carry the stone that we provided to TSP to honor and thank Jessica Wing for her service and sacrifice.
To the family and friends of Sgt Jessica Wing, I wish you a late but Happy Valentine’s Day. I never had the honor of meeting Jessica, but i too am from Glenburn and was deeply touched by her biography. My deepest condolences to you all. I want to thank her for her service and say she will never be forgotten. Her commitment to our county and it’s citizens will never be matched. Thank you!
To the Family and Friends of Staff Sargent Wing
I was given the great honor of carrying the stone for Jessica. I was able to complete a marathon while carrying the stone in her honor. Taking me just over seven hours I had time to reflect upon the weight I was carrying in my ruck. At times this weight felt as a burden. On this journey I was reflecting, and I remembered the weight I was carrying was in honor of someone who had gone before me. Not only carrying this weight, but carried our flag forward. On behalf of not just me, but a very grateful nation, Jessica carried this flag for almost twenty years. I myself have recently enlisted, and cannot explain my gratitude for someone who carried the flag for our nation for that long. As a legacy of her life, this stone represents not just the fighting spirit, but also a spirit of being a guardian. Learning of the selfless work Jessica did, as a crew chief is truly inspiring. Flying into to hostile situation in order to get soldiers off the battlefield and back to safety. As a crew chief you are responsible for a lot. Not only maintain the helicopter, but also are responsible for making sure everyone on board is safe, and in the helicopter properly. This job requires not only a sense of duty, but commitment to the safety and well being of others. These qualities are not only what made Jessica such a patriot and role model to her state, but as a role model to men and especially women all over this country.
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
Dear friends and family of Staff Sgt. Jessica Wing,
I had the honor of carrying Jessica’s Tribute Stone on the Ruck to Remember 60 to 60 over Memorial Day weekend. 60 miles of hiking and trails beginning from Harpers Ferry, WV and arriving at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day morning. I shared Jessica’s story along the way and her stone was passed to each of my teammates with a moment of silence to honor her. This was a truly humbling and empowering experience. Please know that Jessica’s commitment and service to our country will not be forgotten and that her memory lives on within you all as well as her Tribute Stone.
To the friends and family of SSgt Jessica Wing,
I was given the opportunity of carrying SSgt Wing’s stone. Prior to the hike, the supervisors of my unit discussed the importance and honor it was to remember our fallen soldiers. The importance of learning more than just the basic information and getting to know the individuals on some personal level. When I was given the name of SSgt Wing, I immediately started looking up information about her. One of the first things that I discovered was that she hadn’t yet had a stone but that did not stop individuals from finding a way to honor her memory. One group brought up her picture with them to honor her memory. Another group found an unmarked rock from her hometown in Glenburn, took turns carrying it, and at the summit a Glenburn resident shared her impressive story. SSgt Jessica Wing had a career with the army, both active duty and guard spending 23 years in uniform. She participated in many deployments; three to the Middle East, Haiti, Bosnia, and Kuwait. SSgt Wing had a huge impact on those that she interacted with. She was known for being the unit’s go to person. She was known also known as a mentor and “unofficial den mother” to the young soldiers in her unit. SSgt Wing expected the best from herself and those around her. One of her friends said: “She always demanded excellence of herself and the soldiers around her.” Her interests involved outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. This experience allowed me the opportunity to learn about this amazing woman and the lasting impact she has.
I carried a hero today. In the sense of the word that I carried what I felt were her passions, her likes and dislikes and I carried the memory of her personal achievements and amazing attributes. Jessica Wing is an Army Ssgt that I was thrilled to learn about. What an amazing “take no crap” kind of person. I learned so much in my research of Jessica that it’s hard to put into words.
There are a few things that hit strongly with me in this particular hike. This is the first hike I got to do with my father. We talked along the way, I shared stories with him about Jessica’s bravery, her hopes and dreams, the kind of leader she was. It may have been a cold Veterans Day weekend but we were both warmed in our hearts at knowing her. I have also discovered recently that I am pregnant, so my son got to do this hike with us. I thought about what kinds of things I would want him to learn about Jessica as I’ll surely tell him all about her when he’s here. But for a little while we both carried an amazing lady.
Jessica’s standard of expectation in how her equipment was maintained and utilized was second to none. This is due in part to her high degree of expectations on herself. She wanted the best of the best for her crew and she expected the same in return. We could all stand to learn a lesson from her in this regard.
Jessica, I look forward to an amazing hunting and fishing season this coming year as I know you will be there in my heart and mind as I teach my son all of the wonderful things about you and about all the Maine outdoors has to offer. Thank you for simply being you.
