Good evening, everyone. An American soldier, Spc. Christopher Drake, lost his life in Afghanistan over the Memorial Day weekend.
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.
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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.
On May 28th, the
Department of Defense made the following announcement:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Christopher R. Drake, 20, of Tickfaw, La., died May 26, in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the 1084th Transportation Company, 165th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion, 139th Regional Support Group, Reserve, La.
Spc. Drake was a 2011 graduate of Independence High School in Independence, Louisiana where he was a star football player and all-district cornerback.
“Nobody was going to outwork him,” [ football coach Mike] Young said. “Anything he did, he did at full speed.”
Whether it was working in the weight room or intercepting passes, Drake always concentrated on getting better, and he felt the military was another way to improve, Young said.
“He was as hard of a worker as anybody I’ve ever seen,” said Keith Carona, the head football coach at Independence High. “That includes working on everything from being an athlete to being a student.” ~source
Spc. Drake enlisted shortly after his high school graduation. The
Shreveport Times reports that:
He joined the Louisiana Army National Guard in September 2011 as a truck driver and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. While deployed, officials said he served as a gunner on a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.
Drake was one of 115 soldiers from the River Parishes in Louisiana who were in the early stages of a year-long deployment in Afghanistan. They were given a send-off ceremony by the National Guard in LaPlace, LA in February.
Spc. Drake leaves behind a 3-year-old son and his fiancee. Our heart goes out to both of them. Family members traveled to Delaware to escort him home. Funeral plans are not yet finalized. Drake brings to 2092 the number of US servicemembers killed in Afghanistan.
Thank you, Spc. Christopher Drake, for your selfless service to our nation. Rest in peace.