[Vision2020] The Human Toll

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the October 31, 2011 edition of the Army Times –

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The following U.S. service members died while supporting Operation New
Dawn in Iraq, confirmed by the Defense Department from October 14, 2011
through October 20, 2011:

Army Capt. Shawn P. T. Charles, 40, of Hickory, North Carolina; assigned
to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Staff Sgt. James R. Leep Jr., 44, of Richmond, Virginia; assigned to
the 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th Brigade Combat Team,
Portsmouth, Virginia.

Army Pfc. Steven F. Shapiro, 29, of Hidden Valley Lake, California;
assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Advise and Assist
Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

October 14, 2011 – October 20, 2011
Killed: 3; Wounded in action: 4

March 19, 2003 – October 20, 2011
Killed: 4,472; wounded in action: 32,213

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The following U.S. service members died while supporting Operation
Enduring Freedom combat operations in Afghanistan, confirmed by the
Defense Department from October 14, 2011 through October 20, 2011:

Marine Lance Cpl. Jason N. Barfield, 22, of Ashford, Alabama; assigned to
3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary
Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms,
California.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan S. Bastean, 19, of Pekin, Illinois; assigned to
3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, California.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Raymond J. Border, 31, of West Lafayette, Ohio;
assigned to a provincial reconstruction team in Paktika province,
Afghanistan.  His home unit was Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 74 in
Gulfport, Mississippi.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Kristoffer B. Domeij, 29, of San Diego, California;
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord,
Washington.

Army Spc. Michael D. Elm, 25, of Phoenix, Arizona; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division, Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Army Pfc. Christopher A. Horns, 20, of Colorado Springs, Colorado;
assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord,
Washington.

Air Force Airmen 1st Class Jerome D. Miller Jr., 23, of Washington, D.C.;
assigned to the 459th Security Forces Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base,
Maryland.

Army Staff Sgt. Jorge M. Oliveira, 33, of Newark, New Jersey; assigned to
the 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry Regiment, 50th Brigade Combat Team,
Riverdale, New Jersey.

Army Sgt. Paul A. Rivera, 26, of Round Rock, Texas; assigned to the 709th
Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater
Sustainment Command, Hohenfels, Germany.

Army 1st. Lt. Ashley I. White, 24, of Alliance, Ohio; assigned to 230th
Brigade Support Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina
National Guard, Goldsboro, North Carolina.

October 14, 2011 – October 20, 2011
Killed: 10; Wounded in action: 79

October 10, 2001 – October 20, 2011
Killed: 1,802; Wounded in action: 14,534

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National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated
(as of October 18, 2011)

http://www.defense.gov/news/d20111018ngr.pdf

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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."

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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.