With the greatest admiration and appreciation,
Andrea “Sugar” Killam
To the family and friends of Jessica Wing:
I had the absolute honor of carrying Jessica’s TSP memorial stone over Veterans Day Weekend in the hike up Blue Hill Mountain as part of the Veterans Remembrance Event held each year in Ellsworth, Maine. When I started my research I knew a bit about Jessica already from hearing other hikers speak about her life and service, but when I delved in deeper to learn about her I was so humbled to be given the chance to honor her.
Jessica was from Glenburn, Maine and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Maine National Guard out of Bangor. She was 42 when she died in Kuwait City, Kuwait on her third deployment to the Middle East. Jessica was an experienced and respected avionics mechanic. She was a decorated helicopter crew chief and was known for being her unit’s “go-to” person. It was noted by those who served with her that she was dedicated to excellence and had a profound sense of duty. People saw her as a mentor, a coach and their unofficial den-mother. Jessica had a deep respect for the environment and all living things. She loved hunting, fishing and anything in the woods. She would have loved this hike. It was a perfect fall day on the mountain with bright blue sky and snow cover on the ground.
Shortly after Jessica died several people approached TSP asking to carry her memorial stone. At that time we didn’t have one. No one had come forward to donate a stone, but people who loved her needed a way to honor her. Several of the reflections on her bio page on the TSP website talk about people who chose their own stones or carried her photo in a trek. She was loved and respected in her community and her unit. Her service made a difference and her life left an impact on those who knew her. Carrying Jessica’s memorial stone in this event felt like a real victory for those who had sought out out this opportunity previously. I was so honored to hold her stone on behalf of all those who’d hiked before me in her honor.
I learned in my research about the Battlefield Cross Memorial in our State House. The memorial, dedicated in 2009, is a tribute to Mainers killed in service during the Global War on Terrorism. Initially Jessica was excluded from inclusion due to her manner of death. In a public statement our highest state politicians and servicemen acknowledged that she was deserving and owed the respect of being included because of her honorable and devoted service. Her tags were placed on the monument in 2013.
In the weeks, and even months, following Jessica’s death, Department of Defense refused to release details – stating only that she died in a non-combat incident. In the changing times, and with the veteran suicide crisis hitting an all time high, we must acknowledge that Jessica took her own life. We cannot allow it to be swept under the rug or hidden like a secret. Jessica’s service stands as honorable and she gave more than two Decades to serving our country both in the Army and the National Guard. We’ve all heard about “the 22 a day” – the number of veterans who take their own lives each day. Often left out of that well known statement is the second part – “and one active duty service member.” We hear less about that but we had two being honored in our circle that day representing the second half of that statement. Jessica was bright and personable, excelled at her job and cared deeply for those she served with. Who could have known how she struggled? Let Jessica remind us to always check on our strong friends despite their smiles.
Yesterday, November 23, 2019, was “Survivors of Suicide Loss Day” and I traveled to Augusta to the cemetery where Jessica is buried. In solidarity with those who loved Jessica, and as a survivor myself, I knelt before her stone in Section A. I was humbled to run my hands over the same letters on that tall granite stone that I’d felt so many times on her small TSP stone. With the sun shining bright and a few other visitors nearby I said Jessica’s name aloud and thanked her for her service. Before I walked away I left her two small tootsie rolls, a favorite of my own loved one buried nearby who also took his own life. They are the same. And yet so different. In life – both individuals with dreams and desires so important and so special. In death – Veterans in good company included with the brightest, the bravest and the best. Jessica will never be forgotten, and I will visit her and say her name with each trip I make to visit family on those hallowed grounds. Thank you, Jessica Marie Wing. For your service, your courage and your sacrifice.
With a humble heart,
Joelle “Pineapple” Ingalls
To the loved ones of Army Staff Sargent Jessica Wing,
On Sunday of this past Memorial Day weekend, I had the tremendous pleasure and privilege of honoring Jessica during a hike up Black mountain in Sullivan, Maine. As you may know, I was unable to carry her stone because of the restrictions on our event necessitated by Covid-19, but I did carry a photo of her stone and some details about her life, service, and death. There was much to learn about Jessica from the reflections of those who have honored her before me.
