Tonight, we honor two Soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Both were killed near Kandahar in a two-strike IED, eleven others were injured. The Soldiers were out of Fort Carson, so far this base has seen its deadliest month since Operation Enduring Freedom began in 2001 with 17 casualties as of today. Tomorrow and Friday, IGTNT will honor some more casualties based from Fort Carson.
Since 2001, there have been 906 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since 2003, there have been 4352 American troops killed in Iraq. Please take a moment to honor their sacrifice.
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From the DoD:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Oct. 23 in Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were assigned to the 569th Mobility Augmentation Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.
Killed were:
Spc. Eric N. Lembke, 25, of Tampa, Fla.
Pfc. Kimble A. Han, 30, of Lehi, Utah.
Spc. Eric Lembke and Pfc. Kimble Han's unit deployed from Iraq to Afghanistan in early April. CNN featured a clip of what this experience was like for the 4th Engineer Battalion from Fort Carson. The clip features the stark contrast between Iraq and Afghanistan. Pfc. Kimble Han shares his thoughts with the reporter. The embed didn't work, but here is a link to it. CNN: Soldiers Pulled from Iraq Duty, Sent Straight to Afghanistan. It is a worthwhile watch.
A better life was the reason Eric Lembke chose to join the Army two years ago. Before joining the Army, the Plant City, Florida man worked in a grocery store in order to support his family. He leaves behind two children, Alexis age 7; and, Nathaniel age 3, and his wife Mashalle. His brother, Robert Lembke, 47, said
"he wanted to take better care of his family," Robert Lembke said. "He wanted something better to do with his life.
He also told the St. Petersburg Times
"He did everything he did to provide for his family," Mary Lembke, Eric's sister-in-law, said. "It's just really heartbreaking."
Eric grew up in the foster system in Florida. He was adopted as a teenager by Dorothy Lembke, and changed his name from Michael Beckum to Eric Lembke. His neighbor, Janet Llamas, of Colorado Springs, Colorado recalled Eric as a man who would do anything for those in need. From the Tampa Bay Online:
"He is a very caring guy," Llamas said. "He tries to help. He is a loving father."
Llamas said Mashalle Lembke is trying to be strong under difficult circumstances. Sunday, she was in Delaware to view her husband's body. She is supposed to return to Colorado today and her children. Lembke will be buried in Florida.
"She said, 'He loved his job, and he died doing a job that he loved,'" Llamas said.
Deepest condolences to the family and friends of Spc. Eric Lembke.
Lisa Barnes sensed something was wrong the last time she spoke with her son, Kimble Han, in Afghanistan. She knew her son was frightened and uneasy. From the Salt Lake City Tribune:"
I guess a mom just knows those sorts of things," Barnes said. "I'd never heard that from my son before, but yes, I could tell. He was so scared."
Barnes told her boy to be careful. Then, as often happens during calls connecting two sides of the globe, the phone cut out.
"I figured he'd call back when he was free," she said. "I didn't get to tell him that I loved him. I didn't know it would be the last I would get to talk to him."
Barnes told KLS.com,"
He said the bombs were getting bigger, and they were hiding them deeper, and they weren't able to detect them."
She said the fear didn't keep her son from doing a job he loved. Han enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 2008. He deployed to Iraq in February 2009 and went to Afghanistan two months later. In August, Han was home on leave for five days, and Lisa Barnes said at that time she had a feeling she might not see him again.
She said, "I think kind of motherly intuition, kind of prepared me."
Days before he deployed to Iraq, Kimble married his high school sweetheart and has three stepchildren. Family and country were most important to Kimble, his mother told the KSL news. In honor of his service, his parents have placed several flags in their yard. Their next door neighbor has his at half-staff for Han. The Governor of Utah, Gary R. Herbert issued the following statement:
"The entire state is saddened today to learn of the loss of Private First Class Kimble Han, whose faithful and selfless service to his country will not be forgotten.
"Jeanette and I extend our prayers to the family of Private First Class Han, including his mother in Lehi and his wife and children in Nevada. We also offer our deepest gratitude for the sacrifice that they, too, have made."
Deepest condolences to the family and friends of Pfc. Kimble Han.
We Remember Them
In the rising of the sun and its going down,
We Remember Them.
In the bowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,
We Remember Them.
In the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring.
We Remember Them.
In the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer,
We Remember Them.
In the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn.
We Remember Them.
In the beginning of the year and when it ends,
We Remember Them.
When we are weary and in need of strength,
We Remember Them.
When we are lost and sick of heart,
We Remember Them.
When we have joys and special celebrations we yearn to share,
We Remember Them.
So long as we live, they too shall live, for they are part of us.
We Remember Them.
~From the Jewish Book Of Prayer~
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 monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, a girl in MI, Spam Nunn, JeNoCo, Janos Nation, True Blue Majority, Proud Mom and Grandma, 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.