Photos provided Christian Ward was a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Crew Chief for a specialized MEDEVAC unit.

The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act signed into federal law last week includes a section that bears the name of a young soldier who was raised in Lowell, and whose parents have worked to make some good things happen for others in the military since the death of their son in June 2019.

Gary and Karla Ward, of Lowell, received word Dec. 23 that the Army Spc. Christian Ward Act — initially introduced by U.S. Reps Bill Johnson and Mike Turner, both R-Ohio — passed as part of the NDA Act Dec. 15 and was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 23.

The Wards’ son was raised for the most part in Lowell and attended Fort Frye High School. When his family moved to North Carolina, he finished school at West Iredell High School in Statesville and joined JROTC there.

Upon graduation, he entered the Army.

After the requisite training he became Crew Chief on a UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter.

Karla and Gary Ward with Chris.

“He was part of a Dustoff team,” his father said. “It’s a MEDEVAC unit that goes into areas and picks up wounded soldiers. It’s a very specialized group, there aren’t that many of them.”

Christian Duaine Ward was 23 when he died in an accident while stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. In the time that followed, the family had to deal with an even further sense of loss: they couldn’t get Chris’ personal possessions back. They were supposed to be forwarded to them by a military contractor hired for that task, but items apparently were lost or stolen.

“When we contacted the Department of Defense about it, we were told we could hire an attorney and sue the contractor to see if we could recover any of his things,” Gary Ward said. “It shouldn’t be like that.”

The Wards did eventually receive their son’s flight helmet, sent as a personal gesture from the members of his squad after they all had signed it and decorated it.

“We know nothing else of his will be recovered now, but we wanted to make sure other families don’t have to go through that,” his father said.

They contacted Johnson who was extremely interested and helpful from the start, Ward said.

The act basically requires that whenever any military branch hires a third-party contractor to transport the personal effects of a deceased service member, the Department of Defense — not the family — is then responsible for working with the contractor, filing claims, and following any other needed procedures to recover missing items. If the personal items have been lost or stolen and the contractor can’t deliver them, the DoD is to reimburse the family for the missing items.

Gary and Karla Ward moved back to Lowell about five years ago. Gary wants area families of deceased soldiers to be aware of the help they now have in recovering their loved one’s personal effects. Johnson and Turner have worked on the legislative effort for months, he said.

“It feels good to know it’s happened now. This has been a determination of our family to see this passed into federal law and we are grateful for all who helped us.”

The Wards also have established a nonprofit program administered through the Marietta Community Foundation in memory of Chris.

The Christian Ward Scholarship Foundation supplies $500 scholarships to high school grads in Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina who are entering the military. The recruits can use the money in any way they find necessary to help with their transition into military service.

Information about Army Specialist Christian Ward’s military life and legacy can be found on the Tango 740 Facebook page, established in his memory by his parents.

Nancy Taylor can be reached at ntaylor@newsandsentinel.com