Please join me and the IGTNT team tonight as we honor three soldiers who lost their lives on foreign soil:
Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Worrell, who died April 22 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a non-combat related incident; and
Sgt. Ronald A. Kubik, and Sgt. Jason A. Santora, who both died April 23 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while conducting combat operations.
Our beautiful forget-me-nots were a gift from dear llbear.
Will you dear Kossacks kindly take a moment to send a warm thought or prayer to the hundreds of thousands of forgotten or unnoticed souls who have suffered, and continue to suffer, from the insanity of war? This is not their diary but still, we all feel and grieve the pain of a broken human spirit.
Blessings and Light to all who share our world.
Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Worrell, 35
The press release from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington said that Staff Sgt. Worrell was from Virginia Beach, Virginia. After graduating from Green Run High School in 1995, he enlisted in the Army on February 13, 1997 and was then relocated to Fort Lewis in 1998 where he was an automated logistical specialist. Staff Sgt. Worrell was assigned to the 702nd Combat Support Battalion, 4th Stryker Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division in 2005.
This was Worrell's second tour of duty in Iraq. He had been there on this rotation since September. Previously, he had served a tour of duty in Korea in 2002. Staff Sgt. Worrell was awarded numerous accolades, including two Army Commendation Medals and four Army Achievement Medals.
Condolences have been left for the family at the on-line Guest Book, and at the Patriot Guard Riders forum, where their members are on Watch to escort Staff Sgt. Worrell on his final journey, if invited.
Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Worrell is survived by his wife Laura, two sons, and many friends, family and team members.
Our hearts go out to all who love Christopher Worrell. Please know that we stand beside you at this terrible time of loss.
Sgt. Ronald A. Kubik, 21
The New Jersey Star-Ledger shared a wonderful story from Sgt. Ronald Kubik's high school days: the young student came to class at Manasquan High School sporting a bright green mohawk. While many were amused, one of the vice principals was not, and Ron was threatened with suspension. This teenager challenged the threat and took the issue all the way up to the board of education, researching the rule and consulting numerous teachers over whether they thought he was a distraction to other classmates. Unexpectedly, the matter was decided in his favor.
A week later, Ron arrived at school with the mohawk buzzed off.
"It wasn't really important to him, but he just didn't like the rule," history teacher John Driscoll remembers.
Ronald Kubrik was honored at his former high school as a smart, often funny kid who played in a punk band, rocked both acting class and the wrestling team, and who was "really a smart kid and a wonderful kid who really had brains. It was remarkable," recalled Jamie Mawn, Ron's former history and journalism teacher.
English teacher Harry Harvey said, "I met him in my acting class, which is the last place you would expect to find him. There were these huge arms, attitude, black shirts and he always told you how it was. But he loved acting. He was a great fast talker and charismatic."
Several teachers encouraged him to attend college but Ron chose instead to enlist U.S. Army in March 2007. Sgt. Kubik was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment out of Fort Benning, Georgia as an assistant machine gunner and rifle team leader. Ron Kubik received numerous awards during his service, including the Ranger Tab, the Army Commendation Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. He was also posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal. This was his third deployment to Afghanistan in as many years.
Sgt. Kubik died two months short of his 22nd birthday.
The magnificent Patriot Guard Riders have left condolences for Sgt. Kubik's family at their forum, where their members are on Watch status to escort him on his final journey, if invited.
Sgt. Ronald Kubik is survived by his father, Ronald Kubik of Hazlet; his mother Eileen Kubik of Point Pleasant; a sister, Amy Kubik, of Brielle, which is Sgt. Kubik's hometown; and many friends, family and Ranger teammates.
Our hearts go out to all who love Ronald Kubik. Please know that we stand with you at this terrible time of loss.
Sgt. Jason A. Santora, 25
Farmingville, New York native Jason Santora graduated from Sachem High School in 2003 and he joined the Army in 2006, becoming a member of the elite Army Rangers. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment out of Fort Benning, Georgia. He was a rifle team leader in Company D, as well as a mortar platoon bearer in the Headquarters and Headquarters Company.
Jason Santora died while serving his fourth tour of duty. He served two rotations in Iraq, and was two months into his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. Sgt. Santora received many accolades in his four-year Army career, including the Army Commendation medal, the Army Good Conduct medal, the National Defense Service Medal, an Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a combat star, an Iraq Campaign Medal with two combat stars, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon. Sgt. Santora was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, and a Meritorious Service Medal.
The magnificent Patriot Guard Riders have left condolences for the Santora family on their forum, where their members are on Watch status to escort Sgt. Santora on his final journey, if invited. Democratic Congressman Tim Burton gave a tribute to Sgt. Santora, both on the floor and on his website, where he notes that Sgt. Santora's commanding officer called Santora "a warrior, a true patriot, and an absolute hero who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation."
Photo credit: Andrew Mills at the New Jersey Star-Ledger
From the New Jersey Star-Ledger: The bodies of US Army Sgt. Ronald A. Kubik and Sgt. Jason A. Santora are returned to the United States on Sunday, April 25, 2010. [...] The remains arrived at Dover Air Force Base aboard an Air Force C-17 transport at about 6:45 am. Many family members of both soldiers were on hand for the solemn dignified transfer process from the aircraft to a waiting mortuary vehicle. Thank you to Andrew Mills at NJ.com for this deeply moving video of the transfer ceremony.
Sgt. Jason Santora is survived by his father, Gary; his mother, Theresa; his sister, Gina; and many friends, family, and Ranger teammates.
Our hearts are with all who love Jason Santora. Please know that we stand beside you at this terrible time of loss.
Thank you, dear Timroff, for the gift of our IGTNT logo.
I can't think of a better way to honor the fallen than to contribute to the well-being of their fellow soldiers still on active duty.
The following fine organizations could sure use your support and your donations: AnySoldier.com, Books for Soldiers, Fisher House, the Military Pets Foster Project, Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pets, Operation Baghdad Pups, Operation Enduring Christmas, an organization that sends holiday presents to the children of our fallen troops, and Helping Udders, an organization that sends cooling vests to the Military Working Dogs stationed with their handlers in Iraq.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Click here to see other IGTNT diaries, a series which was begun by i dunno and which is currently maintained by Sandy on Signal, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, noweasels, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, and Wide Awake in Kentucky.
These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but, we believe, an important service to those Americans who have died, and to our community's respect for and remembrance of them. Fallen soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and National Guard whose names have been released by the Department of Defense will usually be diaried two days after the official announcement on the DoD website. This allows the IGTNT team to cover each fallen service member more fully, but still in a timely manner
As you read this diary, please consider that the families and friends of those profiled here also may read it and that many members of our community have served in Iraq or Afghanistan or have loved ones currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. I hope that the comments tonight will demonstrate our respect for the sacrifices of our fallen military and our compassion for their families, whatever our personal feelings about the war and occupation happen to be. (Comment credit and my thanks to dear noweasels.)
PEACE AND BLESSINGS.