Soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division are heading back into harm's way as the fight in Afghanistan continues.

Earlier this week, the 548th Combat Service Support Battalion cased its colors - symbolically marking the beginning of a year long deployment.

Part of the soldiers' mission will be transporting supplies and services to the front lines.

It's a dangerous job and the stakes are high.

That's something 16 year old Shannon Bartlett of Alexandria Bay knows all too well.

Her cousin, Private First Class Jack Sweet, was killed in Iraq in 2008.

"After he died...our family got closer and it shows how close the community is too because the community helped out a lot," said Bartlett.

In September 2008, the Alexandria Bay community honored Sweet's sacrifice with a public monument.

That's inspired Bartlett to try to put up another monument in the community dedicated to all the men and women from across the military who gave their lives for their country.

"There really hasn't been a statue for that, for them to be able to honor," said Bartlett.

She hopes to have it in place outside the Alexandria Bay American Legion by September 2014 and earn her Girl Scout Gold Award at the same time.

"We certainly appreciate her efforts to it and we totally 100 percent support her," said Paul Beers, 1st vice commander for American Legion Post 904.

She needs a lot more support to make her project a reality.

So far, she has raised about $700, in part through bake sales at the legion.

But the monument costs almost $5,000 and she's asking for the community's help.

If you would like to make a donation, you can send a check to Fallen Soldier Monument, Gouverneur Savings & Loan, P.O. Box 250, Alexandria Bay, NY, 13607.

You can also come out to a bake sale.

The next one will be March 30 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at American Legion Post 904 at 9 Rock Street in Alexandria Bay.

For more information, call 628-5852.