My cousin Gregg joined me for the hike. Last month for my aunt, Gregg, and his siblings, I chose a stone from our family beach and had it engraved in honor of my uncle William Palmer, a Korean War Vet who died in 2018. My uncle was injured in battle while rescuing comrades and was highly decorated for his service. Some of the similarities in character shared by my uncle and Jessica, leading to heroic actions in service to others and to our country, are obvious. Uncle Bill’s stone I carried to the summit, along with the photo of Jessica’s. The hike was fantastic, sunny and cool with a breeze to keep the black flies away at the summit, where we took some time to honor Jessica, reflecting on her character and service. Together, Gregg and I did the same for my uncle. I asked Gregg if he would like to walk the loop around the other side of the mountaintop before we started back down, and he agreed. We took some photos and as we started around the loop, we met a family; a mom, dad, and their three kids ages five, nine, and fifteen. Both parents appeared worried and all of them were clearly played out. The father asked me which way we had come and how to get back to the road. I proposed that they could follow us down, if they wished, since the loop trail could be confusing with easily missed turns. They agreed.
I was still thinking of Jessica on the way down the mountain, reflecting on how she was widely respected not only for her integrity and work ethic, but also her innate caring of others around her. I imagined the countless times she had flown soldiers off the battlefield to safety. Something made me feel she was with us as we all trekked around the loop and back down to the road. In this time of Covid-19, it felt good to choose not to socially distance from this family but to honor risks that are worth taking (not a big risk, but still…). Jessica risked everything in service to others. She is a role model who will now be with me and who I would not have known without the Summit Project.
When we stepped off the trail onto the dusty road, the father looked even more worried, if that was possible, and asked me, “Is there another parking lot?” The light came on and I realized they had hiked in from the Schoodic mountain parking lot and ascended Black mountain unintentionally. When I told them the distance to get back to their car, approximately 7 miles of dusty dirt road, the five-year-old daughter started to cry, hugged her mom’s legs, and said, “I can’t walk anymore.”
My cousin Gregg is from southern Maine and had driven in on his motorcycle so that we could comply with the rules of infection control, which turned out to be a game changer for this family. One less sweaty, dusty, bug-bitten body in my car allowed me to reassure a desperate family that if they could wait a few moments for me to make some room, I could give them a lift back to their car. The relief flashed on their faces and there was no hesitation. There are moments even in a pandemic when the rules of physical distancing get tossed out the window. We all piled into my car (windows down at least) and had a pleasant, relaxed conversation along the slow miles of deep-woods dirt road. It was a lift for all of us. The five-year-old was asleep within moments of starting the drive. Once again, I reflected that the caring spirit of Jessica Wing was with all of us this day.
Thank you for this special experience. From the heart, you are and will remain in my thoughts, right there with Jessica.
Dear loved ones of Army Staff Sargent Jessica Wing,
Thank you for the privilege of carrying Jessica’s stone on Saturday, September 26th on Dorr and Cadillac Mountains in Acadia National Park. The hike began in mist and fog, clearing gradually as our team ascended into sunshine and blue sky. With my fellow hikers, this was a special time of shared discovery, action, and reflection. The atmosphere created by Summit Project’s participants was one of mutual respect and dedication to supporting the mission. Without your generosity, I would never have had the opportunity to carry Jessica’s stone on a journey with terrific men and women, and to join in a circle ceremony with them atop the mountain sharing reflections about our heroes and their families. Common themes emerged as we described qualities and shared stories about the Veterans we honored that day: altruism, courage, tenacity, love of family.
You have lost more than I can comprehend, and there is so much I do not know about your Jessica, but what I have learned of her life story will stay with me, along with the mysteries left to my imagination. What was it like for her to fly into combat zones? How did she face those fears? What was it she most enjoyed about time with loved ones and being outdoors in Maine? What made her laugh? What did she consider a shining moment? My reflections and queries about Jessica stir consideration of ways in which I prioritize service to others in my own life. My sense is that Jessica adored her loved ones and her life’s purpose, both of which spark connections, commonalities.
Jessica built a remarkable life, one that was hard and took her to places where she experienced, risked, and lost more than I can understand. She was a leader, guide, and role model to many through her steadfast skill and compassion. She will continue to shine as a role model to me, thanks to your willingness to share her through the Summit Project. I will carry memories of the hike and my sense of Jessica, even though I never had the privilege to meet her. Please know my thoughts are with you. Thank you for this unforgettable honor.
Jessica’s family and friends,
There are no coincidences!
Friday, before stone pickup, I was called and told that Jessica’s stone would not be in Bangor, so don’t make the trip. I blamed one of her dogs for putting it in the wrong box. Good dog! Keep reading and you’ll see why.
Saturday morning, I woke up and my left ankle was throbbing. Stretching and riding the stationary bike didn’t help. My wife told me I needed to take it easy for several days. Several days turned into all week! By go time, I was ready to go!
