"Taps" is sounded nightly by the U S military to indicate that it is "lights out". It is played on bugle or trumpet during flag ceremonies and at the conclusion of most military funerals. The tune in its present form was arranged by Union Army Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield.
When "Taps" is sounded at a funeral, it is customary for serving members of the military or veterans to salute. The corresponding gesture for civilians is to place the right hand over the heart.
All is well, safely rest:
Sgt Jason G. Amores
OS2(SW) Dominique D. Cruz
Spc Joshua T. Lancaster
Pfc Amy R. Sinkler
I Got The News Today (IGTNT) , which is among 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 and Afghanistan. The IGTNT title is a reminder that nearly every day the family of an active duty service member receives the terrible news that their beloved has died.
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Since 2003 we have suffered the loss of 4436 American lives and a total of 4754 Coalition Forces in Iraq. Since 2001 we have suffered the loss of 1466 American lives and a total of 2307 Coalition Forces in Afghanistan.
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Taps
Day is done...Gone the sun
From the lake...
From the hills...
From the sky.
All is well...Safely rest
God is nigh.
Fading light....Dims the sight
And a star....Gems the sky....Gleaming bright
From afar....Drawing night
Falls the night.
~Composed By Major General Daniel Butterfield
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Sgt Jason G. Amores, 29 of Lehigh Acres, Florida
Sgt. Amores died Jan. 20 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.
Jason graduated from Lehigh Senior High School in 1999. Jason and his brother Jeremiah, 26, enlisted in the Marines the same day in November 29, 2004. Jason was on his 4th combat deployment.
Amores' uncle Bob Middleton said his nephew was more like a son.
He was my fishing, hunting partner and we worked together for years. He meant the world to me. I was upset when he joined because it meant he was leaving me. He wanted to do his part for his county.
Rebecca Middleton, Jason's sister said this:
He was in charge of men. He was a leader of the pack and he loved what he did.
Sgt Jason G. Amores' personal service awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Jason Amores is survived by his wife of 10 years, Jennifer; two children, Corbin, 9, and Violet, 4; his mother Beverly and his father Curtis.
~ Source ~ Source ~Source ~ Source
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OS2(SW) Dominique D. Cruz, 26 of Panama City, Florida
The DoD announced Friday the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
OS2(SW) Dominique Cruz, 26, of Panama City, Fla., was found during search and rescue operations Jan. 19 in the Gulf of Oman after being reported missing Jan. 18. Cruz was assigned as an Operations Specialist to the USS Halsey homeported in San Diego, Calif. Halsey is currently deployed to the Fifth Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations.
Dominique enlisted June 6, 2006, was assigned to the USS Halsey in December of that year and continued there for these last four years.
When OS2 Cruz failed to report for duty on Tuesday a man overboard was sounded.
Helicopters from the Halsey, the USNS Rainier, and the Royal Navy's HMS Cumberland were a part of the search and rescue operations, as were F/A 18 Hornets and a P-3 maritime patrol aircraft from the USS Abraham Lincoln.
A 5th Fleet spokesman, Lt. Frederick Martin, told the Stars and Stripes newspaper that the sailor was a woman and that her body was retrieved by a rescue swimmer early Wednesday, January 19th, about 75 miles east of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Water temperature at the time was around 75 degrees, with swells of roughly 2 feet, he said. The air temperature was about 70 degrees, he added.
On Friday, the Lincoln posted a message paying tribune to her on its Facebook page:
"This week the Lincoln Strike Group family lost a shipmate to the perilous depths of the sea. A leader, a friend, a patriot, a hero. OS2 Cruz has gone to a far, far better rest than she has ever known, and today all Lincoln warriors fight in her name."
The Navy is investigating the death. A spokesman couldn't provide information about whether Cruz was married or had children.
Sadly, there is no photo or any personal information about Dominique available. Without a doubt her loved ones and fellow shipmates are grieving the loss of this brave woman.
UPDATE: Thanks to Sandy on Signal for finding this link to Dominique's facebook page which was listed under her maiden name, McNair.
