I'm only lukewarm about the idea of naming a Post Office but I am under the impression that the Miramonte PO is to be closed, so I recommend the main Post Office.

Of course, the US Postal Service may eventually decide that Mountain View doesn't need any Post Offices, that maybe a regional center is good enough, but that's another story for another decade.

I also am not sure about renaming post offices. If there would be one p.o. in Mtn. View, maybe, if Mtn. View is in the name. If we retain 2 [hope we do] then it would have to be "the ???? post office as opposed to the ??? post office].

Cumbersome? How obvious is O.co stadium or Infinion Raceway. These are private businesses; it's their problem if people don't identify them. Post offices are supposed to serve the entire population [note serve]. Don't complexicate things by disguising names!

It would a great way to honor this soldier. He gave his life for the country and things such as post offices. I'm not sure what the posters above have sacrificed for their country, but apparently Lt Ballard's sacrifice is lost on them.

I certainly love the idea of honoring this Mtn View soldier in our town. I am not sure if the Post Office is the best thing. Unfortunately, our soldiers are still in harm's way. So, God forbid, what if there is another one?

But, I would certainly support the Post Office idea.

Rather than recognize only one person it is more befitting to honor all those from Mountain View.

Ms. Meredith is pushing too much on renaming the post office only in her son's name-that's not morally right.

I fully support honoring Lt. Ballard in some way.

That said, the reason our city is named "Mountain View" is because our first postmaster chose that name for the then-unnamed town's post office c. 1850. In other words, the post office's name predates the city's name, and we wouldn't be called Mountain View if it weren't for the "Mountain View Post Office." Breaking that historic link should not be done lightly.

To give an idea of how we've honored fallen heroes from previous wars:

-The eighteen Mountain View High School graduates who died in World War II are honored by name with a plaque at the base of a flag pole at Eagle Park (the former Mountain View High Campus).

-A larger plaque names all known Mountain View citizens who died in battle from World War I (only 1) to Vietnam (23). It's in the Civic Center Plaza near Pioneer Park, dedicated in 1993.

Does any body know how many soldiers from Mountain View have died in Afghanistan or Iraq? As far as I recall only one, Lt Ballard. Is there anyone ready to step up and take his place?

And for the poster Proud Sierra Club Member:

How insensitive can you possible be? Ms. Meredith lost her only child, and Lt Ballard was, if I recall, Mountain View's only Soldier to die.

I am against this idea. Commemorate our soldiers with a plaque, with the size of the war and the number of casualties we can't go naming major buildings after each casualty. As a previous poster said, it isn't right to name a post office after one soldier. If more die, their families are going to follow precedent and request that another major building, firestation perhaps, is named after their kid. Its not appropriate. People die all the time, others sacrifice their lives, fire officers, police men and few things are named for them or after them

I TOTALLY agree with Kitty Fandango. Go ahead and put a plaque at the post office, but don't rename the building!!!

I have heard far too much spotlighting by Ms. Karen Meredith upon herself. If her son had not died while serving our country. Who would she be today?
What has she done for her community or her fellow citizens?
From day one she has claimed that the truth of her son’s death was covered-up by the U.S. Army. When the first hand report was received by the three crew members within his own tank, which they felt were the facts. The report was passed on (A.S.A.P.) through the chain of command from the battle field in Iraq, to Washington, to California in an effort to notify his next of kin in less than 24 hours. When the report was corrected 1 year later. That her son was actually killed by the discharge of a machine mounted on top of his own tank. Lt Ballard was looking to his right and to the rear, directing his driver to back-up while he was standing up in his turret. As the tank was backing, the unmanned machine gun to his left became entangled in a tree. Turning itself toward Ken’s blindside and discharging fatally injuring him.
The information only came to light when the commander of the only other tank on the battlefield heard of the error in report some time later. You claimed the military tried to cover-up the facts. You tried to place yourself within the same spotlight as The Pat Tillman Story. (drawing more attention towards yourself).
We have all seen so many article’s about the tragic loss of this fine young soldier. Only to see You ! In photo after photo with dignitaries of state, not to mention the president of the United States and anyone else of fame you could surround yourself with. (drawing more attention towards yourself).
If all these stories were about 1st Lt. Ballard. Then one would think all the photo's should be of him and his fellow soldiers. Not preceded by Ms. Meredith.
Ms. Meredith, you need to get a life and redirect your efforts towards a more worthy cause. I do not believe your son would be proud of your actions of drawing all this attention towards yourself.
Make him proud by redirecting your efforts toward something he would do, if he were still here.

How do I know this, you might ask ?
I also lost my son in combat many years ago.
I carry on his proud and courageous efforts in a way that would make him proud. I volunteer my time in support of the families of our fallen and with many veteran’s groups in my area. Step out of the spotlight that has been cast for your son 1st Lt. Ken Ballard and his fellow veterans.
Approx. 1,309,000 soldiers that have fallen for our freedoms in the last 226 years. How many of them have a bench, or tree, or post office bearing their names. You have made your mark. Let it go.
Let his life tell his story, not yours.

What people here don't realize is that there are other buildings in Mountain View named after individual fallen soldiers. I challenge you all to find out which ones they are. It is hardly a rare thing.

What if the government does close that post office? Why not rename a park, library or school instead? Yes those too could close under a continued strained economy but that post office seems like the one closest to that fate just now. What about a street or sports field? By the way, every European village I have ever visited had prominent statues and other memorials to their fallen soldiers in WWI, WWII and other wars. I say the more plaques, benches, post offices the better so as to remind us at each turn of our daily lives the ultimate sacrifice these people made for all of us.

What's the connection between this soldier and these post office buildings? Did he work at one of them at one time or something?
The only two people remotely benefiting from this are Ballard's mother and Congresswoman Eshoo. I'm sure both are nice people. However, the community does not need to put a random name a building. If we want to honor those who are killed while serving America, let's create a common memorial for them all.