I traveled to Portland to participate in the Ruck To Remember, a 16 mile ruck through Portland and South Portland. Was I dreading it? Of course, but I knew my mission, and I was there not only to carry the stone and story of one of Maine’s heroes, but I was there as an official event photographer. I left checkpoints early to find places to photograph, and I even passed the ruck several times to get ahead of them to get more action photos. Way beyond what I thought I would be able to do after waking up barely able to walk a week ago. I ended the day sore and tired, and with only one blister, very happy to have carried Jessica’s stone and story for this epic event.
The first half of the day was cloudy, sometimes windy, but quite pleasant. During our circle ceremony, we started to get the first drops of the day. At some points, it was raining sideways, but no one complained and everyone knew why we were there.
As I don’t have a dog of my own, I found an “Adpoption Dog Toy” that would be my companion for the hike. The purchase of the stuffed animal helps support and inspire the adoption of shelter pets. I think Jessica would have loved that. I named my new dog Heartly, inspired by the dog on the inside of the tag that came with her.
I, like Jessica, love all living things. I stop and pet a dog whenever I’m out and about, and the owner says it’s OK. Nature, outdoors, living in Maine? No question, this is an awesome place to be, and Jessica took full advantage of it, as do I.
I’m really looking forward to learning more about Jessica and carrying her stone and story in Acadia at our fall event.
Mike “Bazooka” Peterson
MHANF!
Jessica’s family and friends,
This is my second time carrying Jessica’s stone and story, and the first time in 2 years that we had a “real” TSP event. It was a bit smaller than normal, but those that were there honored all the heroes as best we could.
The forecast was for very heavy rain at times. Something that would make the trail a bit treacherous, but the mission is what we’re here to accomplish, though the safety of the teams is important. Our fearless leaders made several contingency plans. #1 was for a nice sunny day. I voted for that! However, it was not to be. The forecast included possibility of lightning, and with that in mind, climbing a mountain was out of the question. The plan that was agreed upon was to hike from the campground to Echo Lake, a 1.5 mile out and back hike, along trails, carriage roads, and the road down to the lake.
The hike out was misty, but overall very nice. We arrived at the lake and our team found a nice spot on the sand. We honored our heroes, and the sun came out! We took photos of the stones, and the team, joked about the weather, and headed back to base camp. Not a drop out of the sky on the way back. It was a bit more somber as we reflected on our heroes and the sacrifices that they made for us.
Giving our stones back under the tent at base camp, it started to rain. Then it really came down. It was hard to hear at times, but our leader’s voice grew to match the torrent. Tears came down with the rain and hugs were aplenty.
Like Jessica, I feel more at ease in the outdoors, and Maine has plenty to offer. We will be back at Acadia, and I will always carry Jessica’s story with me.
In my previous letter, I talked about my “dog”. She was with me on this hike, and has a special place on my honor shelves in my office. They are above my monitor so that whenever I need a break, I can sit back and look at all the things I’ve carried for my heroes and reflect on their stories. Sometimes it brings tears, sometimes laughter.
Mike “Bazooka” Peterson
MHANF!
To the family and friends of Jessica M. Wing,
On the last Saturday of September 2022, a blustery morning, sixteen hikers embarked on a journey to the summit of Cadillac Mountain by way of the Dorr Mountain South Ridge Trail. On this special day, each hiker carried the stone of a fallen Maine hero in which I had the honor of having SSG Jessica Wing with me throughout the trek. This being my first event with The Summit Project, I was unsure what to expect or if I was suited for any of the team’s positional roles. When I received my stone assignment and learned about Jessica, I quickly decided to follow her own example and volunteered to be our team navigator, a position that is required to ensure the safe passage and well-being of each team member and the group as a whole. Throughout the hike, we bonded, we motivated, we laughed, we cried but most importantly, we remembered our heroes.
Upon reaching the peak of Cadillac Mountain, our team huddled around the summit marker and shared the stories of our heroes. In listening to others speak of their heroes it was mentioned, on more than one occasion, that the stone picks its own hiker. I believe whole-heartedly in this statement as I too have lost family members due to similar circumstances. Learning about Jessica’s life has caused me to reflect upon my own and has taught me more about myself. I may have never met Jessica but her confidence, selflessness and tenacity reverberate with me ever so deeply. Please know that even as the 10th anniversary of Jessica’s passing has come and gone, it’s important to recognize that she still touches our souls and can have such a positive impact. It was an honor to carry her stone and represent her on this fall day.
P.S.: Felix, the team mascot and pup joined us on the hike – I believe Jessica would have appreciated that 🙂