[Vision2020] The Human Toll

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the September 19, 2011 edition of the Army Times –

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

The following U.S. service member died while supporting Operation New Dawn
in Iraq, confirmed by the Defense Department from September 2, 2011
through September 8, 2011:

Navy Cmdr. James K. Crawford, 50, of East Concord, New York; assigned to
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, supporting operations at the Combined
Maritime Forces Coalition Coordination Center at Naval Support Activity,
Bahrain.

September 2, 2011 – September 1, 2011
Killed: 1; Wounded in action: 3

March 19, 2003 – September 8, 2011
Killed: 4,465; wounded in action: 32,189

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

The following U.S. service members died while supporting Operation
Enduring Freedom combat operations in Afghanistan, confirmed by the
Defense Department from September 2, 2011 through September 8, 2011:

Navy James W. Coker, 59, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; worked for
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia.

Army Spc. Koran P. Contreras, 21, of Lawndale, California; assigned to the
2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th
Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York.

Army Spc. Christopher D. Horton, 26, of Collinsville, Oklahoma; assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 279 Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat
Team, Oklahoma National Guard, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Army Sgt. Bret D. Isenhower, 26, of Lamar, Oklahoma; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 279 Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team,
Oklahoma National Guard, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Army Pfc. Douglas J. Jeffries Jr., 20, of Springville, California;
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York.

Navy Petty Officer Brian K. Lundy, 25, of Austin, Texas; assigned as a
hospital corpsman to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat
Team 5, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune,
North Carolina.

Army Pfc. Tony J. Potter Jr., 20, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma; assigned to the
1st Battalion, 279 Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team,
Oklahoma National Guard, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Army Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Quintana, 30, of Huntington Park, California;
assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry
Brigade, Schweinfurt, Germany.

Army Staff Sgt. Keith F. Rudd, 36, of Winder, Georgia; assigned to the 3rd
Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort
Bragg, North Carolina.

Army Spc. Kevin R. Shumaker, 24, of Livermore, California; to the Brigade
Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division,
Fort Drum, New York.

Army Pfc. Brett E. Wood, 19, of Spencer, Indiana; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th
Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

September 2, 2011 – September 8, 2011
Killed: 11; Wounded in action: 91

October 10, 2001 – September 8, 2011
Killed: 1,754; Wounded in action: 13,700

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

National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated
(as of August 30, 2011)

http://www.defense.gov/news/d20110830ngr.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.