I Got The News Today (IGTNT), which is one of the oldest continuous series on Daily Kos, provides members of this community a venue to pay their respects to those who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, in Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and in Operation Inherent Resolve. The IGTNT title is a reminder that far too often the family of an active duty service member receives the terrible news that their beloved has died.
The Department of Defense has announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
Maj. Brent R. Taylor, 39, from Provo, Utah, died Nov. 3, 2018, in Kabul Province, Afghanistan, as a result of wounds sustained from small arms fire. The incident is under investigation. Another soldier was wounded in the attack.
Taylor was assigned to Utah Army National Guard Element, Joint Force Headquarters, Draper, Utah.
Major Taylor had said:
"There are three great loyalties that have guided my life and everything in it: God, family and country. While I am far from perfect in any of these respects, I have given my life to serve all three of these loyalties whenever and however I can. And right now there is a need for my experience and skills to serve in our nation’s long-lasting war in Afghanistan.”
North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor, 39, a major in the Utah National Guard, was killed Saturday while serving with his unit in Kabul, which is helping to train Afghan defense forces. The Utah National Guard said Taylor appeared to have been shot by a member of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, who was then shot and killed by other Afghan forces. Another American soldier was wounded and is in stable condition.
Major Taylor, a graduate of Brigham Young University, was commissioned in July 2006. He served 12 years as an officer in the Army National Guard, including seven years on active duty. He was on his fourth deployment; he deployed twice to Iraq, in 2006 and again in 2007, and served in Afghanistan in 2012. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service in Iraq.
Maj. Gen. Jeff Burton, the adjutant general of Utah's National Guard, said Taylor was "a man of excellence" and an "amazing human being":
"He was with folks he was helping and training. That's what's so painful about this. It's bitter. I do believe that Major Taylor felt he was among friends, with people he was working with. For me personally, Brent typified the citizen soldier, who served so diligently in his community — as well as felt this call to wear a uniform and serve wherever the nation needed him to go. He's a heavy loss for us, and will be missed."
Maj. Taylor became mayor of North Ogden in 2013 after having served on the City Council since 2009. In January 2018, he announced on Facebook that he was leaving for a one-year deployment to Afghanistan as part of an advisory team training the staff of an Afghan commando battalion.
Taylor temporarily stepped down as mayor to deploy to Afghanistan. He was supposed to return home and resume his post as mayor in January. He said:
"Serving as mayor of North Ogden city has been one of the greatest honors of my life and the highlight of my civilian professional career. Service is what leadership is all about."
When Taylor left Utah for Afghanistan, North Ogden schoolchildren lined the streets and cheered for him as he waved from a motorcade.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert called Taylor a "great mayor of North Ogden." Herbert said:
"Maj. Brent Taylor was the personification of love of God, family and country."
Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox said he was "struggling for words." Cox wrote:
"Devastating news. I hate this. I’m struggling for words. I love Mayor Taylor, his amazing wife Jennie and his seven sweet kids. Utah weeps for them today. This war has once again cost us the best blood of a generation. We must rally around his family."
Major Taylor is survived by his wife of 15 years, Jennie, and seven children ages 11 months to 13 years. Taylor’s sister-in-law Kristy Pack, a family spokesperson, said:
“When I asked Jennie what she would like me to say when we came out, she said that there is heartache but no regret. It would be hard to find a family that loves our country more than this family and that has the desire to serve our country more than this family.”
A GoFundMe page that was set up to support his family had reached its goal of $250,000 by Sunday night.
Yesterday Major Taylor's body was returned to Dover AFB where his widow, Jennie Taylor, and other relatives were waiting. Jennie Taylor said:
“Brent may have died on Afghan soil, but he died for the success of freedom and democracy in both of our countries. It seems only fitting … (he) has come home to U.S. soil in a flag-draped casket on our Election Day.”
In a Facebook post last week, Major Taylor said:
“As the USA gets ready to vote in our own election next week, I hope everyone back home exercises their precious right to vote. And that whether the Republicans or the Democrat win, that we all remember that we have far more as Americans that unites us than divides us. ‘United we stand, divided we fall.’ God Bless America.”
Rest in peace, Major Brent Taylor, you have served with honor and will be greatly missed.
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About The IGTNT Series
"I Got the News Today" is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remind us of the sacrifice of our US troops. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno in 2004 and now is maintained by Sandy on Signal, i dunno, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, SisTwo, SpamNunn, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, JaxDem, Joy of Fishes, SARBill and me, Ekaterin. These diaries are heartbreaking to write but are an important service to those who have died and show our community’s respect for them. 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.