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We see but dimly through the mists and vapors;
Amid these earthly damps
What seem to us but sad, funeral tapers
May be heaven's distant lamps.
~ Longfellow
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Tonight We Honor & Remember:
Sgt. Mark A. Cofield
Lance Cpl. Christopher L. Camero
Lance Cpl. Jabari N. Thompson
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.
Since 2003 we have suffered the loss of 4474 American lives and a total of 4792 Coalition Forces in Iraq.
Since 2001 we have suffered the loss of 1679 American lives and a total of 2606 Coalition Forces in Afghanistan.
Aloha Oe
Its Meaning
It’s more than just an easy word for casual good – bye;
It’s gayer than a greeting and it’s sadder than a sigh;
It has the hurting poignancy, the pathos of a sob;
It’s sweeter than a youthful heart’s exquisite joyous throb;
It’s all the tender messages that words cannot convey;
It’s tears unshed, and longing for a loved one gone away;
It’s welcome to Hawaii and it’s lingering farewell;
It’s all the dear and silent things that lovers’ lips can tell;
It’s woven into flower leis and old Hawaiian songs;
It’s frailer than a spider – web and strong as leather thongs;
It’s fresh as dew on ginger blooms and older than the moon;
It’s in the little lullabies that native mothers croon;
It’s said a hundered different ways, in sadness and in joy;
Aloha means “I love you.” So, I say “Aloha oe.”
~ Don Blanding
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Sgt. Mark A. Cofield, 25, of Colorado Springs, Colorado
Sgt. Mark A. Cofield, 25, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died July 17 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C. ~ DoD News Release
Mark Cofield hailed from a family with extensive military service that dates back to the American Revolution and includes every branch of the military, so it would come as no surprise when he joined the Army in February of 2010 after speaking with a brother who had recently returned from a deployment in Iraq.
That brother, Sgt. John Howard Cofield, is currently stationed on Fort Bragg and Mark's father, Maj. John Cofield, is currently stationed at Fort Huachuca in Arizona.
Sgt. Cofield was a human intelligence collector assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion. He had been promoted to Sgt a mere 18 months after completing his basic training.
Like his father, Tariena Cofield said her son planned to be a career soldier and was excited to have been recently promoted to sergeant.
He was a good soldier and a patriot. He loved the Army.
A neighbor Liz Cameron said:
There's going to be such a hole in this community's heart because Mark was all about love.
According to those who knew him best, the 25-year-old Sgt. Cofield excelled at everything, especially athletics. A hockey player for most of his life, he eventually competed as a part of the Rampart High School hockey team. While in Iraq, he started running marathons and even won a few.
Sgt. Cofield's sister, Sara will remember him most for the times they shared together cooking, gardening, and just being a family.
I'm proud to say that my brother served, that's a good thing. He not only was a soldier and served our country and will be missed as a part of it but he'll be missed as a brother, and as a son, and as a friend.
His mother, Tariena Cofield, is an active member of Blue Star Mothers of America (a national organization) and was an integral part of creating a chapter for the Southern Colorado area.
To her knowledge, her son is the first member of the family to die while serving the country.
Mark A. Cofiled is survived by his father, Major John Cofield; mother, Tariena; brother John; brother, Matthew and sister Sara.
~ Source ~ Source ~ Source
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Lance Cpl. Christopher L. Camero, 19, of Kailua Kona, Hawaii
Lance Cpl. Christopher L. Camero, 19, of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, died July 15 of wounds suffered July 6 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. ~ DoD News Release
Christopher Camero was a 2010 Honokaa High School graduate who used physical fitness classes to prepare him for the Marine Corps. "Chris" was active in football, judo and wrestling. He joined the Marines shortly after graduation and this was his first combat assignment in Operation Enduring Freedom.
It has been reported that Camero stepped on a landmine and had both legs amputated as a result of his horrific injuries. Lance Cpl. Camero remained dependent on life support until he died.
Lance Cpl.Camero came from a military family, his father was a soldier in the Philippines and as a young boy Chris was always saluting.
His aunt, Florida Ballio, said Camero emigrated from the Philippines at about age five and grew up in Waimea, where he liked to cook, fish and play football, judo and wrestling.
It was in his blood to be a soldier. It is really sad that he had to go, you know. That's why it's hard for us to accept that he is gone.
He always goes fishing with his father whenever he gets time. I'm really trying to cope with it. He's a very, very good boy. Very active.
Daphne Honma, a Honokaa High and Intermediate School teacher said:
You kind of have it in the back of your mind whenever any of your students go, but you just don't expect to hear that. (He) was a very respectful kid. He was a good student and he was always smiling. He had a good personality. Becoming a Marine was one of his goals when he came into class his senior year. He had talked to a recruiter, and he was really excited.
A friend who attended boot camp with Camero wrote on his web site:
His lifelong goal was to become a Marine, and his childhood dream came true. ... On July 6th, I heard you were hit bad by an IED, and I prayed for you. I will never forget you or any of the stunts we pulled.
Lance Cpl. Christopher L. Camero’s service awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Chris survived by his parents, Carlos and Norma Camero, and sister Sarrah Jane Camero.
~ Source ~ Source ~ Source ~ Source
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Lance Cpl. Jabari N. Thompson, 22, of Brooklyn, New York
Lance Cpl. Jabari N. Thompson, 22, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died July 17 of wounds sustained July 13 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. ~ DoD News Release
Jabari Thompson spent his early years in Florida, but moved to New York over ten years ago after the death of his mother. He was a graduate of South Shore High School in Canarsie.
Lance Cpl Thompson joined the Marine Corps in 2008 because he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. He earned his promotion to Lance Corporal in March 2009.
Thompson was heroically rushing to aid a friend when he stepped on a land mine on July 13th. He was transported to a hospital in Germany where both legs were amputated.
His father, Gregory; his big sister, Chekesha and his fiancee, Shemiah Louis took a heartbreaking flight to Germany to be by his side.
Chekesha Thompson said:
I just told him that I loved him and that I wanted him to try to make it because I knew he had a strong heart. He had gone through so much.
Jabari's aunt, Novlette Hanson said:
We were told that he was trying to help a friend who got shot. I was always so worried about him, but he would tell me not to worry. He said, "Auntie, it's OK. I'll be back". I got a letter from him last week. He told me he was supposed to be back here the week of August 1st.
Novlette Hanson, said she has plans to honor her beloved nephew in another way:
He kept a special picture album. I remember he said, "Auntie, please take care of my album. My whole life is in that book. Please protect it for me". And that's what I'm going to do.
Lance Cpl. Jabari N. Thompson's awards include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
~ 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, 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.
If you would like to contribute to the series, even once a month, please contact Sandy on Signal.
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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
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.
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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.