Our Latest American Hero #156

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.

Our Latest American Hero #155

Army Spc. Omar Soltero, 28, of San Antonio, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.; died Jan. 31 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

Soldier Leaves Behind Child

Soltero Joined the active duty U.S. Army in August 2000. He joined the New York National Guard in August 2003 and then the Texas National Guard in December 2004 where he remained until February of 2010 when rejoined active duty service. His previous duty assignments include Fort Drum, N.Y., Camp Bullis, Texas, Camp Mabry, Texas, and Fort Benning, Ga. He arrived at Fort Polk in April 2010. Soltero had previously deployed twice to Kosovo.
Soltero's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the NATO Medal, the Ranger Tab, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.
Soltero is survived by his child, mother and father.

Our Latest American Hero #154

Marine Lance Cpl. Maung P. Htaik, 20, of Hagerstown, Md.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 1 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Lance Cpl. Htaik is the first casualty in the U.S. Military in 2011. And so this intractable war continues into yet another year. There are promises and timetables for ending our presence; 2011 for Iraq, 2014 for Afghanistan, but what does any of that mean to the dead? We avoid the truly difficult things, negligent of the price, for the easy ones. It is not difficult to isolate a nation or region compared to occupying one. The real problem is neither Afghanistan nor Iraq, BUT Pakistan. And until we neutralize their nuclear arsenal, all of this "War on Terrorism" theatre is about what the hell to do with them? They are our Frankenstein in so many ways, and every day that they do not go off the reservation is a gift to the entire world.

But I digress. Let us remember the first soldier to die in each of the years of our War on Terrorism.

2001

Air Force Master Sgt. Evander E. Andrews, 36, of Solon, Maine; assigned to the 366th Civil Engineering Squad, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; killed Oct. 10, 2001, in a heavy equipment accident in Qatar.







2002

Army Sgt. 1st Class Nathan R. Chapman, 31, of San Antonio, Texas; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.; killed in action while fighting against Taliban and al Qaida forces, on Jan. 4, 2002 in Khost, Afghanistan.






2003

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Thomas J. Gibbons, 31, of Prince Frederick, Md.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Fort Campbell, Ky.; killed in a MH-60 Black Hawk crash during training on Jan. 30, 2003, in Afghanistan.





2004

Army Sgt. Dennis A. Corral, 33, of Kearney, Neb.; assigned to the 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; killed while riding in a convoy going to Baghdad International Airport Jan. 1, when his vehicle went out of control and rolled over in Baghdad.





2005

Marine Lance Cpl. Brian P. Parrello, 19, of West Milford, N.J.; assigned to Small Craft Company, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; killed Jan. 1 by enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq.






2006

Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason L. Bishop, 31, of Williamstown, Ky.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.; killed Jan. 1 when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during patrol operations in As Siniyah, Iraq.




2007

Army Sgt. Thomas E. Vandling Jr., 26, of Pittsburgh; assigned to the 303rd Psychological Operations Company, Oakdale, Pa., a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Jan. 1 of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on combat patrol in Baghdad.


2008

Army Sgt. Shawn F. Hill, 37, of Wellford, S.C.; assigned to the 178th Engineer Battalion, 218th Infantry Brigade, South Carolina Army National Guard, Rock Hill, S.C.; died Jan. 2 in Khowst province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.




2009

Marine Lance Cpl. Alberto Francesconi, 21, of Bronx, N.Y.; was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 1 while supporting combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan.





2010

Army Spc. Brushaun X. Anderson, 20, of Columbus, Ga.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Jan. 1 in Baghdad of wounds sustained from a non-combat-related incident.

Our Latest American Hero #152

Army Sgt. James A. Ayube II, 25, of Salem, Mass.; was assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; died Dec. 8 in Balkh province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Army Medic Killed by Suicide Bomber

SALEM, Mass. — An Army medic and former Boy Scout killed in Afghanistan is being remembered for his friendly demeanor and for being a champion of the underdog. Stg. James Ayube graduated from Salem High School in 2003.

Family members told The Salem News on Dec. 9 that Ayube died at the hands of a suicide bomber Dec. 8 while on a combat mission.

Mourners filled St. James Church for the Dec. 18 funeral.

Ayube posthumously received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, NATO Medal and Combat Medical Badge.

He leaves his parents, James and Christina Ayube; a brother and a sister; and his wife, Lauren.

To Honor The Fallen

For some years now, I've included images of two of our soldiers who've given their lives while serving during our War on Terrorism on the envelopes I use to pay my bills and other correspondence. Under the photo I include the branch, rank, name, age, hometown & state, and date of death. Under the address I have the words: "Their duty was to protect our freedoms, Our duty is to never forget their sacrifice" which pretty much sums up why I do this. The soldiers are chosen at random. To date I've shared the images of about 500 of the nearly 5,900 soldiers who've paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Today, I arrived home to find an envelope from the Strong's of Vermont. Inside was a photocopy of this envelope given to them by the postmaster, Sonya, at the USPO in Irasburg where my bill had been misdirected. They in turn sent me information on their son, on their journey toward meaning after his death, and a truly magnanimous note expressing their appreciation for my little tribute. Never in all of the years that I have been doing this did I ever imagine the family or loved ones of a fallen soldier would encounter their child's/sibling's/spouse's/parent's image on one. And if they did, I wondered would they understand the profoundly respectful attitude that I feel toward this little act of tribute? Now, I have one answer to that question.

