Tonight, we remember a 101st Airborne Soldier from New York. His school and friends remember him as a great athlete, gentle giant and all around nice guy.
Since 2001, there have been 2241 American troops killed in Operation Enduring Freedom. Since 2010, there have been 66 casualties in Operation New Dawn.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
Sgt. Justin R. Rogers, 25, of Barton, N.Y., died June 28, in Bagram, Afghanistan, from a non-combat related incident currently under investigation.
He was assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Scott Taylor, Superintendent of the Tioga Central School District, fondly remembers Sgt. Justin Rogers during his school years. From the
Star Gazette: Tioga remembers soldier as good natured athlete
“He just seemed to be a pretty happy kid. He really enjoyed life, lived life to the fullest,” Taylor said Monday. “When he got on the football field and on the wrestling mat, he was a pretty formidable opponent.”
and
“As an educator, you’re glad to have had the opportunity to know him and be around him,” Taylor said, calling Rogers a gentle giant at around 6-foot-3 or 4. “I would imagine as a kid, he was a great guy to have as your classmate and teammate. He was a positive part of our school community when he went through here.”
The family was at Dover and could not be reached. The school and community will be releasing plans on how to honor and remember Sgt. Justin Rogers.
Sgt. Justin Rogers' awards and decorations include two Army Achievement Medals, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Army Service Ribbon.
Rogers is survived by his wife, Stephanie, daughter, Nateli, parents and siblings.
Sgt. Justin Rogers, Afghanistan
Source:
Star Gazette,
Fort Campbell Courier
In Flanders Fields
by Lt. Col. John McRae, MD, (1872-1918)
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
All of the U.S. fatalities can be seen here and here. They all had loved ones, families and friends. The DoD news releases are here. I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect and remind. Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries.
Click the IGTNT tags to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by i dunno, Monkeybiz, Noweasels, Blue Jersey Mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, SisTwo, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Maggie Jean, Jax Dem, The Fat Lady Sings, Ekaterina, Joy of Fishes, and me, Sandy on Signal.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.