The US military deaths in Afghanistan now total over a thousand, but that is just a number. Tonight we are seeing the faces and celebrating the lives of some that the number of losses represent.
- Army First Lieutenant Joseph J. Theinert
- Marine Sergeant Brandon C. Bury
- Marine Lance Corporal Derek Hernandez
- Marine Corporal Donald M. Marler
Theinert was with the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) based out of Fort Drum. Bury, Marler and Hernandez were all assigned to the 3rd Battalion from Camp Pendleton, Califoria, which is nicknamed the Thundering Third.
The battalion lost at least seven since deploying to Afghanistan two months ago. The approximately 800 Marines from the Thundering Third are among tens of thousands of additional US troops sent to Afghanistan in an effort to turn the tide against Taliban forces.
First Lieutenant Joseph J. Theinert
Joseph J. Theinert was from Sag Harbor in Suffolk County, New York. A 2004 graduate of Shelter Island High School, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY-Albany in 2008.
He completed the Siena College Reserve Officer Training Corps Program (ROTC). He had volunteered for a program that allows Guard members to serve three years on active duty prior to returning to a local Guard unit. He reported to Fort Drum in July 2009 after completing the armor officer's basic leadership course. He was promoted to first lieutenant last November.
Theinert's stepfather, Frank Kestler is in the Army Reserves and also served in Afghanistan. The NY Daily News quoted him:
"His life was based on service; it truly was," Kestler said. "It's such a family tragedy, and a community loss."
His mother described him as selfless, humble, and brave - and a mischievous child, but never malicious.Friends and family members from Shelter Island, where he graduated from high school, have come together, she said. "We haven't had to plan a thing. The community has taken care of everything."
She recalled that just before he was deployed to Afghanistan, his brother "Jimbo" asked Theinert if he was frightened to go. Her son, who had wanted to serve his country since he was a little boy, was not scared, she said. He replied that he was "born for it."
Joseph Theinert was assigned to 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. He was on his first overseas deployment. Theinert had been in Afghanistan since deploying with his unit earlier this spring.
Theinert died on June 4th in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using a rocket-propelled grenade and an improvised explosive device (IED). He was 24 years old.
First Lieutenant Theinert's awards include the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He is also expected to receive the Afghan Campaign Medal, the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Badge posthumously.
In addition to his parents, stepfather, and step-siblings, he is survived by his brothers, Billy Theinert of Bethpage and Jimbo Theinert of Shelter Island.
Funeral services are being held in New York and the Patriot Guard Riders are attending.
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Sergeant Brandon C. Bury
Brandon C. Bury was born in October of 1983 in Harris County, Texas. He graduated from Kingwood High School in 2002. He attended the University of Texas before joining the Marine Corps in November of 2004.
Bury served in Iraq in 2005 and 2007. His third combat deployment, to Afghanistan was the first since the birth of his two sons, Cole, 3, and Cade, 1. He was serving as an infantry assaultman while in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.
Sergeant Bury was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California where he lived with his wife, Heather, and their two sons.
Brandon Bury was known for being a big man with a big heart. According to the Houston Chronicle, Brandon was upset at the death of two buddies and the serious injury of a third when he called recently:
The sergeant, who grew up in Kingwood, had been assigned to train Afghan police officers. Although clearly distraught by the loss of his fellow Marines, he told his mother he thought he and his colleagues were making progress with the local population.
He asked her to buy some colorful plastic sunglasses from the Dollar Store to put in his next care package with toys and candy.
"The Afghan kids love that stuff," he said
On June 6th, Sergeant Brandon Bury died in what Marine Corps officials said was a motor vehicle accident during convoy missions in the Helmand Province in southwest Afghanistan. He was 26 years old. Also killed in the incident were Lance Cpl. Derek Hernandez of Edinburg, Texas and Cpl. Donald Marler of St. Louis, Missouri.
Sergeant Bury's military awards and decorations include the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Bury is survived by his wife, two sons, his parents, J. Brian and Terri Bury, and two brothers. Funeral plans have not been announced, but the Patriot Guard Riders will be in attendance.
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Lance Corporal Derek Hernandez
Derek Hernandez grew up in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. A safety for the Edinburg Bobcats high school football team, he spent much of the time with his cousins and friends. He graduated from Edinburg High School in 2008.
A month after graduation, Hernandez joined the Marines. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. He worked as a Military Police officer when stationed at Camp Pendelton in San Diego, California, He served as an infantryman when he was deployed to Afghanistan, in late April, for his first tour of duty. Hernandez wanted to enter a career in law enforcement after his stint with the Marines was done.
According to The Monitor site, Derek’s mom had spoken to Hernandez last week after he’d received one of the care packages that she sent — he had asked for sandals and toothbrushes:
Hernandez maintained a unique blend of discipline with kindness, relatives said. No more clearly does that show than in the meticulously hung camouflage caps and the huge Afghanistan map alongside the Whataburger table tent and Chick-Fil-A cow that sit on his dresser.
Anita Reyna said her nephew marked the map on Helmand Province so his family would always know where he’d gone.
"He always said, "Don’t touch or mark anything, because I’m going to be home."
Hernandez was scheduled to come home in November, but he died alongside Sgt. Brandon C. Bury of Kingwood, Texas, and Cpl. Donald M. Marler of St. Louis in a vehicle accident during a combat mission in Afghanistan. He was 20 years old.
Hernandez had earned the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
A funeral service is planned for Derek Hernandez at Holy Family Catholic Church in his hometown of Edinburg, Texas. His body will be buried at Palm Valley Memorial Gardens cemetery in Pharr, but the date has not yet been set.
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Corporal Donald M. Marler
Donald M. Marler was from south St. Louis County. He was a 2006 graduate of Oakville High School, and enjoyed sports including football, basketball, swimming and track.
Marler had served in Washington and at Camp David in Maryland. Most recently, Marler was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Califoria. His first combat deployment was to the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.
Corporal Donald Marler died during a combat mission in Helmand Province, a region of southwestern Afghanistan largely covered in desert. The armored vehicle carrying Marler had an accident. He was 22 years old.
Also killed in the crash were Sergeant Brandon C. Bury of Kingwood, Texas, and Lance Corporal Derek Hernandez of Edinburg, Texas. The vehicle in which the Marines were riding had overturned into a canal.
The St. Louis Today site quotes the Corporal's grandmother:
A Marine who died in an accident in Afghanistan over the weekend had requested assignment there and had just arrived in the country in April, his grandmother says.
Cpl. Donald M. Marler had served in Washington and at Camp David in Maryland. But when he was moved to Camp Pendleton in California, he sought assignment to Afghanistan so he could use his training, said his grandmother, Vallie Marler.
"He was afraid he wasn't going to get to go," she said. "He was over there doing what he wanted to do."
In honor of Sergeant Bury, Lance Corporal Hernandez and Corporal Marler, California State Capitol flags were flown at half-staff. Flags flew at half-staff on Tuesday in memory of Corporal Marler in Missouri also.
Marler's service awards include: the Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Marler is survived by his grandmother, Vallie Marler and a large extended family. Some family members are on the East Coast to bring Marler's body back for burial. Services have not been scheduled yet, but the Patriot Guard Riders will be attending.
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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, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, JeNoCo, Mediaprof, TrueBlueMajority, JanosNation, Proud Mom and Grandma, Ministry of Truth, and CalNM. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for them.
Fallen service members whose names have been released by the US 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 person 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 mentioned here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.