The first week of 2011, in the ninth year at war, we've already seen the high cost of war with eight more killed. Since 2001, there have been 1373 U.S. troops killed while serving in Afghanistan, and since 2003, 4432 U.S. troops killed while serving in Iraq.
The IGTNT (I Got The News Today) series is a reminder that nearly every day, somebody gets the heartbreaking news that a friend, former classmate, or beloved family member will not be coming home from war.
Tonight we remember three soldiers who gave everything far away from home:
Sgt. Jose M. Cintrón Rosado, 38, of Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
Spc. Jose A. Delgado Arroyo, 41, of San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sgt. Eric M. Nettleton, 26, of Wichita, Kansas
Please take a moment below to remember them, and
all those who have lost their lives in these wars.
Two combat engineers from the Puerto Rico Army National Guard were the first U.S. fatalities in Iraq in 2011.
Sgt. Jose M. Cintrón Rosado, 38, of Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
Spc. Jose A. Delgado Arroyo, 41, of San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sgt. Cintrón Rosado and Spc. Delgado Arroyo died January 2, 2011, in Taji, Iraq, when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle. The citizen soldiers were assigned to the 1013th Engineer (Sapper) Company of the Puerto Rico Army National Guard, based in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
I'm sorry, there was very little personal information on these two brave men from Puerto Rico, both named Jose, who gave everything for the USA. ***I've updated this tribute near the end, with a little more information. Both men were family men, with children.
"Sappers" are combat engineers who advance with the front-line infantry. They have the dangerous duty of conducting "route clearance patrols" that clear roadside bombs to protect Iraq’s highways and roads.
Cintrón and Delgado were on a mission to find the very type of roadside bombs that claimed their lives.
"That is the toughest mission in Iraq. Going out to find bombs on main roadways is heavy,"
Puerto Rico National Guard Adj. Gen Antonio Vicéns said.
"I was over there last November and this pains me greatly."
The 1013th Engineer (Sapper) Company of the PRANG is part of Task Force Badger. The Task Force assumed control from the 37th Engineer Battalion in late April and began conducting combat operations.
Task Force Badger is a diverse task force with soldiers stationed and conducting missions throughout Iraq. [They] are held together by a common bond as Army engineers committed to providing freedom of movement throughout all of Iraq for the Iraqi people and both U.S. and Iraqi forces.
The Christmas season and New Year has brought sadness to the island's military families. The deaths of Cintrón and Delgado in Iraq came only two weeks after a tragic PRNG helicopter crash in Puerto Rico that killed four veterans and soldiers.
*** According to information found by operculum, Spc. Delgado was a municipal police officer on leave from his job after being called to active duty in Iraq. He leaves behind a wife, a son and a daughter. Sgt. Cintrón, the son of a Puerto Rico policewoman, is survived by his wife and two sons.
Sgt. Jose Cintrón Rosado and Spc. Jose Delgado Arroyo are missed by their
families, friends, and fellow guardsmen. May They Rest In Peace.
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In Afghanistan, a soldier from Kansas was also killed by a roadside bomb.
Sgt. Eric M. Nettleton, 26, of Wichita, Kansas
Sgt. Nettleton died January 5, in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan of wounds suffered in Dehjawz-e Hasanzay when a improvised explosive device detonated while he was on foot patrol. He was assigned to B Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, based in Vilseck, Germany.
Eric Nettleton grew up in Wichita, Kansas, with his parents and brother and sister. He played football at Wichita West High School, and graduated in 2003. Eric joined the Army shortly after graduating high school.
Those who knew Eric say the world has lost a great man too early. They described him as funny, quiet, and above all, kind.
"Very kind... very very kind. Would have helped you do anything," said one of his former teachers.
"He was just a wonderful young man and believed in service, and would do anything for anybody."
Sgt. Nettleton had served a tour in Iraq, before deploying to Afghanistan. His brother is also serving in the military.
His family says that Sgt. Nettleton was married just over a year. His wife currently lives in Vilseck, Germany, where Nettleton was stationed with the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment.
"I am deeply saddened to hear about the death of Sergeant Nettleton," Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Wichita, said in a statement.
"He proudly served his country and laid down his life with honor to protect our freedoms. He is an American hero.
"My thoughts and prayers are with the Nettleton family and friends who have suffered this tremendous loss."
Among those Sgt. Nettleton leaves behind are his wife, parents, his sister and brother, his troops, and friends in Wichita. Sgt. Eric Nettleton is missed. May He Rest in Peace.
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We Remember Them
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Photos Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Thanks to Timroff for our faithfully lighted candle IGTNT logo.
(Other non-Source Photos by CalNM)
Helping our troops:
If you wish to assist our military and their families, consider Operation Helmet, or sponsoring a deployed service member at TroopCarePackage.com.
Fisher House provides housing for families of injured troops and veterans who are recovering in hospitals, and Guardian angels for soldierspet assists the animal companions of our deployed military.
When our veterans come back home, they can find support at Welcome Back Veterans.
Our recently returned veterans need jobs, and Veterans Green Jobs is now hiring for positions and filling training sessions. VGJ corps retrains veterans as leaders in forest and resource conservation, green construction, and energy efficient upgrades of homes in rural areas. Encourage a Veteran, and see if you can help out.
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About the IGTNT series: I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect, and remember the fallen, and to remind us that each casualty has family and friends who received the terrible news that their loved one has died at war.
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. The US Department of Defense news releases are found at defense gov/releases. Icasualties lists the names of those killed, and shows the number of wounded. Published AP photos of the returning war fatalities are found on the Dover AFB page.
Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries in 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, Sandy on Signal, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Ms Wings, maggiejean, racheltracks, ccasas, JaxDem, and me, CalNM. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for our fallen brothers and sisters.
Please bear in mind that these memorial 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.