'We Will Fight in the Shade'

A sculpture to honor those who’ve served and to inspire hope in those who will was unveiled at the University of Tampa’s Schoomaker ROTC and Athletics Building on Friday.

The sculpture, titled SHADE, was forged by retired Command Sgt. Maj. Greg Birch, a decorated Army Special Operations Forces veteran who served for more than 30 years and led Rangers across continents and several conflicts, including in Iraq, Iran, Panama and Bosnia.

SHADE depicts a shield with 22 arrows in it, a nod to the 22 veterans, on average, who die each day by suicide.

“With all the time I’ve got in combat, I’ve lost more friends and brothers who died by their own hand than I did in combat,” said Birch, who forged the piece to raise awareness about veteran suicide prevention and moral injury through the nonprofit Mission 22.

The title originates from the book Gates of Fire, a 1998 historical fiction novel that recounts the heroics of the Spartans in the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C., part of the Greco-Persian Wars. The Spartans were outnumbered and, in a famous exchange, were warned that the Persian archers were so numerous they would “darken the sun.”

"Good. Then we will fight in the shade," an elder Spartan says in the book. The response has since become a vow of grit and courage, courageous defiance and stoic resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.

“It's an important symbol, and nowhere is more appropriate than right here at the University of Tampa in the Spartan Battalion,” said retired Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the namesake of the UTampa ROTC building, who led Special Operations Forces Command at MacDill Air Force base and served as chief of staff for the U.S. Army from 2003 to 2007.

“I couldn't be more happy that SHADE has found a permanent home in a place that is creating citizen soldiers and leaders of excellence,” he said. “I hope that we are able through the years to make sure that the message of SHADE and what it stands for are passed on.”

Tom Arthur, a local businessman, Vietnam War veteran and friend of former UTampa President Ronald Vaughn, was the benefactor for SHADE. He also helped fund the Schoomaker ROTC and Athletics building in 2013.

“It has been delightful and a great part of my life,” he said of his relationship with UTampa and the Spartan Battalion.

Schoomaker, Arthur and Birch attended the ceremony on campus Friday to share the history of the sculpture and how it became a permanent part of the University.

“When you think of warriors, everybody goes back to the Spartans,” said Birch, who became a blacksmith after his military service and then went on to serve as a civilian law enforcement officer for several years. “But I'm here to tell you, we have a lot of modern-day Spartans out there in all the military services.”

Birch offered insights on the importance of distinguishing between moral injury, a shame-based condition where one’s values are violated, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, where witnessing traumatic or violent things can cause a variety of mental health symptoms.

“A lot of things get blamed on PTSD. PTSD is fear-based. You are soldiers. You are cadets. You’re warriors. You do this job because you choose to do this job. But moral injury is guilt and shame-based. So before you start your career as officers, I would encourage you to read a book called Achilles in Vietnam and learn a little bit about moral injury and the signs of it because it looks a lot like PTSD,” Birch said. “PTSD doesn't make you take your own life, but moral injury will.”

He encouraged cadets to lead by example, even in the toughest of circumstances.

“It's the best way to lead legally, morally, ethically. But when you can do it after being awake for five days, zipping your friends into body bags, that’s where it becomes challenging,” Birch said. “That’s where it pays off.”

ROTC director and military science instructor Lt. Col. William McMurray and his predecessor, Lt. Col. Geoff Shorr, helped facilitate the installation of Shade.

“SHADE will serve as a lasting reminder of the sacrifices made by those who have served our nation and the responsibility we share to look after one another. We are proud to have it as a permanent part of our program,” McMurray said.

SHADE’s dedication was the first time members of the campus community heard from new UTampa interim President Harris Pastides, who attended the ceremony and praised the commitment of the Spartan Battalion.

“You represent the best of the University of Tampa and the best of youth in the United States. So the fact that this was my first opportunity to see the University of Tampa in action is a great and deep honor for me,” he said. “My background is Greek, and my father used to tell me we're Spartans, but I never knew what that meant until today.”

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.