I wrote the Strong's back and told them that I would never understand their pain, but through the things that they sent me I could clearly see their love and pride in their son. It doesn't matter what we think of the war when it comes to honoring those who died in pursuit of freedom. I hope we American friends and neighbors can always agree on that point.

Our Latest American Heros #144 - 151

I used to post these randomly selected tributes to our soldiers who have died in the War on Terrorism, but since July have slackened off. I wish I could say that it was because the war is winding down, but the 508 casualties to date for 2010, have already surpassed the 2009 total of 480, and the 2008 total of 489. As November is tracking toward the deadliest month of the year, I offer these in place of the many. Eight soldiers to represent the 197 who have died in the past 4 months.

Army Sgt. Martin A. Lugo, 24, of Tucson, Ariz.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.; died Aug. 19 in Puli Alam, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire.

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart. Martin was a man who had deep faith in God. It is his faith that led him to serve our nation. He loved his family, friends and his Ranger brothers. He was generous, funny, loving, adventurous, intelligent and passionate. He was a strong courageous leader. He embraced life and lived it to the fullest!

Army Sgt. Steven J. Deluzio, 25, of South Glastonbury, Conn.; assigned to 172nd Infantry Regiment, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Jericho, Vt.; died Aug. 22 in Paktya province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire.

Deluzio leaves behind his parents, a fiancée and his brother, staff Sgt. Scott Deluzio, also a member of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as a member of Connecticut National Guard, who was returning home from Afghanistan, Dubie said.

“He’s a hero, and he’s the greatest son,” said his father, Mark DeLuzio, his voice choking with emotion. “Two sons I have — the greatest you could ever ask for.”

Army Pfc. William B. Dawson, 20, of Tunica, Miss.; assigned to 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died Sept. 24 while traveling between Ghanzi and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, when his military vehicle was attacked with an improvised explosive device.

“He never talked back to his mother or father. He was always respectful,” Joseph Dawson said of his older brother. “He was a perfect man.”

Air Force Senior Airman Daniel R. Sanchez, 23, of El Paso, Texas; assigned to 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; died Sept. 16 while conducting combat operations in Oruzgan province, Afghanistan.

Friends say Daniel Sanchez was a green-eyed, walking ball of energy who had a knack for persuasion, a passion for skateboarding and playing sports, and a creative streak that showed in his music and sketches.

His mother urged mourners at his memorial to live as Sanchez had, according to the El Paso Times in Texas.

"It's not easy because he took it one day at a time," Yvette Sierra Duchene said. "Get up, go to work, put a smile on your face and enjoy every second of your life."

Army Pfc. Dylan T. Reid, 24, of Springfield, Mo.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Oct. 16 in Amarah, Iraq in a non-combat related incident.

Reid was a new and proud father, family and friends said.

“He couldn’t wait to be a dad,” said Dylan’s sister Erika Reid of Lamar. “It’s all he ever talked about.”

Mason Dosey of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., graduated with Dylan Reid from Desert Technology High School in 2005.

“He was a really good guy to talk to,” Dosey said, “He never judged anybody.”

“He pretty much just talked about how beautiful his daughter was,” Dosey said.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Lance H. Vogeler, 29, of Frederick, Md.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.; died Oct.1 at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained in Helmand, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with indirect fire.

Vogeler was on his 12th deployment after seven previous deployments to Afghanistan and four deployments to Iraq.

He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.

He is survived by his wife, Melissa, and two children.

Army Spc. Shane H. Ahmed, 31, of Chesterfield, Mich.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Nov. 14 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.

[Ahmed’s] death occurred during a four-day push called Operation Bulldog Bite to search out militants and weapons caches near the Pech river.

“Operation Bulldog Bite has degraded the insurgents’ ability to terrorize the people of the Pech valley,” Maj. Mary Constantino said.

Army Pfc. Kyle M. Holder, 18, of Conroe, Texas; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment (Reconnaissance and Surveillance), 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Nov. 17 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat incident.

Our Latest American Hero #143

Army Pfc. David A. Jefferson, 23, of Philadelphia, PA; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died July 2 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.


Army Pfc. David A. Jefferson Returns Home

The body of Army Pfc. David A. Jefferson arrived Sunday evening at Dover Air Force Base, where his father was waiting with another family of a fallen soldier. "It's a very beautiful ceremony," said James M. Lyles, Jefferson's father. "I really believe everyone should see it. Things don't actually hit you until you actually see it."

Jefferson, 23, a combat medic from Philadelphia, was killed in Kandahar when his unit was attacked by insurgents using an IED, the Defense Department said.

