Spc. Christopher D. McCarthy, 28, of Virginia Beach, VA epitomized hard work. He exemplified the ethic of reciprocity, or what we commonly call "The Golden Rule," treating all with consideration and respect.
And while great things were in his future, the call to serve was, for him, the greatest.
Tonight we celebrate his life, we mourn his loss, and we reflect on the kind of person he must have been to put his country before his personal ambition.
I Got the News Today (IGTNT): June 5, 2008
Spc. Christopher D. McCarthy, 28, Virginia Beach, VA
From the DoD (Ed. note – this is a cache of the original DoD press release; the DoD has since removed it from its website):
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Christopher D. McCarthy, of Virginia Beach, Va., died 1 June 2008 at Forward Operating Base Ramadi, Iraq. Â His death is under investigation. He was assigned to the U.S. Joint Forces Command, Joint Reserve Unit, Norfolk, Va.
Spc. McCarthy is being recalled with cherished memories by neighbors and friends. A 1998 graduate of Tallwood High School, this would have been his 10th reunion. He went on to obtain a finance degree from Old Dominion University. But not in the traditional way. Joining the Army Reserve to help pay his tuition, duty sometimes interrupted his pursuit of his degree. My understanding is that he served in Kosovo and was on his second tour in Iraq – as a volunteer.
According to The Virginian Pilot, in February Spc. McCarthy volunteered for a six-month deployment to Ramadi, Iraq, as part of a reconstruction task force made up of 100 military and civilian personnel.
On Sunday, McCarthy was found in his barracks unconscious and without a pulse. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. McCarthy was 28.
Lt. Col. Philip Smith, public affairs officer for Joint Forces Command, said Tuesday that the cause of death has not been determined. An autopsy will be performed.
Neighbors had no shortage of wonderful words about Spc. McCarthy. Again from The Virginian Pilot:
McCarthy graduated from Tallwood High School in 1998, said classmate and neighbor Ellen Silvela. He was friendly, easygoing and polite, she said.
Silvela studied finance at ODU and gave McCarthy some books and advice about the course work, she said.
He was described as a pleasant presence around the neighborhood. "Every time you’d see him, he’d wave," said Rhonda Perea, a family friend and longtime neighbor.
Perea said McCarthy never got into trouble as a child.
"He was a fine young man," Perea said. "Great things were in his future."
Spc. McCarthy was part of a large family – seven siblings in all. His parents pre-deceased him. While his family has requested privacy, you can learn a bit more about him by watching a news broadcast here.
May you rest in eternal peace, Spc. Christopher McCarthy. Your mission is complete.
REMEMBER THEM WELL
Remember our troops: those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, those who are still in harm’s way and those who have returned home:
In Remembrance
Please take a moment to honor the memories of our fallen service men and women who have passed through this world much too quickly.
You can view the stories and remembrances of these heroes at sites such as Iraq Veterans Memorial and Honor the Fallen.
Supporting the Troops
If you haven’t had a chance to put together a care package for a unit in Iraq or Afghanistan - it’s such a good feeling to know you are sending our troops things they really need. I’m not talking about the comforts of home – it’s necessities like socks and underwear and soup packets and feminine hygiene products and paper and pens...and school supplies, treats and trinkets they can pass out to the Iraqi and Afghan children. Basic things that they are so thrilled to receive.
There are a few ways to do this. You can go through troopcarepackage.com or anysoldier.com. If you go to the anysolider site click on WhereToSend for a searchable database. For example if you search "By Latest Email" you’ll see the troops who most recently have submitted a request for specific items. You then request their mailing address. Read Ninepatch’s wonderful diary on the how-tos of it all – it couldn’t be any easier thanks to her.
Operation Helmet is another great organization whose mission is to provide helmet upgrades.
Supporting Our Veterans
We have a solemn duty to ensure that our veterans are properly cared for. Consider visiting sites such as StandUp4Vets.org, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Welcome Back Veterans.org and Fisher House to see where your help is needed. Other ways to help can be found in this diary.
And please click here to support Netroots for the Troops:
The Department of Defense has confirmed 4.088 deaths, according to Iraq Coalition Casualty Count. 515 American troops have died in Afghanistan since 2001.
About the IGTNT series:
IGTNT stands for "I Got the News Today." The phrase is meant to symbolize that terrible knock on the door that any number of families got today, bringing with it the news that a loved one has died. IGTNT is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and is currently maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, MsWings, blue jersey mom, twilight falling, moneysmith, labwitchy, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI and me, greenies.
These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but an important service to those Americans who have died and to our community’s respect for and remembrance of them. If you would like to volunteer, even once a month, please contact Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, or noweasels.
Fallen soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and National Guard whose names have been released by the Department of Defense will usually be diaried two days after the official announcement on the DoD website. This allows the IGTNT team to cover each fallen service member more fully, but still in a timely manner
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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.