Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality. ~Emily Dickinson
I Got the News Today (IGTNT) is a diary series intended to honor service members who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved oneI 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.
The beautiful forget-me-nots were created by llbear.
Since 2003 there have been 4486 US casualties in Iraq and since 2001 there have been 2300 US casualties in Afghanistan. Source.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Petty Officer 1st Class James L. Smith, 38, of Huffman, Texas, died Dec. 11, in Landstuhl, Germany, from a non-combat related incident.
Smith was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 28, Shreveport, La.
Memorial for Navy Petty Officer 1st Class James L. Smith
From the Navy Times.
A reservist assigned to a Louisiana-based Seabee unit deployed to Afghanistan died Dec. 11 in Germany, a Defense Department news release announced Tuesday — the first sailor death related to Operation Enduring Freedom since September, according to DoD.
Construction Mechanic 1st Class James L. Smith, 38, of Huffman, Texas, died as a result of a non-combat-related incident, the DoD release said. He was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 28, the “Old Pros,” based out of Barksdale Air Force Base.
Smith was a patient at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at the time of his death, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command spokesman Daryl Smith said Tuesday, but the spokesman had no further information on what led to the hospitalization or any details on the incident that caused the reservist’s death. In a follow-up email, he did say CM1 Smith died “of natural causes.”
Fair winds and following seas.
Click here to read the series as begun by i dunno, and maintained by Sandy on Signal, noweasels, Blue Jersey Mom, Chacounne, Twilight Falling, Sis Two, Spam Nunn, CalNM, Wide Awake in KY,
maggiejean, Jaxdem, Kestrel9000, TheFatLadySings, and Ekaterin
If you would like to contribute to the series, even once a month, please contact Sandy on Signal or noweasels.
To see what these tributes mean to those who have lost a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan, please read Sandy on Signal’s story about meeting the father of a soldier at NN10.
The IGTNT logo was created by Timroff.
Sgt Bowe R. Bergdahl
The only known current Prisoner of War is Sgt. Bowe R. Bergdahl, 26 who was captured by the Taliban in June of 2009. Five propaganda videos featuring Bergdahl have been released by the Taliban. A website has been established with the most up-to-date information on Sgt. Bergdahl.
Latest news report from June 20, 2013 Afghan Taliban offers to swap captive U.S. solider Bowe Bergdahl for 5 Guantanamo detainees.
Please keep good thoughts and prayers for Sgt. Bowe R. Bergdahl.
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.