OS2(SW) Dominique Cruz
~ Source ~ Source ~ Source ~Source
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Spc Joshua T. Lancaster, 22 of Millbrook, Alabama
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According to the DoD, Spc Lancaster died Jan. 19, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked the Kandahar airfield with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 184th Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group, Fort Campbell, Ky.
Joshua was a young man, full of life and excited about coming home in just three weeks.
Josh Henderson, a long-time friend of Lancaster's says:
It just feels like a dream right now. He's been my best friends since probably seventh or eighth grade.
He's the whole package. He's everything a friend would need, and want. He's always there for you whenever you needed him. He always had your back no matter what.
He is definitely my hero. I will always miss him.
Governor Steve Beshear of Kentucky has ordered the flags to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on the date of internment.
Specialist Joshua T. Lancaster's awards and decorations include: National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
Joshua Lancaster is survived by his wife, Melanie Lancaster of Clarksville, Tenn. and mother, Kimberly Irwin of Millbrook, Ala.
~ Source ~ Source ~ Source ~ Source
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Pfc Amy R. Sinkler, 23 of Chadbourn, North Carolina
The DoD announced that Pfc. Amy R. Sinkler died Jan. 20 in Baghlan province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked her unit with a rocket propelled grenade. She was assigned to the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
Amy Sinkler was a 2006 graduate of West Columbus High School. Sinkler enlisted in the Army in August 2009 and was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. before arriving at Fort Richardson, Alaska, in January 2010.
Brittany Rahman, Sinkler's best friend going back to their childhood days reported this:
She was a good person, very strong-minded. Some people try to hold back their feelings or their thoughts. That's not Amy. She's going to tell you exactly how she's feeling.
The girls graduated high school one year apart. After graduation they wanted to see the world and decided to go talk to a recruiter.
We were like, 'Hey let's try it, just to see the world, just try something different'. "Basically, we were in our hometown forever. We grew up there, didn't travel much, so we wanted to get away and see different stuff.
Rahman said Sinkler liked her experience in the Army and was proud when she completed her training. Sinkler married her high school boyfriend, Doug Sinkler, last year, and they settled in at the post just north of Anchorage, she said.
She bought a nice little car, so she got stable. I think she actually liked Alaska, but she wasn't there much longer.
Sinkler was the second female soldier and third overall from the 109th Transportation Co., the "Rough Riders," to die in combat since the 150-soldier unit deployed in July.
~ Source ~ Source ~ Source
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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, noweasels, monkeybiz, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, racheltracks, and me, JaxDem. 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 diarized 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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POW/MIA: Afghanistan & Iraq
Two U.S. soldiers are currently listed as captured or Duty Status -- Whereabouts Unknown as of December 1, 2009.
Spc. Ahmed K. Altaie 41
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Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl 23
Never forgotten - please keep good thoughts and prayers for these two men.
On December 8th new photos were published of Pfc Bowe R. Bergdahl in captivity. The article and images can be seen here.
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Helping Our Troops
There would be no finer way to honor the fallen than to contribute to programs that assist our active duty military. Here are a few suggestions:
Evan Ashcraft Foundation - This foundation was established to assist soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan to adjust to civilian life. In particular this foundation's emphasis is on PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.
Fisher House - Provides a "home away from home" for military families to be close to a loved one during hospitilization for an illness, disease or injury.
Homes For Our Troops - Build special adapted homes for severely injured veterans at no cost to the veterans they serve.
Netroots For The Troops - raises money for the assembly, mailing and delivery of care packages to American military in war zones, and to provide assistance to military families in the United States.
Veterans Green Jobs - Our recently returned veterans need jobs and VGJ is now hiring for positions and filling training sessions. VGJ corps retrains veterans as leaders in natural resource conservation, green construction, and energy efficient upgrades of homes in rural areas.
Welcome Back Veterans - created to inspire Americans to give back to our returning veterans and their families and assist in particular with PTSD.
Wounded Warrior Project - To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service service members, to help injured service members aid and assist each other and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.
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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.