On Friday, the Department of Defense made the following announcement:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Nathan P. Kennedy, 24, of Claysville, Pa., died April 27, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms fire near Quarando Village, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
Sgt. Kennedy had already earned his ranger tab, and he hoped to join the Special Forces. Please follow me below the fold to learn more about his service to our country.
Sgt. Nathan Kennedy was a Pennsylvania native and a 2004 graduate of McGuffey High School in Clayville where he was a star wrestler. After one semester of college, Kennedy decided that it was not for him, and he chose to join the military. He joined the Army in November of 2005 and joined his current unit in 2006. Kennedy served a 14-month tour of duty in Iraq between 2006 and 2007. His family said that he was reluctant to speak about his wartime service.
“He was just doing what he thought was right for the country,” said his father, Joe Kennedy of Claysville. ~source
Kennedy had great success in the military. In addition to earning his ranger tab, he also completed sniper training. He chose to re-enlist with the goal of becoming a member of the Special forces. Kennedy's awards and decorations include:
His awards received include: Army Commendation Medal - 2, Army Achievement Medal - 2, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge. ~source
Kennedy was a member of a large and loving family. He is survived by his grandmother, Mary Lou Kennedy, his father, Joe Kennedy, and two sisters and a brother. His mother, Penelope Kennedy, passed away in 2001. Sgt Kennedy was last home in February when his twin sister gave birth to her first child. His tour of Duty in Afghanistan was scheduled to end on May 25th.
Thank you, Sgt. Kennedy, for your skilled and selfless service to our country. Rest in eternal peace. May your loving family be surrounded by friends and neighbors. Poppies are the universal symbols of remembrance. May we always remember and honor your service.
In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915
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.
~source
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The purpose of the I Got the News Today series is to honor service members who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and is currently maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, a girl in MI, Spam Nunn, JeNoCo, Janos Nation, True Blue Majority, CalNM, and Wide Awake in KY.
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.