On Tuesday evening, Jefferson's 2-year-old son, Ian, played on his great-grandmother's porch on Sparks Street in the city's Ogontz section while family members recalled David. Ian had not been told of his father's death.

The family has a deep background in the military. Lyles, 70, who drove to Dover from his home in Columbia, S.C., and then on to Philadelphia, spent 30 years in the Army. Jefferson's brother, William, 28, served in the Air Force. Their mother, Annette Jefferson, was also in the Army. She was 53 when she died in February of lung cancer.

Jefferson, born in Philadelphia, followed his father around the country from base to base, from Durham, N.C., to California, his father said. He came back to Philadelphia as a teen and attended Lankenau High School. He did not graduate, but later got his G.E.D. He saw his career opportunities were limited and thought the Army would give him a foundation for something better, his father said.

"It more or less made him into a man," he said.

With his experience as a combat medic, he was considering medical school after his service, said his maternal grandmother, Mildred Jefferson, 81.

He was deployed to Afghanistan in May.

Our Latest American Hero #142

In the first 12 days of the month of June, 29 American service members have died in the pursuit of the War on Terrorism.

Marine Sgt. Derek L. Shanfield, 22, of Hastings, Pa.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died June 8 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. Also killed was Sgt. Zachary J. Walters.


"SGT. DEREK L. SHANFIELD'S HEART WAS SET ON SERVICE”

Remembered as a loving son and driven honors student who could have accomplished whatever he put his mind to in life, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2005 and quickly rose through the ranks.

And on Tuesday, the 22-year-old Hastings man died a proud Marine, fighting in Afghanistan for the country he loved, his family said.

"He always knew what he wanted," his mother, Pam, said Thursday, holding back tears on the front porch of her Hastings home - and with her sons and husband close beside.

The youngest of five children - three of them Marines - it was often Derek who helped the family get through tough times, she added.

"When his brother [Sydney] left for Iraq, he was there to make me smile," she said, recalling her son playfully mimicking his older brother's habits in the house. "I remember him telling me, 'It's so you don't miss him, Mom.'"

Promoted to sergeant two months ago, Derek Shanfield was deployed to Afghanistan in late May. He was attached to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

A squad leader, he was part of a small advance party that was laying the groundwork for his infantry unit to take over for a group that was finishing its Afghan tour, said his twin brother, Cpl. Devin Shanfield.

"Their job was to go over, meet the group they were replacing, get a grasp for the area and meet people ahead of time," he said.

Tuesday was Shanfield's first day on patrol in the country's war-torn Helmand province, his father, David, said.
The family knows little more and has not yet read the preliminary report on the incident, he said.

Marine officials said Shanfield died as the result of a hostile incident while supporting combat operations in the province.
Shanfield was serving in one of the most violent sections of a country that has seen an increasing amount of violence in recent weeks with roadside bomb attacks a common threat.

It's an environment his oldest brother, Sydney, was familiar with. The Marine sergeant joined the Corps nearly a decade ago and served three tours in Iraq.

Twins Derek and Devin knew they wanted to follow in his footsteps by the time high school arrived - even as track and other sports kept them busy, Devin said.

Despite a more than 6-inch height difference - Derek was nearly 6 feet 5 inches tall and stood over his twin - the pair were much alike, he said.

During boot camp, drill sergeants jokingly dubbed them "Little" and "Big" Shanfield because their similar names and sprint times were always only a second or two apart.

"We liked to joke around. We made a game out of everything," Devin said, showing a rare smile behind dark sunglasses. "And when high school came, we enlisted in the buddy program together in 2005. We went through boot camp together, training secondary school - everything."

Left to Right: Derek, Sydney and Devin Shanfield all Marine Corps members.

"Derek was a top-flight kid," said Cambria Heights High School Principal Tim Laurito, recalling him as "a leader" among students. Laurito, who has been principal at the high school for 16 years, recalled Shanfield as a student who was both a good athlete and an excellent scholar. 

“Derek was 15 out of 126 in his class,” Laurito said. “He was a very strong student and was in the National Honor Society. He took the college credit classes and had the grades and aptitude to do whatever he wanted."

The principal said the Shanfield twins were active in track, cross country, swimming and soccer. 

“You name it, they did it. They were leaders.” 



Laurito said many of the school’s alumni are serving in the armed forces.

 “We found out last night before graduation [that Derek had been killed], and our superintendent offered a moment of silence for all our kids in the military.

 We’re very proud that they are serving their country.” 

But the school leader could not get over the loss of one so young and so talented.

"He felt very strongly about what he was doing - very strongly about the cause - and paid the ultimate price for his country," he said.

The family was able to gather one last time in Hastings last month before Derek was quickly deployed to Afghanistan. His unit was shipped off ahead of schedule, canceling a planned weekend in California together, his brothers said.

"That was the last we saw him," his father added, moments before they were briefly interrupted by a friend who came to drop off flowers and condolences.

