First, we remember the cost to the families who lose a loved one. Especially the trauma of losing a warrior in combat:
Second Lieutenant Leonard Cowherd, Part 1, and Part 2.
They also pay a heavy price, those who wait for their warrior to return.
The Castle remembers those who touched the Castle's Denizens this year:
Private First Class Shawn Gajdos.
Sergeant First Class Greg Sutton.
Private First Class Cameron Payne, Private William C. Johnston, and Colonel Michael Butler.
Staff Sergeant Roy Lewsader and Private First Class Michael Pittman.
Corporal Stephen Bouzane, Private Joel Wiebe, Sergeant Christos Karigiannis
Specialist Carter Gamble Junior.
Corporal Eric Palmer and Private First Class Andre Craig Jr.
Charles Lindberg and Specialist James Adair.
Master Sergeant Randy Gillespie.
Sergeant Courtney Finch and Specialist Daniel Leckel.
Staff Sergeant Travis Bachman and Specialist Camy Florexil
Corporal Cory Wiens and Cooper.
Master Sergeant Scott M. Carney and Sergeant First Class Daniel E. Miller
Master Sergeant Patrick Magnani and Staff Sergeant Courtney Hollinsworth.
Corporal Nathan Hornburg and Specialist Joshua Reeves
CW4 Keith Yoakum and CWO Jason Defrenn
Corporal Nicholas Beauchamp and Private Michel Levesque
Major Andrew J. Olmsted and Captain Thomas J. Casey
Chief Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson
Private First Class Ray Jacobs.
Flight Lieutenant Michael Shand and Flight Lieutenant William Fordyce
Not that I expect you to click and read every link - but the "Surge" is represented in a sense. The list runs in order the posts were posted - and the time spread between them has lengthened, and more people who were not combat casualties, but rather the casualties of time and wear appear towards the end of the list. A trend that continues, hopefully, into the next year.
Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam for our fallen, and those of our Canadian brothers-in-arms.
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