Solemn salute

ROUND LAKE BEACH – With a blanket of fresh snow hushing the sounds of spring, it seemed even Mother Nature wanted a moment of silence to recognize one of America’s heroes as he was laid to rest Sunday afternoon.

Hundreds of family members, friends and community supporters came to Wauconda High School to pay their respects to the family of Sgt. Robert Weinger, 24, of Round Lake Beach. He was one of three Illinois National Guard soldiers who died March 15 after a roadside bomb attack in eastern Afghanistan.

Weinger was a high-energy guy who lived on Monster energy drinks and would keep cases of the beverage stashed with his belongings, said 1st Sgt. Andrew Fowles from Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry.

But he also was a born leader who wanted to be a police officer, Fowles said.

“He’s the guy we turned to train our younger soldiers,” Fowles said. “A lot of younger guys looked up to him.”

A ceremony was held in Weinger’s honor in the high school’s gymnasium, where hundreds stood in line to say goodbye to the 2003 Round Lake High School graduate.

Large American flags lined the hallway to the entrance of the gymnasium, held by members of the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders, Wisconsin Patriot Guard Riders, Wauconda American Legion Riders, Lake County Iron Justice and others. After the ceremony, they also led a procession to the Wauconda Cemetery, where Weinger was laid to rest.

Gov. Pat Quinn paid his respects, as did the families of two other soldiers who were killed in the same explosion – Sgt. Christopher Abeyta, 23, of Midlothian, and Spc. Norman Cain III, 22, of Mount Morris. The three soldiers had been in the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Woodstock.

“A lot of people have come [from] each community, for every service member that has fallen,” said Maj. Brad Leighton, public affairs director for the Illinois National Guard. “The community has really come out and saluted the families, and that means a lot to the soldiers.”

“We had people come down from Wisconsin, we had people come up from [the] middle of Illinois ... there’s people from near and far, and they come for one reason – to honor the soldier,” said Fred Vukadinovic, a member of the senior ride captain team of the Patriot Guard Riders.

Weinger enlisted in the Army National Guard in January, 2006. His deployment to Afghanistan was his second, after he served a year in Iraq. Fowles said Weinger had planned to serve another tour of duty when his current tour was over.

Staff Sgt. Timothy L. Bowles, 24, who was an active duty airman from Tucson, Ariz., also was killed March 15.