Neighborhood support has been comforting, the family said. There's also the understanding Derek died serving his country - a point of pride. Still, it doesn't make it easier, his mother said.

"This is something you never prepare for, you don't even think about it," she said. "You just wait for them to come home. I always just figured.”

Our Latest American Hero #141

Marine Cpl. Nicolas D. Parada Rodriguez, 29, of Stafford, Va.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 16 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

"HE LOVED AMERICA FROM THE VERY BEGINNING"

A U.S. Marine who graduated from Lee High School was killed in Afghanistan on May 12.

Cpl. Nicolas Parada-Rodriguez, will be buried Thursday at Arlington National Cemetery. He is survived by a brother, two sisters, his mother and an estranged wife. He was 29.

Parada-Rodriguez was killed May 12 in the Helmand province of Afghanistan while providing support for combat operations there, according to a Defense Department statement.

Parada-Rodriguez was born in El Salvador in 1981 but moved to Springfield with his family in 1986 at age 5.

"He loved America from the very beginning," said his older brother, Lisandro Parada-Rodriguez, 32, of Stafford. "Even as a kid, he would play soldier and dream of actually becoming one."

After Nicolas Parada-Rodriguez graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1999, he joined the Navy and was later deployed to Afghanistan.

He left the military after four years and returned to Northern Virginia, where he briefly worked a night security job in Springfield.

"It didn't last very long, maybe four months or so," his brother said. "He really missed his buddies in Afghanistan and felt like he needed to serve his country some more."

Parada-Rodriguez soon joined back up, this time as a Marine, and went back to Afghanistan.

"When he left before Christmas last year, it was his second tour there," his brother said.

"Our mother was devastated because he was the youngest in the family," said Lisandro Parada-Rodriguez, who lives with their mother, Luisa Parada-Rodriguez. "We saw two officers approach the house and we knew. Nicolas always said 'If you don't hear from me for a while I'm probably OK, but if you see two officers come to the house, it means I am gone.' I love my brother. He was a great guy and a great warrior who looked out for everybody."

"He was a goofy guy, in a good way," said Lisandro Parada-Rodriguez's girlfriend, Olga Lara. "He would always crack me up and make me laugh."

"He was the baby," a tearful Luisa Parada-Rodriguez said. "He said he just liked defending his country. He wanted to do something that people would remember him for."

His family described him as bighearted, family-oriented and always striving to be a leader.

On Thursday, May 27, Luisa Parada-Rodriguez placed a heavy hand on the American flag presented to her by Sgt. Maj. Eric J. Stockton on Thursday. When her son Lisandro accepted another flag from Stockton, she grabbed his hand and held on.
Her younger son and Lisandro's brother, Marine Cpl. Nicolas D. Parada-Rodriguez, 29, was being buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

About 150 friends and family members took part in the last burial in Section 60 on Thursday before soldiers began placing flags on every grave in honor of Memorial Day.

He was a team leader assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

"He said he just liked defending his country," she said in the earlier interview. "He wanted to do something that people would remember him for."

His family described him as bighearted, family-oriented and always striving to be a leader.

Guy Krikorian and his wife, both of Southern California, flew across the country to attend Parada-Rodriguez's service and to show their appreciation to his family. The parents of one of his friends, they wanted to let the corporal's family know "how much he meant to us and how sorry we are and we appreciate what he was doing for us," Krikorian said.

Lance Cpl. Andrew Krikorian, Krikorian's son, was transferred to Camp Lejeune, where Parada-Rodriguez helped him with the transition into a new base. In Afghanistan, Parada-Rodriguez served as the younger Krikorian's team leader.

"We looked at it from the standpoint of his family and what he meant to Andy," Krikorian said. "It would mean the world if somebody would be able to express something about our son" in a similar situation, he said.

The Krikorian family was able to meet Parada-Rodriguez one night last summer when he visited their home, and they found him to be a "very nice man" who could enjoy a good laugh, Krikorian said.

Our Latest American Hero #140

Army Sgt. Anthony O. Magee, 29, of Hattiesburg, Miss.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.; died April at Landstul Regional Medical Center, Germany of wounds sustained April 24 at Contingency Operating Base Kalsu, Iskandariyah, Iraq, when enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire.


"He Gave His Life For Our Freedom"

HATTIESBURG — Sgt. Anthony O. Magee, 29, of Hattiesburg, returned home for the final time when a Kalitta Charters jet carrying his flag-draped coffin touched down at the Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport at 7:22 a.m. Friday.

Magee died April 27 from wounds suffered three days earlier when his unit came under indirect fire at Contingency Operating Base Kasul in Iskandariyah, Iraq. He was a member of the United States Army's 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Ga.

Magee is the second soldier from the Hattiesburg area killed in a 20-day span during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. William Anthony Blount, 21, of Petal was killed April 7 by a roadside explosive device in Mosul, Iraq.

"This is something we should do," said Maxine Coleman, neighborhood coordinator for the city, who stood at Pine Street and Second Avenue to pay her respects as the funeral procession passed. "He gave his life for our freedom.

