Tonight, we have one soldier from the Yakima Valley, Washington and Idaho to honor.
Since 2001, there have been 1446 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since 2003, there have been 4432 American troops killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 14 killed in Operation New Dawn. 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 Announces Army Casualty
Pfc. Robert J. Near, 21, of Nampa, Idaho, died Jan. 7 at Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 86th Signal Battalion, Fort Huachuca, Ariz.
Pfc. Robert Near died from combat related injuries in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He worked in communications infrastructure for the Army. An army spokesman said he worked as a 25 Q Multi Channel Transmissions Systems Operator/Maintainer for the 86th Signal Battalion in Afghanistan.
Near was raised by his grandmother since he was two years old. She lives in Granger, Washington on a cherry farm. After graduating Granger High School in 2007, Near joined the Job Corps and moved to Nampa, Idaho where he learned computer technology skills. His instructor, Michael Delaney, a twenty two year Veteran thought he would do well in the Army.
Delaney told the Idaho Statesman:
"He was still fired up on being a soldier and enjoying what he was doing and proud of what he was doing," Delaney said.
"He was out there doing what the country asked him to do," Delaney said. "He was doing the right thing. He stepped up. He was out there as a representative of the U.S. He gave everything he had and everything he would ever have. Absolutely, he's a hero."
Granger Middle School Principal, Lisa Rosberg told the Yakima Herald:
"He was a funny and a fun kid," said Lisa Rosberg, principal at Granger Middle School. "He just always was looking for a way to make people laugh and get people’s attention."
Pfc. Robert Near is survived by his mother, grandmother, three sisters and a brother. His mother and siblings live in California. They issued the following statement:
"Robert had a very positive attitude towards everything he was involved in, and that along with his intelligent mind made him someone who was going to make life as successful as possible, no matter what difficulties it offered," the release said.
Pfc. Robert Near's funeral will be Saturday, January 15, 2011 in Yakima, Washington. Patriot guard riders will escort.
Rest in peace, Pfc. Robert Near.
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, roses, SisTwo, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Maggie Jean, Jax Dem, Kestrel 9000, racheltracks, csas, 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.