An American patriot and son of Boone County and the great state of West Virginia, was honored this Sunday with the naming of the Brian Scott ‘Scotty’ Ulbrich Memorial Bridge.

Specialist Brian Scott Ulbirch, known affectionately as “Scotty,” a member of the Third Armored Calvary Regiment in the United States Army, was killed in action on June 5, 2005, in the farmlands south of Baghdad, Iraq.

While he was out of his vehicle securing a portion of a roadway so other United States troops could make it through safely, four explosive devices detonated, killing Ulbrich.

“Anytime a person has laid down their life for their county, that is the type of person we should be honoring. And if there’s a bridge that needs naming, we should be looking to honor these patriots,” West Virginia House of Delegates Larry Barker said.

Ulbrich was born in Boone County and attended Lory Julian Elementary School, at Julian, where he excelled in academics, maintaining an “A” average.

During the dedication ceremony, held in his honor this past Sunday, pastors, friends, and former instructors gave testimony to Ulbrich’s strong character.

He was a cub scout who earned many medals, the most prestigious of these was his God and Me and God and Country awards.

Beginning at the age of 6, Ulbrich became an avid cyclist, riding dirt bikes and eventually graduating to street bikes. He was a first-degree black belt in tae kwon do karate and was a certified karate instructor, a member of the West Virginia karate team and was recognized as a local, state, and national champion.

Ulbrich attended both Madison Middle school and Scott High school, becoming an outdoor enthusiast. From track, to tennis and football, Ulbrich was a strong athlete. He also excelled in academia, as a member of the National Honor Society.

During his college years at Marshall Universtiy, where he majored in criminal justice, he became a member of the cheering squad his freshman year known as the ‘Marshall Maniacs’ and would participate in various pregame and halftime shows that involved dressing up as the opposing team’s mascot to get wiped out by another who dressed in the Marshall green and white.

This strong sense of pride in his community – albeit a school, a town, a state, or a nation – led Ulbrich to the military, where he enlisted in the United States Army in 2004, when he was only one semester shy of earning his undergraduate degree at Marshall University.

A bachelor of arts degree was granted to him posthumously on Veteran’s Day in 2005.

During basic training at Fort Knoex, Kentucky, Ulbrich became a calvary scout and later was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, as a member ot the first platoon of Lightning Troop, Third Squadron, Third Armored Cavalry Regiment and also decorated as an expert in marksmanship, bayonette and grenades.

His unit was shipped off to Iraq in March, 2005 and it has been documented that Ulbrich performed many acts of heroism and bravery under fire to save his fellow men and women in uniform in Iraq, which included embarking on many missions that were of a covert nature.

United States Army Brigadier General P.K. Keen, asserted that Ulbrich’s attention to detail and desire to excel were known throughout the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment and Scotty’s unwavering dedication, selfless service, professionalism and outstanding performance of duty left an indelible impression on his fellow soldiers and reflected a great credit upon him, his regiment and the United States Army.

Senator Ron Stollings read Senate Concurrent Resolution Number 32, which outlined many of Ulbrich’s achievements and merits of character, formally requesting the Division of Highways to name the bridge at Julian on U.S. Route 119, the “Brian Scott ‘Scotty’ Ulbrich Memorial Bridge.”

“It was an honor for me to introduce House Bill 32,” Stollings told the assembled crowd who gathered to honor Ulbrich’s memory and to celebrate the naming of the Julian Bridge after Ulbrich.

“Ulbrich had personal courage. It took personal courage to do what he did. It doesn’t mean they’re never afraid; it just means that they put their fear aside to do what is needed,” West Virginia State Treasurer John Perdue said during the ceremony.

“This is one of the greatest honors that West Virginia could have bestowed on my son. He wasn’t just my son, but a son of West Virginia and a son of the U.S. and he served his country honorably,” Ulbirch’s mother, Barbara Ulbrich, told the Coal Valley News.

“Scotty was a young man that embodied a good West Virginian,” former martial arts and USA Black Belt Association instructor Roger Jarrett, said. “Barbara, as a strong mom and strong single mom, raised him very well.”

“I am so proud of the service Scotty did for our country. We may have sad thoughts, we may have happy thoughts, but we’ll always have thoughts of Scotty and someday we’ll see him again,” he said.

Jarrett reminded the crowd of the many honors bestowed on Ulbrich, including the Bronze Star, the Good Conduct Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. Ulbrich was also awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.

“He was a young man who gave his life so you and I can keep our freedoms – like the freedom to assemble here today. He was proud of Boone County, West Virginia, and when asked where he was from he’d reply, ‘the greatest state in America; West-by-God-Virginia,’” Jarrell recalled. “It seems fitting that we honor the sacrifice of this true patriot with the dedication of this bridge.”

The ceremony honoring Ulbrich’s memory was ended in prayer and the guests walked from the Julian Juvenile Center onto U.S. 119, where state and local police held traffic long enough for the family and friends of Ulbrich to witness the placing of the “Brian Scott ‘Scotty’ Ulbrich Bridge” signs being anchored into place.

This was followed by a gun salute by Boone County VFW Post 5578.

“Every time I cross that bridge now, I’m going to think of Scotty. Let’s all remember that exceptional man when we cross that bridge,” Perdue said.