"I can't imagine what his family is going through. It could have been my son. I have kids that age."

About 25 members of Magee's family were at the edge of the airport tarmac Friday, one grasping a small American flag that rippled in the breeze.

The Mississippi Honor Guard Team from Jackson met Magee's casket at the airport.

An escort of law enforcement from Hattiesburg Police Department, Forrest County Sheriff's Office, Petal Police Department, University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, followed by a formation of Patriot Guard Riders, led the procession down I-59.

From there, the line traveled along the Evelyn Gandy Parkway and Glendale Avenue, before winding past Hattiesburg High School and other central Hattiesburg neighborhoods before arriving at Hall's-Fairley Mortuary at 701 Hall Ave.

The halls of Hattiesburg High were silent Friday morning as students filed along Hutchinson Avenue to catch a glimpse of the hearse.

"A young man, young man," said Madeline Hayes, who worked for six years at the Hattiesburg Police Department with Magee's father, Tony Davis. "It just hurts. I feel the pain that the family feels."

Our Latest American Hero #139

I have not posted one of these since October of last year and I regret the lapse. Day in and day out men and women bravely risk their lives for us in this insane War on Terrorism. It breaks my heart. Here's another member to honor, one who represents dozens of others.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airmen who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He died April 9 near Kandahar, Afghanistan, in a crash of a CV-22 Osprey. He was assigned to the 8th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Killed was: Air Force Maj. Randell D. Voas, 43, of Lakeville, Minn. Along side Maj. Voas, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. James B. Lackey, 45, of Green Clove Springs, Fla was also killed.

"Father Recalls Son’s Path To Air Force"

An airman who grew up in Minnesota died after his aircraft plunged to the ground in Afghanistan, the man’s father said April 10.

Maj. Randy D. Voas, 43, died April 9 when his Air Force Osprey crashed near Kandahar, Dwaine Voas told The Associated Press. The Defense Department said three other people aboard also died.

Randy Voas lived in Shalimar, Fla., but he was raised in Minnesota, his father said. Voas was an honor student and avid runner who always had a can-do attitude, his dad said.

“He just had a zest for life,” Dwaine Voas said. He spoke by telephone from Dover, Del., where his son’s remains were scheduled to arrive late April 10.

Also killed in the crash was 45-year-old Senior Master Sgt. James B. Lackey of Green Clove Springs, Fla., the Pentagon said. Another service member and a civilian contractor also died in the crash; the Pentagon wouldn’t identify them.

It was the first time the costly tilt-rotor aircraft had crashed in a combat zone.

Voas and Lackey were assigned to the 8th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., the military said.

Dwaine Voas, himself an Army veteran, sounded matter-of-fact as he spoke of his son’s death. He said he always knew this day could come.

“You hope in your heart it would never happen,” he said.

Randy was a member of the National Honor Society at Eden Prairie High School, where he graduated about 1985, his father said. Randy also ran cross-country, discovering a passion for running that stayed with him.

Randy ran four or five marathons and did an occasional triathlon, Dwaine Voas said. He planned to be a podiatrist, but his father said chemistry classes at the University of Minnesota proved to be his undoing.

So with a biology degree in hand and unclear on his career direction, Randy passed the time with a handful of “fill-in jobs” until he decided to join the military.

He came home one day and told his father he’d spoken with a recruiter about joining a flight program.

Randy Voas became a standout pilot, earning an Air Force award in 2003 for his role in a combat air drop in northern Iraq that was the largest since the Vietnam War.

Dwaine Voas said he never heard his son’s colleagues say anything bad about him.

“They’d always say he’s an excellent pilot, they enjoyed working with him and serving with him, they liked the way he led his units,” his father said.

Randy Voas is survived by his wife, Jill, and two children. A memorial service is tentatively planned for April 15 in Florida, Dwaine Voas said.

Dwaine Voas said there’s no describing the pain of losing a child, but at least he took pride in knowing his son died with honor.

“If there’s anybody who I’d trust to do a military job,” he said, “it was him.”

Our Latest American Hero #138

Army Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver, 32, of Medford, Mass.; assigned to the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve, Greensboro, N.C.; died Oct. 2 in Murcheh, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained when he was attacked by a suicide bomber. Also killed was Pfc. Alan H. Newton Jr.

"Soldier Wanted To Win Hearts Of Afghans"

HARTFORD, Conn. — Army Capt. Benjamin Sklaver was a humanitarian who lived and died trying to fix whatever he found broken in the world, his friends and family said Monday.

The 32-year-old reservist had worked on refugee issues in Africa and started a nonprofit organization that brought clean drinking water to thousands. He was killed Friday in southeastern Afghanistan when his civil affairs unit was ambushed by a suicide attacker.

“Ben was a patriot, loved his country and loved serving,” said friend Jake Herrle. “But he also saw his job in the Army to be a combatant for peace. He saw the Army as a way to do greater good.”

