I Got The News Today (IGTNT) , which began in April of 2004, is one of the oldest continuous series on Daily Kos and 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.
~ Image Credit to llbear with gratitude
.
Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of Heaven,
Blossom the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in Evangeline
Honoring and Remembering:
Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker
Sgt. Christopher P. Soderlund
Sgt. Steven L. Talamantez
Spc. Rafael A. Nieves, Jr.
Lance Cpl. Norberto Mendez Hernandez
.
Since 2003 we have suffered the loss of 4472 American lives and a total of 4790 Coalition Forces in Iraq.
Since 2001 we have suffered the loss of 1661 American lives and a total of 2580 Coalition Forces in Afghanistan.
.
Many thanks to blue jersey mom for researching and writing this beautiful tribute to Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker.
.
On Sunday, the Department of Defense made the following announcement:
Sgt. 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker, 39, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died July 9 in Panjshir province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 334th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
A subsequent official statement on Sgt. Pasker's death shows that he was killed by an Afghan security officer:
Terry Pasker was killed by an Afghan National Directorate Security officer during a mounted patrol, Saturday, July 9, in Panjshir Province, Afghanistan at approximately 9:30 a.m., local Afghanistan time. As Pasker conducted the mounted patrol, the security officer stopped Pasker’s vehicle, then shot and killed both Pasker and a civilian in the vehicle. Master Sgt. Todd Eipperle of Marshalltown, Iowa, driving an armored vehicle in front of Pasker, stopped as soon as the shots were fired, and exchanged gunfire with the Afghan security officer, killing the security officer. Eipperle was wounded in the attack. The attack is under investigation.
Sgt. Terryl Pasker was a native of Iowa. He graduated from Lisbon high school in 1990, and he jointed the Army in July of that year. He enlisted in the Iowa National guard in 1995. Pasker was on his second deployment in Afghanistan at the time of his death, and he was only weeks away from the end of his tour. He had previously served in Afghanistan in 2004-05.
Sgt. Michael Gronewald of the Iowa National Guard said he was friends with Pasker and occasionally communicated with him via email. He said Pasker was in charge of an electrical section and planned to return to the construction trade and start a family when he retired from the military next year after more than 20 years of service.
“It’s pretty tough on us,” Gronewald told reporters... “It’s just a shock. You never get used to it. I never have and never will.” ~source
In addition to his wife. Sgt. Pasker is survived by his parents, two brothers, and a sister.
On learning of Sgt. Pasker's passing, Congressman Bruce Bradley (D-Iowa) issued the following statement:
My heart goes out to Terryl’s family and friends. This is a tragedy and a difficult time for all Iowans and the entire National Guard family. Terryl, and all the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their nation, are in my thoughts and prayers at this time. ~source
Thank you, Sgt. Terryl L. Pasker, for your long and selfless service to our nation. Our prayers are for your family.
.
.
Sgt. Christopher P. Soderlund, 23, of Pineville, Louisiana
Sgt. Christopher P. Soderlund, 23, of Pineville, La., died July 9 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with rocket-propelled grenade fire. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La. ~ DoD News Release
Christopher Soderlund finished his freshman year at Pineville High School in 2004 and then entered the Louisiana National Guard's Youth Challenge Program at Camp Beauregard. He is the second soldier from Pineville to be killed in the War on Terror.
Sgt Soderlund joined the Army in March 2006. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from December 2007 to January 2009. He deployed with his unit in October 2010 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields:
Our sympathies and condolences go out to the family.
Sgt. Soderlund's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, the Purple
Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Valorous Unit Award, the Army Good
Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal,
the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,
the Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army
Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal and the Combat
Infantryman Badge.
Sgt. Christopher P. Soderlund is survived by his wife, two children, mother, father and
step-father
~ Source ~ Source ~ Source
.
.
Sgt. Steven L. Talamantez, 34, of Laredo, Texas
Sgt. Steven L. Talamantez, 34, of Laredo, Texas, died July 10, in Al Amarah, Iraq, of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. ~ DoD News Release
Steven Talamantez grew up in San Antonio and graduated from McCollum High School in 1995.
Steven worked for his father in the contracting business before he enlisted in the Army. His father has since died.
Sgt. Talamantez met his wife Sandra, a Laredo native, in San Antonio in 2005 and they married in 2007. In 2008 he served his first tour in Iraq.
Talamantez's wife Sandra said:
His enlistment ended in May but he extended it because he wanted to go again with his team. He was always the guy who was there for you.
Sgt. Talamantez's cousin, Rick Talamantez said Steven had more direction after meeting Sandra and joining the military.
When he joined the military and got Sandra things changed for him.
