Memorial Day

It is officially Memorial Day here in Iowa. It is in most of the United States. (I think Alaska and Hawaii have some time left still.) I couldn't sleep so I decided to check my email one last time before crawling back into bed to await sleep. I had an email in my inbox from one of my dearest friends. Her name is Dee. We don't speak often, in fact there were a few years when we didn't speak at all. We have never met, Dee and I. Just found each other one day in a Military chat room, and have been friends ever since. I have told her things about my life that I have never shared with anyone else. Personal things, about myself, and my relationships. Nothing awful, or shocking. Nothing that is of any real importance. Except to me. Even during the years that we lost track of each other, I never stopped thinking about Dee. Wondering if she was happy. Wondering if she was still married, if she had any more children. (I think so, YES, and Yes.) But Dee must be in a private hell. Her husband is over in Iraq. Again. And I think today must be especially hard on her. I do not know, I am not going through it, but I can imagine. I opened the email. It was not a chatty note. It was not a joke, or a forward, or even some fancy HTML page about Memorial Day. It is titled "Moment Of Silence". It was simple. It was in plain text. And this is what it says.

This list is not updated as there have been more casualties this weekend which family members have not been notified of. A Veteran is never forgotten unless you forget them.

REMEMBERING FORT BENNING'S FALLEN

The following soldiers and Rangers from Fort Benning have been killed in either Afghanistan, Iraq or Kuwait this year:

Sgt. Allen J. Dunckley , 25, Yardley, Pa. (1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment): Died May 14 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device and enemy small arms fire.

Sgt. Christopher N. Gonzalez , 25, Winslow, Ariz. (1-15 Infantry): Died May 14 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an IED and enemy small arms fire.

Sgt. Blake C. Stephens , 25, Pocatello, Idaho (Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team): Died May 8 in Salman Pak, Iraq, after an IED detonated near his vehicle.

Spc. Kyle A. Little , 20, West Boylston, Mass. (HHC, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team): Died May 8 in Salman Pak, Iraq, after an IED detonated near his vehicle.

Sgt. Glenn D. Hicks Jr. , 24, College Station, Texas (1-15 Infantry): Died April 28 in Salman Pak, Iraq, after his vehicle was struck by an IED and small arms fire.

Pfc. Jay-D H. Ornsby-Adkins , 21, Ione, Calif. (1-15 Infantry): Died April 28 in Salman Pak, Iraq, after his vehicle was struck by an IED and small arms fire.

Pvt. Cole E. Spencer , 21, Gays, Ill. (1-15 Infantry): Died April 28 in Salman Pak, Iraq, after his vehicle was struck by an IED and small arms fire.

Pfc. Richard P. Langenbrunner , 19, Fort Wayne, Ind. (2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment): Died April 17 in Rustamiyah, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident.

Staff Sgt. Harrison Brown , 31, Pritchard, Ala. (Bravo Company, 2-69 Armor): Died April 8 in Baghdad of wounds from enemy small arms fire and an IED.

Pfc. David N. Simmons , 20, Kokomo, Ind. (B Co., 2-69): Died April 8 in Baghdad of wounds from enemy small arms fire and an IED.

Pfc. Joey T. Sams II , 22, Spartanburg, S.C. (1-15th Infantry): Died March 21 from non-combat related injuries sustained at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.

Pfc. Ryan Garbs , 20, Edwardsville, Ill. (3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment): Died Feb. 18. Was one of seven soldiers killed when a Chinook helicopter crashed in southeastern Afghanistan.

Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas , 18, Roseville, Calif. (3-75 Ranger): Died Feb. 18 in the helicopter crash in southeastern Afghanistan.

Sgt. James J. Regan , 26, Manhasset, N.Y. (3-75th Ranger): Died Feb. 9 in northern Iraq when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.

All I can add to that is Thank You Dee, for sharing.