This one really hurts just down the road at Fort Riley. One of "those" emails...
"There is one part of covering the military that I hate, reporting the deaths. Tonight I wrote a piece on Devin Snyder, a twenty year old girl from just over the hill from where I grew up. Snyder and three fellow soldiers were killed when they hit an IED in Afghanistan on Saturday. Her home town is tiny. Before it merged her school would often have 15-20 seniors at graduation. This is a HUGE deal down there."
Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam of Sergeant Christopher Bell, Sergeant Joshua Powell, Specialist Devin Snyder, Specialist Emilio Campo Jr., Specialist Michael Cook Jr., Specialist Christopher Fishbeck, Specialist Robert Hartwick, and Private First Class Michael Olivieri, soldiers of the United States Army who fell in combat with armed enemies of the United States.
Of course, I'm not the only one who feels the twinge when the email hits. So does Chuck Simmins:DOD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of five soldiers who were supporting Operation New Dawn.
They died June 6 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with indirect fire. They were assigned to the1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Killed were:
Spc. Emilio J. Campo Jr., 20, of Madelia, Minn.;
Spc. Michael B. Cook Jr., 27, of Middletown, Ohio;
Spc. Christopher B. Fishbeck, 24, of Victorville, Calif.;
Spc. Robert P. Hartwick, 20, of Rockbridge, Ohio; and
Pfc. Michael C. Olivieri, 26, Chicago, Ill.
For more information, the media may contact the 1st Infantry Division public affairs office at 785-240-6359 or 785-307-0641.
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
"There is one part of covering the military that I hate, reporting the deaths. Tonight I wrote a piece on Devin Snyder, a twenty year old girl from just over the hill from where I grew up. Snyder and three fellow soldiers were killed when they hit an IED in Afghanistan on Saturday. Her home town is tiny. Before it merged her school would often have 15-20 seniors at graduation. This is a HUGE deal down there."
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
They died of wounds suffered June 4, in Laghman province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 793rd Military Police Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
Killed were:
Sgt. Christopher R. Bell, 21, of Golden, Miss.;
Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, 28, of Quitman, Texas;
Spc. Devin A. Snyder, 20, of Cohocton, N.Y.; and
Pfc. Robert L. Voakes Jr., 21, of L'Anse, Mich.
For more information, the media may contact the U.S. Army Alaska public affairs office at 907-384-2072 or 907-384-1542.
Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam of Sergeant Christopher Bell, Sergeant Joshua Powell, Specialist Devin Snyder, Specialist Emilio Campo Jr., Specialist Michael Cook Jr., Specialist Christopher Fishbeck, Specialist Robert Hartwick, and Private First Class Michael Olivieri, soldiers of the United States Army who fell in combat with armed enemies of the United States.
May The Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Amen.