I used to do this on a far more regular basis, and then I got out of the habit. I've never stopped following, honoring, archiving the dead from our military on a personal, devotional level. I just stopped sharing them here. So with five days to go before Memorial Day, let me honor 5 members of our military who have died in the war on Terrorism in the 5 months of 2012.
American Hero #1 - JANUARY
Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Chad R. Regelin, 24, of Cottonwood, Calif.; assigned to Marine Special Operations Company Bravo and was stationed at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, San Diego; died Jan. 2 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.
Chad was the first soldier to die in 2012. Twenty-six soldier died in January. By my count of the thousands of soldiers who have died in this war, 676 + of them called towns and cities in California their homes. Nearly 200 haled from Los Angeles County alone, a total that is greater than over one half of the totals for the 50 states. No region of the nation has felt the sacrifice like the five counties (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino) of southern California in terms of lives lost.
American Hero #2 - FEBRUARY
Army Maj. Robert J. Marchanti II, 48, of Baltimore, Md., assigned to 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Division Security Partnering Team, Maryland Army National Guard, Baltimore, Md.; died Feb. 25 from gunshot wounds received during an attack at the Interior Ministry in Kabul, Afghanistan. Also killed in the attack was Air Force Lt. Col. John D. Loftis.
Robert died in a highly publicized attack in a highly secure location. He was also one of the highest ranking military officials to be killed in a month that saw 18 U.S. fatalities. The average age of those fatalities what the highest in any month since the war first began with 33% being 40 years of age or older.
American Hero #3 - MARCH
Army Staff Sgt. Jamie D. Jarboe, 27, of Frankfort, Ind.; assigned to 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died March 21 in Topeka, Kan., from wounds suffered on April 10, 2011, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire.
At this point in the year, per capita population, no state has seen more casualties than Indiana. In previous years other states have stood out like Idaho, Ohio, and Arkansas. The history of deployments of regional forces impact the sacrifice in geographic terms.
Jamie's story is particularly tragic in that his injury was incurred over a year ago. The 27-year-old underwent more than 100 surgeries in 12 months before dying on March 21 in Topeka, Kan.
American Hero #4 - APRIL
Army Spc. Jeffrey L. White Jr., 21, of Catawissa, Mo., assigned to 1st Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; died April 3, in Terezay, Khost province, Afghanistan, of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device.
April saw the deaths of 35 U. S. military personnel. The last solder to die in April was Jeffrey. of the 136 soldiers to died from Missouri, he was the first from Catawissa. At the age of 21, he fit into the bottom of the largest single five year range of soldier killed in the war (21-25).
Army Spc. Junot M. L. Cochilus, 34, of Charlotte, N.C.; assigned to 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 2 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries caused by an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Army 2nd Lt. David E. Rylander.
May is on a par with April for an increased casualty count. Thus far over 125 U. S. Soldiers have died as a result of their participation the War on Terrorism in 2012.
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