Sklaver, a Hamden native, was almost finished with his reserve commitment and was engaged to be married when he was recalled to duty this spring and sent to Afghanistan.

His job there was to help the military establish better relationships with the Pashtun people, so fewer would join the Taliban, said his father, Gary Sklaver. He would meet with village elders to find out if they needed schools, a hospital or clean water, and then he would help them get it. Often, he would not know whether the people he was working with were sympathetic to the enemy.

“The people who are there doing good, such as my son, are the biggest threat to the Taliban, because if they win over the hearts and minds of the population, then the Taliban doesn’t have the recruiting points they would have if the soldiers just came in, knocked on doors and killed people,” his father said.

Ben Sklaver had a history of winning people’s hearts and minds, Gary Sklaver said.

After graduating with a master’s degree in international relations from Tufts University, he went to work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and traveled to Malawi in Africa to work on international hunger and refugee relief issues.

In 2006, his reserve unit was sent to the Horn of Africa. He ended up in northern Uganda, where his mission was to help refugees re-establish communities after 20 years of civil war. Most of his work involved finding new sources of clean water, helping dig wells or creating protected springs, his father said.

He was so moved by the suffering he saw that he founded the nonprofit Clearwater Initiative when he got home, recruiting friends to help him continue the work in Uganda.

“It was totally volunteer. He had a full-time job with the CDC and spent about 30 hours a week of his own time working on this,” his father said.

The organization allows donors to contribute to specific projects, such as repairing a well at a school. They can then follow online as the project they funded is completed.

Since it began, the Clearwater Initiative has provided access to clean water for more than 6,500 people, said Herrle, who volunteers and serves on the charity’s board. Sklaver’s goal was to increase that to 250,000 within 10 years.

“He was a tremendously bright and caring person,” Herrle said. “He could have very easily just coasted along on his talent, looking out for himself. But because of the way he saw the world and saw his place in it, he always tried to improve it.”

Sklaver had just begun a job in New York with the Federal Emergency Management Agency when he was called back to active duty in the spring.

At the time of his death, his friends were preparing a giant care package to send to him for Thanksgiving. Everyone who donated to the package also made a donation to his nonprofit.

His family is requesting that mourners contribute to the charity instead of sending flowers.

Our Latest American Hero #137

Army Pfc. William L. Meredith, 26, of Virginia Beach, Va., died Sept. 21 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 569th Engineer Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.

“Flags Fly At Half-Staff For VB Soldier”

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va - Flags flew at half-staff across Virginia Thursday in honor of Private First Class (Pfc.) William L. Meredith.

Meredith, of Virginia Beach, was killed after an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle, September 21st, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. His body returned to U.S. soil Wednesday.

Meredith was assigned to the 569th Engineer Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, out of Fort Carson, Colo.

In Virginia Beach, friends called Meredith "Lee." He went to Ocean Lakes High School with Sandy Mahoney's children. More than a decade ago Lee and her son, Chris, became best friends. When Lee's dad retired from the Army and took a job in Central Virginia, Lee didn't want to leave his school and friends in Hampton Roads. Lee's father let him stay with her family.

"We had to share bunk beds. We fought over who got the top and who got the bottom," remembered Chris Mahoney. "My mom would give us a ride in the morning [to school]...at the end of the day we'd walk home together."

Then last year he decided to join the Army. "He said I'm going to go ahead and join the military and he did and he came here after basic training in his uniform," Mahoney said.

"He always talked about going in the Air Force or Army," Chris said. "He was proud to be in the uniform."

Mahoney explained the Army clothes were not the only change.

"He didn't have a lot of self esteem but when he walked in, with his uniform, I never saw him stand so tall and proud as in his uniform," she said through tears.

Standing tall, Lee left again as a combat engineer and headed to Afghanistan. The 26-year-old died Monday. An Army carry team brought Pfc. Meredith's remains back home to the United States, to Dover Air Force Base Wednesday.

Mahoney said Lee was "just an awesome boy - an awesome man, who's life was cut short."

Meredith had spent most of this year in two war zones. According to the Army, he was deployed to Iraq from February to April of this year, then in Afghanistan from April until his death.

In the Army only since April, 2008, Meredith had already received numerous awards, including the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, and Combat Action Badge.

Our Latest American Hero #136

Army Pvt. Keiffer P. Wilhelm, 19, of Plymouth, Ohio, died August 4 in Maysan province, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 13th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

The body of an Army private who died Tuesday in south- western Iraq arrived late Thursday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The non-combat shooting death of Plymouth native Kieffer P. Wilhelm is under investigation, Army officials said. The 19-year-old infantryman landed in Iraq about a month ago.

“We’re all beside ourselves,” Shelly Wilhelm, his stepmother, said Thursday. “I loved the boy.”

After enlisting in December, Wilhelm went to Fort Bliss, Texas, via Fort Benning, Ga., and served in the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. His division left for southwest Asia in May 2009 to prepare for operations in Iraq, the Army reports. 

Department of Defense officials said his death from a gunshot wound was in a “non-combat incident,” but a Pentagon spokeswoman gave no other details Thursday.

