Tilton PD front & center for support of soldier

TILTON — Two heroes — Police Chief Bob Cormier and Corporal Norman "Sunny" Ashburn — were honored at Town Hall yesterday by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense that ensures employment for members of the National Guard and armed forces reserve following their deployment.

Ashburn, who began his career in law enforcement in his hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia after serving four years in the Marine Corps, joined the Tilton Police Department in 2004. Together with Scott Dimond, with whom he served in the Franklin Police Department, he joined the Army National Guard in 2006 and a year later was deployed to Baghdad where he trained Iraqi police officers. His tour was marred by the death of Dimond, who was killed by an improvised explosive device in southern Afghanistan in October, 2008, and the loss of several other close companions.

Ashburn, who himself suffered an injury requiring surgery, returned to Tilton in 2008, by which time Cormier had succeeded Kent Chapman as chief of police. "He brought me in, sat me down, gave me a cup of coffee and arranged for me to return to work as soon I recovered from the surgery," Ashburn said.

In 2010, Ashburn was deployed on the first of two tours in Afghanistan. He returned after 18 months with , infantry unit — C Company, 3rd Battalion of the 172nd Mountain Infantry Regiment. "When I got back," he said, "the chief put me right back to work."

In 2013, Ashburn left for his third tour, again in Afghanistan, from which he returned in February. "I had plenty of leave from the guard," he said, "and the chief told me to take my, but I couldn't just sit around the house."

General Steve Curry, New Hampshire Committee of the ESGR, presented Cormier with the Patriot's Award in recognition of his support for Ashburn's repeated military service. Noting that his last posting was as commander of the Military Police, Curry also presented Cormier with a Commander's Challenge Coin, reminding him of the tradition that if the two met in a bar, the one without his coin would stand for the drinks.

Senator Jeanie Forrester (R-Meredith) presented Cormier with the New Hampshire state flag that flew over the Statehouse yesterday in his honor.

Above all, Cormier recognized Ashburn by reading a letter he wrote to him extolling his three deployments in seven years as "professional and personal sacrifices" that typify the adage that "true leaders make sacrifices for the benefit of all."

(1) CAPTION: General Steve Curry Ret. (left) and Vic Rogers (third from left) of the New Hampshire Committee of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) honored Tilton Police Chief Bob Cormier (third from right) for his support of fellow officer Norman "Sunny" Ashburn, whose service with the department was complemented by three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2007 and 2014. Executive Councilor Joe Kenney (second from left), Senator Jeanie Forrester of Meredith, and Representatives Ian Raymond (second from right) and Dennis Fields (right) were on hand for the presentation at Tilton Town Hall. (Laconioa Daily Sun photo/Michael Kitch)

(2) General Steve Curry Ret., of the New Hampshire Committee of Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve presents Tilton Police Bob Cormier (middle) with the organization's Patriot Award for his support of Corporal Norman "Sunny" Ashburn (right), who was deployed once to Iraq and twice to Iraq since joining the Police Department in 2004. (Laconia Daily Sun photo/Michael Kitch).