[Vision2020] The Human Toll

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the May 9, 2011 edition of the Army Times –

---------------------------------------------------------

The following U.S. service members died while supporting Operation New
Dawn in Iraq, confirmed by the Defense Department from April 22, 2011
through April 28, 2011:

Army Pfc. Robert M. Friese, 21, of Chesterfield, Michigan; assigned to the
3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Spc. Andrew E. Lara, 25, of Albany, Oregon; assigned to F Company,
145th Brigade Support Battalion, attached to the 3rd Battalion, 116th
Cavalry Regiment.

April 22, 2011 – April 28, 2011
Killed: 2; Wounded in action: 8

March 19, 2003 – April 28, 2011
Killed: 4,440; wounded in action: 32,081

-------------------------------

The following U.S. service members died while supporting Operation
Enduring Freedom combat operations in Afghanistan, confirmed by the
Defense Department from April 22, 2011 through April 28, 2011:

Air Force Maj. Philip D. Ambard, 44, of Edmonds, Washington; assigned to
the 460th Space Communications Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado.

Air Force Maj. Jeffrey O. Ausborn, 41, of Gadsden, Alabama; assigned to
the 99th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

Air Force Maj. David L. Brodeur, 34, of Auburn, Massachusetts; assigned to
the 11th Air Force, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Air Force Master Sgt. Tara R. Brown, 33, of Deltona, Florida; assigned to
the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Joint Base Andrews,
Maryland.

Air Force Lt. Col. Frank D. Bryant Jr., 37, of Knoxville, Tennessee;
assigned to the 56th Operations Group, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

Army Sgt. Adam D. Craig, 23, of Cherokee, Iowa; assigned to the 1st
Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry
Division, Sioux City, Iowa.

Army Spc. Preston J. Dennis, 23, of Redding, California; assigned to the
1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th
Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York.

Air Force Maj. Raymond G. Estelle II, 40, of New Haven, Connecticut;
assigned to Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis,
Virginia.

Marine Lance Cpl. Ronald D. Freeman, 25, of Plant City, Florida; assigned
to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Army Sgt. Matthew D. Hermanson, 22, of Appleton, Wisconsin; assigned to
the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th
Mountain Division, Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Marine Lance Cpl. Joe M. Jackson, 22, of White Swan, Washington; assigned
to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.

Marine Cpl. Adam D. Jones, 29, of Germantown, Ohio; assigned to 3rd
Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina.

Air Force Capt. Nathan J. Nylander, 35, of Hockley, Texas; assigned to the
25th Operational Weather Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

Air Force Capt. Charles A. Ransom, 31, of Midlothian, Virginia; assigned
to the 83rd Network Operations Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis,
Virginia.

Army Pfc. Jonathan M. Villanueva, 19, of Jacksonville, Florida; assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th
Mountain Division, Fort Polk, Louisiana.

April 22, 2011 – April 28, 2011
Killed: 15; Wounded in action: 78

October 10, 2001 – April 28, 2011
Killed: 1,547; Wounded in action: 11,101

-------------------------------

National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated
(as of April  26, 2011)

http://www.defense.gov/news/d20110426ngr.pdf

---------------------------------------------------------

And the beat goes on . . .

“Bring 'em Home"
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/Bring_em_Home.mp3

"If you love this land of the free
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
Bring them back from overseas
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

It will make the politicians sad, I know
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
They wanna tangle with their foe
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

They wanna test their grand theories
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
With the blood of you and me
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

Now we'll give no more brave young lives
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
For the gleam in someone else's eyes
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

The men will cheer and the boys will shout
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
Yeah and we will all turn out
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

The church bells will ring with joy
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
To welcome our darlin' girls and boys
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home

We will lift our voice and sound
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home
Yeah, when Johnny comes marching home
Bring 'em home, bring 'em home."

---------------------------------------------------------

Pro patria,

Tom Hansen
SFC, US Army (Retired)
Moscow, Idaho

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the
tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime."

 -- Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.