Shelly Wilhelm, 39, of Plymouth, said Kieffer Wilhelm had lived with them for about a year. He graduated from Willard High School in May 2008. She said his father, Adrian “Shane” Wilhelm, 40, last spoke to his son via text message in late July. They last saw him May 7 at his brother’s wedding in Arizona, where Kieffer was best man. 

The Wilhelms are a military family. Shane is a Navy veteran of Operation Desert Storm. Kieffer’s older brother, Shannon, 21, serves in the Air Force.

Shelly said the family got the news Tuesday afternoon,. Shane Wilhelm left for Dover on Wednesday, she said. He is expected to return to Plymouth in a few days with his son’s body. A memorial service will be announced.

FOLLOW-UP article:

Four American soldiers have been charged with cruelty and maltreatment of an 19-year-old soldier who committed suicide after being in Iraq for 10 days, the U.S. military told NBC News Friday.

The four Multi-National Division-South soldiers are accused of hazing Private Keiffer P. Wilhelm of Ohio. They abused Wilhelm with excessive physical fitness, said Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, a military spokesman.

One defense official told NBC News that Wilhelm eventually stopped going to public areas to avoid being harassed repeatedly for being overweight.

Olson said the period of time over which the alleged acts took place was under investigation.

The Fort Bliss soldier locked himself inside a portable toilet and shot himself with a rifle on Aug. 4 in Maysan Province, military officials told NBC. They spoke on condition of anonymity.

Military officials identified the charged officers as Sgt. Enoch Chatman, Staff Sgt. Bob Clements, Sgt. Jarrett Taylor and Spc. Daniel Weber, all of B Troop, 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment from Fort Bliss, Texas.

The four soldiers also are accused of abusing other male soldiers, Olson said.

The accused are part of the first brigade to deploy to Iraq for the new Advise and Assist mission, whose job is to train Iraqi security forces to be better soldiers.

Chatman, of West Covina, Calif., was charged with four counts of cruelty and maltreatment, one count of making a false statement and one count of reckless endangerment. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 10 years in prison, a dishonorable discharge and forfeiture of pay, the military said.

Clements, of Eastland, Texas, faces four counts of cruelty and maltreatment, three counts of making a false statement, one count of impeding an investigation and one count of reckless endangerment. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 25 years in prison and a dishonorable discharge, the military said.

Taylor, of Edmond, Okla., was charged with two counts of cruelty and maltreatment, one count of making false statement and one count of reckless endangerment. He faces up to eight years in prison, if convicted on all charges.

Weber, of Frankenmuth, Mich., has been charged with three counts of cruelty and maltreatment, one count of reckless endangerment and one count of impeding an investigation. The charges together carry a nine-year maximum sentence upon conviction.

Our Latest American Hero #135

Army Cpl. Benjamin S. Kopp, 21, of Rosemount, Minn.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.; died July 18 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington of wounds sustained July 10 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.

“Rosemount Man Dies After Attack In Afghanistan”

21-year-old Ben Kopp of Rosemount died Saturday, July 18 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., of wounds suffered July 10 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Kopp was shot in the leg when insurgents attacked his unit, according to reports from his mother, Jill Stephenson on the Caringbridge Web site.

Kopp was treated in the field and later had surgery to repair his leg, but he lost an excessive amount of blood and went into cardiac arrest. He was in a coma and under care at Walter Reed Medical Center where he died July 18.

Kopp’s mother decided to take her only child off life support and donate his organs, according the local Fox news channel.

“Please continue to say prayers for all of the men and women who so proudly serve our country,” Stevenson wrote.

e graduated from Rosemount High School in 2006 and immediately enlisted in the Army.

“His continued service for America in the theaters of war is a testament to his sense of honor, and that of his family,” said Rosemount Mayor Bill Droste in a statement. “We want his family and friends to rest assured that we all are grateful for his and their heroic sacrifice. They are and will remain in our thoughts and hearts.”

Our Latest American Hero #134

Been a little while since I shared one of these. With the up-surge of casualties this month (23 in the first 11 days....) it seems urgent to do so. So without further ado, regrettably:

Army 2nd Lt. Derwin I. Williams, 41, of Glenwood, Ill.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 106th Cavalry Regiment, Illinois National Guard, Dixon, Ill.; died July 6 in Konduz, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

"Williams Served For 16 Years"

GLENWOOD, Ill. — A 16-year veteran of the Illinois Army National Guard has been killed while serving in Afghanistan.

Derwin Williams, 41, of Glenwood was killed July 6 when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Konduz. His wife, Felicia Williams, says the military informed her of his death that evening.

Williams worked as a correctional officer with the Cook County sheriff’s office. His wife says he’d served in Iraq for one year in 2004 and was slated to return from his tour in Afghanistan in August.

In addition to his wife, Williams is survived by three daughters, aged 22, 18 and 9.