Shawn Casey English, a fellow soldier in Talamantez's platoon wrote on Steven's facebook page:
You will live on through the stories all of us will tell every chance we get.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said:
Sgt. Talamantez paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I pray he may rest in peace and that God bring comfort and closure to his family.
Sgt Steven L. Talamantez is survived by his mother; his wife, Sandra and a son.
~ Source
.
.
Spc. Rafael A. Nieves Jr., 22, of Albany, New York
Spc. Rafael A. Nieves Jr., 22, of Albany, N.Y., died July 10 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. ~ DoD News Release
Rafael Nieves lived in New Jersey until he was 14 and then moved to Guilderland where he attended and graduated in 2008 from Guilderland High School. He had been a dedicated member of the ROTC program there. The flag at Guilderland High School was lowered to half-staff Sunday. It remained there Monday afternoon, softly whipping in the light summer breeze.
Rafael joined the Army shortly after graduation and met his wife, Sarah McKinney in Kentucky. At the time of his death, they had a 3-year-old daughter, Emma, and 5-month-old son, Rafael.
Spc Nieves, who would have been 23 on July 23rd, was due home at the completion of his tour in just two weeks.
Rafael's father told a news source:
It's tough. It's very tough. It's terrible, very terrible. I never expected for this to happen, never anticipated it. I wasn't prepared at all. It's something that I will never be able to understand.
Ashleymarie Santiago, one of Nieves' two younger sisters said:
His smile. That's what I'll always remember. He had the biggest smile.
Spc Rafael A. Nieves, Jr.'s awards and decorations include: Army Commendation Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star; North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; and Army Service Ribbon.
Rafael is survived by his spouse, Sarah A. McKinney; daughter, Emma Grace Nieves; son, Rafael A. Nieves III; father, Rafael A. Nieves Sr.; mother, Tina R. Roman; two sisters and three brothers.
~ Source ~ Source ~ Source
.
.
Lance Cpl. Norberto Mendez Hernandez, 22, of Logan, Utah
Lance Cpl. Norberto Mendez Hernandez, 22, of Logan, Utah, died July 10 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif. ~ DoD News Release
The son of Mexican immigrants and Utah’s 61st military fatality in the war on terror, Hernandez enlisted in the Marine Corps April 26, 2010. This was his first combat deployment. As a boy, Mendez Hernandez would show his friends Army brochures, but his ambition shifted to the Marines when he learned of the Marine reputation for toughness.
Carlos Rosales, a friend of Hernandez said:
Where he was at, it was a pretty tough spot. He was saying that he was getting shot at every day. We tried to convince him [not to go] and said "hey you know something could happen." He was one of those who, as soon as he set his mind to something, he's going to do it. We tried to convince him and he said no. He said he'll be okay, nothing will happen to him.
Staff Sgt. Denver Sugano said of Lance Cpl. Hernandez:
He was the type of person who would not quit at anything. When told to do something, he would do it. He was a good individual, a good father, husband and Marine.
Hernandez had ambition and desire to push himself to the limit, Sugano said.
He didn't go for 100 percent; he went for 200 or more.
Cousin, Jesus Mendez said:
Joining the Marines was his dream ever since he was a little kid.
Brother Thomas Mendez, 17, said:
As long as he was with them (the U.S. Marines), he was happy. He didn’t care about money or anything like that.
Thomas Mendez remembers much about his older brother – wrestling at home; fishing at a dam; trips to the mall in his brother’s blue GMC pickup truck.
It’s very painful, I miss him. But I’m proud of him. He’s a true hero. He knew he was fighting for freedom and now he has it.
Mendez dreamed of being a Marine from childhood. Movies like “Rambo” interested him. Movies like “Black Hawk Down,” based on the Battle of Mogadishu, inspired him to help. Finally, the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001, convinced him:
“You know what?” he told his younger brother. “I’m joining the Marines.”
Lance Cpl. Norberto Mendez Hernandez's personal service awards now include the Purple Heart and Combat Action Ribbon, along with a Select Marine Corps Reserve Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and Nato-ISAF Medal.
He is survived by his wife Lorena Mendez and two children, ages 2 and 7 months
~ Source ~ Source ~ Source ~ Source
.
.
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, SisTwo, SpamNunn, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, Kestrel9000, TheFatLadySings 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.
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.
.
.
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
and
Sgt. Bowe R. Bergdahl 23
Never forgotten - please keep good thoughts and prayers for these two men.
On December 8, 2010 new photos were published of Sgt. Bowe R. Bergdahl in captivity. The article and images can be seen here.
The father of Bowe R. Bergdahl released this video on May 6, 2011 in which he appeals for the release of his son.
The Army promoted Bergdahl to the rank of sergeant effective June 12, 2011. This is his second promotion since he was listed as Missing-Captured on June 30, 2009.
.
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.