Private remembrance ceremony to be held today for colonels killed in Afghanistan

FORT DRUM — Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion of the 10th Mountain Division will hold a private remembrance ceremony at 10 a.m. today at Sexton Field, behind division headquarters, for the two lieutenant colonels killed last month in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Paul R. Bartz, 43, Wisconsin, and Lt. Col. Thomas P. Belkofer, 44, Ohio, were killed May 18 when an improvised explosive device exploded.

The two were part of a team that was conducting key leader training and setting conditions for division headquarters deployments to Afghanistan.

A public ceremony honoring them is set June 30 on post.