Our Latest American Hero #132

jakervelloza, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

It's been awhile since I've shared one of these, and I regret that. The rate of casualties in the War on Terrorism for 2009 is nearly 1 per day. Did you know that? In our name for our protection, for our comfort, a man or woman in the military is dieing every day....

Army Spc. Jake R. Velloza, 22, of Inverness, Calif.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 2 in Mosul, Iraq, after being shot by enemy forces. Also killed was Spc. Jeremiah P. McCleery.

These are quotes left with the Los Angeles Times from those who knew Specialist Velloza.

"We talked about college, but he said, 'No, Coach, I want to be a Ranger doing special ops.' He was set on his goals. He was one of those young men who knew what he wanted to do and did it. Service to his country is what appealed to him.
~ LF , high school football coach

"I met Jake when he came to buy his letterman jacket. What a wonderful kid. He reminded me of his father and uncle who I went to school with. He was quite the football player and getting that Letterman jacket was a bid deal for him. And on the back, the school mascot -- also a symbol of what he was -- a BRAVE."
~ TJL

"I was his team chief, his leader, his mentor. We talked about baseball and football on many occasions. He had told me he was a left hand pitcher, and I told him that I was also a pitcher in highschool. It was hard saying bye to Jake. Not only was he a great soldier he was a great friend. To his parents I am deeply sorry for your loss, I can't imagine what you are feeling right now."
~ SSG

"Jake was hilarious. Just a funny guy who had a really hard time being in a bad mood. He was also obsessed with the concept of true love, and love at first sight. I'd like to think he finally found what he was looking for in Danielle, his fiancee. My heart goes out to her."
~ BH

Our Latest American Hero #131

timothypdavis, originally uploaded by Randuwa.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Timothy P. Davis, 28, of Aberdeen, Wash.; assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; died Feb. 20 near Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

"Washington State Airman Dead In Afghanistan"

Air Force Staff Sgt. Timothy P. Davis, who grew up in Montesano, has been killed in the Oruzgan province of Afghanistan as the result of injuries received from an IED (improvised explosive device).

Air Force personnel delivered the news of Davis’ death to his mother, Sally Sheldon, at her home in Aberdeen on Friday. Davis’ father, Mike Davis, lives in Ocean Shores.

Timothy Davis had just turned 28 and would have been married for five years next month. He met his wife, Meagan, while training at Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane. His death leaves behind not only his wife, but their 1-year-old son, Timothy, Jr.

Meagan Davis' initial response to reporters was, “My breath has just been taken away. I am still in shock.”

Our Latest American Hero #130

juliantbrennan
Originally uploaded by Randuwa

A new year with a new President, and the same old drums continue to beat. It's 28 days into January, and 29 of our soldiers have died in the war on terrorism this month. No doubt you are no longer interested in such things. It certainly feels like the news isn't.

So sharing a recent death with you, my 130th, these random pics still fail to depict the 5,000 + fatalities; they only represent and hopefully remind us that we are still at war with all of its tragic consequences.

Marine Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 24 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan.

"Lejeune Marine Dies In Afghanistan"

He aspired to be in show business, the newspaper reported.

Brennan was a “real swell kid, a very good-looking boy who was the darling of the girls,” family friend Charles Marahan told the Daily News. “Jules was made for the stage and the movies. You either have it or you don’t, and he had it.”

Brennan earned an associate’s degree from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan and worked on the Martha Stewart show before joining the Corps, the newspaper reported. He was on his first deployment.

Our Latest American Hero #129

thomasreillyjr
Originally uploaded by Randuwa

Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas Reilly Jr., 19, of London, Ky.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; died Dec. 21 while supporting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.

"Marine From Kentucky Killed In Combat In Iraq"

A 19-year-old Marine from Kentucky was killed in a surprise attack in Anbar province, Iraq, his mother said. Lance Cpl. Thomas “T.J.” Reilly Jr., of London, died Dec. 21 during combat operations, according to the Department of Defense.

His mother, Gina Bray, said her son joined the military after graduating from South Laurel High School last year.

“I didn’t want him to go. He wanted to go. But I didn’t want to crush his dream,” Bray said.

But on Sunday, Bray said Reilly’s unit came under a surprise attack, and he was killed instantly.

“He was on a mission. There was a hostile situation, and they just hurt my baby. And they took him,” Bray said.

Bray said Reilly had a knack for baking in home economics classes and he had wanted to enter culinary school after the military.

“They used to tell him how good he made cakes,” Bray said.

One of Reilly’s former teachers, Mary King, said she kept in contact with him after he was deployed to Iraq over the summer.

“Needless to say, we have been heartbroken,” King told The Times Tribune in Corbin.

King said Bray was given the news of Reilly’s death at a hospital in Harlan, where her daughter Regina had just given birth.

“She’s had ups and downs over the past few days,” King said.

“He was very, very close with her, very tight with his mother, and so she is really struggling.”

King said Reilly was attracted to the opportunities in the military.

“He saw (the Marines) as a place he could excel and be a leader and be someone who could be in charge and move on up in the ranks,” King said.