Tonight, we honor two soldiers. Both were killed in Afghanistan and leave behind wives and children. Five children in all have lost their fathers.
Since 2001, there have been 1918 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since January 1, 2012 there have been 54 U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan. Please take a moment to honor their sacrifice.
Please bear in mind that these 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.
DoD Announced Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Daniel J. Brown, 27, of Jerome, Idaho, died March 24 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Sgt. Daniel J. Brown looked forward to returning home next month to meet, for the first time, his twin daughters, who were born three months ago. A friend, Jordan Hoffman, spoke to him on Facebook last month. She told the local station,
KPVI -TV:
"The thing that he was most excited about, the thing that he kept saying was, "Yeah, I'm the new dad to two new beautiful twin girls." He was really excited, he was going to be coming home next month to meet them, and he never got that chance. And he asked me about my girls, and I'm just really glad that I had that opportunity to talk to him one last time."
An event to honor Sgt. Brown is planned at the gym in Jerome High School on April 7th. A fund is set up to support his wife and two babies. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Rest in peace, Sgt. Daniel Brown.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Capt. Aaron D. Istre, 37, of Vinton, La., died March 24 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the HHC, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Fort Hood, Texas.
Captain Aaron D. Istre graduated from Vinton High school in 1993. He and a close friend, Anthony Bordelon, joined the Army together. Bordelon told KPLC-TV:
"We met in elementary school in fifth grade, grew up together, went to high school together, graduated together. He and I both joined the service together and went active duty for a couple years. We both got out and came into the National Guard and he went to LSU and got his degree and got his commission and went back active duty."
He says Istre was a terrific man who dedicated his life to his family and his country. "I think he would want to best be remembered as a soldier and a husband and a father. He was great at all of those, the best guy. Great personality, always there for you when you need him, super guy,"
Istre was married to Jennifer, who is also a soldier. They have three children. Three days before he was killed, Istre wrote a loving Birthday message to his wife:
Just a quick shout out to my lovely wife on her birthday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Babe, I love you and wish I could be there to take you out for a big steak dinner. Hope you have a wonderful day, I Love You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She wrote him back excited to share the rest of their lives together soon.
Anthony Bordelon told KPIC-TV:
"The best way to honor him and any soldier who has fallen is to be patriotic and support your troops because they do give everything that they can for their country and for all of us," said Bordelon.
Capt. Istre was a highly decorated Captain. He serveD two deployments: one in Operation Iraqi Freedom 2005-2006 and the other, in Operation Enduring Freedom since December 2011. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Rest in peace, Captain Aaron D. Istre.
In Flanders Fields
by Lt. Col. John McRae, MD, (1872-1918)
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. 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.
All of the U.S. fatalities can be seen here and here. They all had loved ones, families and friends. The DoD news releases are here. I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect and remind. Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries.
Click the IGTNT tags to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Monkeybiz, Noweasels, Blue Jersey Mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, SisTwo, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Maggie Jean, Jax Dem, Kestrel 9000, TheFatLadySings, Ekaterina, and me, Sandy on Signal.
Please bear in mind that these 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.