Category Archives: Fallen Warriors

Shopping in the morning, and several hours of hardware maintenance at the office through the middle of the day … and my day is done.

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

• Lance Cpl. Christopher P. J. Levy, 21, of Ramseur, North Carolina, died Dec. 10 of wounds sustained Dec. 7 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
• Sgt. Christopher L. Muniz, 24, of New Cuyama, California, died Dec. 11, in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Spc. Ronald H. Wildrick Jr., 30, of Blairstown, New Jersey, died Dec. 11, in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Pvt. Jalfred D. Vaquerano, 20, of Apopka, Florida, died Dec. 13, in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries suffered from enemy small-arms fire while deployed in Logar province, Afghanistan.
• Maj. Samuel M. Griffith, 36, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Dec. 14 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

A couple of hours of remote work this weekend, and 15 or so hours of work on the final project for my Java class. Progress is. Oh, yeah, and it was 15°F out this morning. I think I know what the ‘F’ stands for.

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

• Sgt. Ryan D. Sharp, 28, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, died Dec. 3, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered Nov. 21 at Kandahar province, when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Sgt. 1st Class Clark A. Corley Jr., 35, of Oxnard, California, died Dec. 3, in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Spc. Ryan M. Lumley, 21, of Lakeland, Florida, died Dec. 3, in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Spc. Thomas J. Mayberry, 21, of Springville, California, died Dec. 3, in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

is what happened at Kent State, and many other places. Democracy and peace and plenty is a momentary aberration: blind cruelty and painful existence is the normal human condition, and I think this experiment is almost over. Our republic’s evolution into a police state is progressing, inch by inch. The beatings will stop when everything is safe. I wonder who it’s safe for?

In much less important news, I finished up the week’s project for class and turned it in. Marcia returned from a weekend-long quilting retreat, and we watched the final Potter film tonight. I enjoyed it.

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

• Sgt. 1st Class Johnathan B. McCain, 38, of Apache Junction, Arizona, died Nov.13, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered after encountering an improvised explosive device while on mounted patrol.
• Spc. Calvin M. Pereda, 21, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, died Nov. 12, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered after encountering an improvised explosive device while on dismounted patrol.
• Spc. David E. Hickman, 23, of Greensboro, North Carolina, died Nov. 14, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered after encountering an improvised explosive device.
• Spc. James R. Burnett Jr., 21, of Wichita, Kansas, died Nov. 16, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Pfc. Matthew C. Colin, 22, of Navarre, Florida, died Nov. 16, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Spc. Sean M. Walsh, 21, of San Jose, California, died Nov. 16, in Khowst province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained after encountering indirect fire.
• Pfc. Adam E. Dobereiner, 21, of Moline, Illinois, died Nov. 18 at Kandahar province, Afghanistan of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

It’s Veteran’s Day here in the US. While I didn’t serve(*), I have nothing but boundless gratitude to and pride in our warriors! My thanks to those that serve now, that served in the past, and my moment of silence goes out to those who have fallen while in service to our country.

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Thank you!

[*] – I was a couple of hundred spots shy of getting into the Air Force Academy following high school, and college, rather than service, was the encouraged thing to do at my school. Things would have likely been different if there’d been a hot conflict at the time.

Really, there’s nothing that should make the loss of any one of our young men or women any different from one another. This week DoD reported about Cabrera, Newman, Darrough, Eugenio, Gailey, Butcher, Cullers, and Vincent – all of these people gave their lives for our country. Each loss is deeply felt. But please, why are we sending young mothers into war zones? Nineteen year old PFC Sarina Butcher had a three year old daughter. Yeah, we have to follow our laws, and women fought for equal rights, including the right to die for their country in battle. The law of unintended consequences strikes again. Sigh.

Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

• Lt. Col. David E. Cabrera, 41, of Abilene, Texas, died Oct. 29, in Kabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device.
• Staff Sgt. Christopher R. Newman, 26, of Shelby, North Carolina, died Oct. 29, in Kabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device.
• Sgt. James M. Darrough, 38, of Austin, Texas, died Oct. 29, in Kabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device.
• Sgt. Carlo F. Eugenio, 29, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, died Oct. 29, in Kabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device.
•  Sgt. Christopher D. Gailey, 26, of Ochelata, Oklahoma, died Nov. 1, in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
• Pfc. Sarina N. Butcher, 19, of Checotah, Oklahoma, died Nov. 1, in Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked her vehicle with an improvised explosive device.
• Staff Sgt. Ari R. Cullers, 28, of New London, Connecticut, died Oct. 30, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when an insurgent rocket-propelled grenade exploded near him.
• 1st Lt. Dustin D. Vincent, 25, of Mesquite, Texas, died Nov. 3, in Kirkuk province, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.

The goal is non-terrorist-friendly countries. Is our path the best way to that goal? Yea or nay, that’s a policy question. There’s no doubt that our men and women in uniform perform their duty at 110%, every day. Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

• Sgt. Paul A. Rivera, 26, of Round Rock, Texas, died Oct. 22, in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered in a vehicle rollover during an attack by enemy forces.
• Lance Cpl. Jordan S. Bastean, 19, of Pekin, Illinois, died Oct. 23 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
• Airmen 1st Class Jerome D. Miller Jr., 23, of Washington, D.C. died Oct. 13 due to a non-combat related incident in Parwan province, Afghanistan.
• Pfc. Steven F. Shapiro, 29, of Hidden Valley Lake, California, died Oct. 21 in Tallil, Iraq.
• Lance Cpl. Jason N. Barfield, 22, of Ashford, Alabama, died Oct. 24 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
• Capt. Shawn P. T. Charles, 40, of Hickory, N.C., died Oct. 23 in San Antonio, Texas, from a non-combat illness.
• Sgt. Edward S. Grace, 39, of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, died Oct. 23 in Silver Spring, Md., from a non-combat illness.
• Sgt. 1st Class David G. Robinson, 28, of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, died Oct. 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• Sgt. John A. Lyons, 26, of Seaside Park, New Jersey, died Oct. 26 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.
• Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Dunning, 31, of Milpitas, California, died Oct. 27 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

A busy weekend – the second paper for the Social Gerontology class is submitted. We got down to the District yesterday, and saw the new Degas exhibition at the Phillips Collection. A very nice day, and great weather for wandering about. Marcia’s knee wasn’t too happy about that after the fact, more’s the pity. Today, mostly shopping and chores and whatnot.

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

Capt. Joshua S. Lawrence, 29, of Nashville, Tennessee, died Oct. 8, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade.

Capt. Drew E. Russell, 25, of Scotts, Michigan, died Oct. 8, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade.

Chief Warrant Officer James B. Wilke, 38, of Ione, California, died Oct.10, in Doha, Qatar.

Staff Sgt. Nathan L. Wyrick, 34, of Enumclaw, Washington, died Oct. 10 in Kandahar province.

Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Michael R. Tatham, 33, of University Place, Washington, was involved in a fatal motorcycle accident, Oct. 12, while on rest and recuperation leave from supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Bali, Indonesia.

Lance Cpl. Scott D. Harper, 21, of Winston, Georgia, died Oct. 13 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Robert B. Cowdrey, 39, of Atwater, Ohio, died Oct. 13 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered during combat operations.

Spc. Jeremiah T. Sancho, 23, of Palm Bay, Florida, died Oct. 13 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.