The two signs were unveiled in a well-attended ceremony of remembrance that began in the boardroom of Hope’s City Hall with speeches by Retired U.S. Army Colonel David Lively, Hope Mayor Don Still, Arkansas State Representative Danny Watson and former Survivor Outreach Coordinator with Camp Robinson Andrea Fisher. 

Introduced by Hope City Director J.R. Wilson, Lively said, “We all know that when we join up, it's an all volunteer army. It's been that way since 1973, so every one of us have put the uniform, and we know the risks, but we're willing to take them, and we do.” 

He described each of the two soldiers whose names are memorialized on the new highway signs. “I'm going to start off with Sergeant Rosenbaum. He was killed in action 20 years ago, September the 18th, 2004 while he was deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the Fifth battalion, Fourth Air Defense Artillery Regiment, First Cav division. He was killed by an IED. 

“Chad was 25 years old. He was survived by his son, Tyler, who was four at the time, his mother, Donna and his brother Zane. Chad graduated from Hope High School in 1997. Chad enjoyed golf and football. He enjoyed doing stuff with family and friends, and he was a very outgoing person, and he was missed, obviously by all of us, and he didn't get to enjoy the things that we do of family, friends, life after grandchildren and so forth. But again, he was willing to make that sacrifice. 

“Next, we have Staff Sergeant Carlo Montell Robinson. He was killed 15 years ago, January 17, 2009 while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Staff Sergeant Robinson was assigned to the First Maneuver Enhancement Brigade out of Fort Polk, Louisiana. He died from wounds he sustained from an IED in Afghanistan. He was 33 years old when he passed away. 

“Carlos is survived by his daughter Carnesia and son Da’Karia, his mother, Jennifer and his aunt Crystal. He graduated Hope High in 1993 … He enjoyed playing football and basketball. He was nicknamed the dentist by his fellow soldiers. I understand he kept people smiling and laughing all the time. Not only was he a soldier, he was a father, a son, a brother and a friend, and he never met a stranger,” Lively said. 

Hope Mayor Don Still spoke next, addressing Gold Star mothers Jennifer Robinson and Donna Rosenbaum who sat in the first row, “These people that serve, they leave home,  and they serve you and me, protecting our freedom. So I want to thank both of you for the ultimate price, but we need to always be appreciative of veterans all the time. I wish we'd have a whole month instead of just one day, because they're so important to us,” he said. 

Representative Danny Watson spoke of his regret at not having pushed for the memorial signs earlier, but expressed satisfaction to see them unveiled before the end of his term in the Arkansas Legislature. “To two or three of them that are in this room today, and I'm not going to make eye contact with you right now, I said, let's get this done. Let's get this done. I want it done on my watch. 

“I thank everyone involved. Let’s give this to the Robinson family and also the Rosenbaum family. May God continue to bless you, and may your heroes, your loved ones, always be remembered for their ultimate sacrifice,” he said. 

Hempstead County Judge Jerry Crane said, “The Robinson family, Rosenbaum family--your sons are our brothers. I get emotional, because a lot of families lost loved ones during these conflicts, and they're still losing loved ones. But we need to stand together and pray for these families. … We need to stand for what they stood for, our flag, our country and our God.” 

Fisher said of Robinson and Rosenbaum. “We continue to honor them each and every day.” She also addressed Mayor Still’s idea of making November veterans’ month: “To your point, when you said Veterans Day should be a month long, it's every day, especially for the families that have had those who served and were lost. Every day is Veterans Day. Every day is Memorial Day. Every day they will love and remember their loved ones. So I'm blessed to be here. I am honored to know these ladies, and have them part of my family,” Fisher said. 

The ceremony then became a reception, with breakfast items like donuts, muffins, juices and coffee served in the city hall conference room.  A table outside the board room displayed photos and other items in memory of Robinson and Rosenbaum. 

After the ceremony, Arkansas Department of Transportation District 3 Engineer William Cheatham, who was among those Rep. Watson thanked for help in making the signs a reality, described ARDOT’s role in the process. “We have to provide the permit for any signs placed. So we assisted Mrs. [Donna] Rosenbaum during the process of getting the permits routed through our department to the proper people, just approving the permit for the signs. The city and the county, they did most of the work on the front end, so we just approved it once the resolutions were passed and we were glad to see it certainly for a worthy cause.” 

A procession of cars, escorted by Hope and Hempstead County Police, Fire Department and Pafford Emergency Services vehicles first made its way to the southern side of Highway 67 or West Third coming into town where Sergeant Thomas Chad Rosenbaum’s sign was unveiled and a variety of photographs were taken with Rosenbaum’s family and with the assembled guests in front of the sign.  Donna Rosenbaum called the occasion “Amazing.” 

Then the procession drove just south of Hope to the sign honoring Staff Sergeant Carlo Montell Robinson, which is on the east side of Highway 29 approaching Hope, just across from the campus of the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana. After the unveiling, Robinson’s mother Jennifer said, “It has been a very special day, and we are grateful to Mayor Still, the city manager and all the directors, all who have voted for this to happen and to the people in the City of Hope. We are just grateful and thankful that this happened. It was a beautiful day, and God has smiled on us.” 

Above: Left Donna Rosenbaum, mother of Sergeant Thomas Chad Rosenbaum with her son and Chad's brother Zane Rosenbaum.