May the good lord be with you
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when you’re far from home
And may you grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As you’d have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you’ll always stay
Forever young.
~ From "Forever Young," by Rod Stewart
A mother of three whose never-say-quit attitude allowed her to defy prejudice and longstanding tradition to serve her country as a mechanic. A 19-year-old who epitomized courage and strength to beat incredible odds and survive almost five months after being grievously wounded. A man so fiercely loyal to his country that he decided at age 10 to spend his life protecting it, whatever the cost.
Follow me below the fold to read about and remember these special people: Sgt. Tracy Birkman, Pfc. Duncan Crookston, and Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Kahler.
It’s incredible to me that Rod Stewart wrote "Forever Young" without ever having met Sgt. Birkman, Pfc. Crookston, or Sgt. 1st Class Kahler. Like all those we remember at IGTNT, they were far too young to die. But the lives they led were so filled with...well, like the song said, sunshine, happiness, pride, honor, dignity, and courage. Read about them and be inspired by these people who must now remain forever young in the hearts of those who remember them.
Sgt. Tracy Birkman, 41, of New Castle, VA
The DoD reports:
Sgt. Tracy Renee Birkman, 41, of New Castle, Va., died Jan. 25 in Owesat, Iraq, from non-combat related injuries. She was assigned to the 626th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Note: Tracy Birkman’s family has asked the media for privacy as they try to come to terms with their horrific loss and to protect her three sons from public scrutiny; hence, there is little information available about her. I will absolutely respect their request for privacy here as well.
In March, 2006, however, Tracy was interviewed as part of an Army celebration of Women’s History Month while she was stationed in Tikrit, Iraq. Since this interview occurred with Tracy’s cooperation and was posted with her approval (and contains no personal information about her or her family), I would like to share what I learned from it about this exceptional woman who broke through one of the Army’s "glass ceilings."
Tracy Birkman did something remarkable: she joined the Army in 1988 and managed to secure a career as a mechanic. In fact, she did so well during her 20-year career that she rose through the ranks and ultimately became a team leader, supervising about a dozen other mechanics.
It might not sound so remarkable until you consider that Army mechanics have been—and remain predominantly—male. There were no rules to stop Tracy from embarking on her chosen career—"just" decades of tradition. But Tracy was exceptional. She had the determination and talent to face the really significant obstacles in her path. And she succeeded.
When Tracy was interviewed in March, 2006 during her second deployment to Iraq, she admitted that she had walked a tough path, and that the difficulties of being a woman in a heavily male-dominated field had not really subsided. She told an interviewer, "My job is part mentor and part den mother...My Soldiers are my kids and a lot times they act like kids." She also noted ruefully that her job would have been a lot easier if she were a man. But her gender didn’t stop people around her from appreciating her. Her company commander at the time, Captain Jacob Grabia, said of her, "Staff Sgt. Birkman is one of my best Soldiers. She’s very dedicated to her Soldiers and her job."
The video of this interview is short—just a couple of minutes—but do watch it. Tracy’s sense of humor, determination, and commitment really come through. You’ll wish so much that you’d had the privilege of meeting this amazing woman.
Tracy earned numerous awards and decorations during her career, including: Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Korea Defense Service Medal; Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; Combat Action Badge; Weapons Qualification, M4, Expert; and Driver and Mechanic Badge. At the time of her death, she was on her third deployment to Iraq. Governor Steve Beshear of Kentucky, where she was stationed, has ordered flags at state office buildings to be flown at half staff in her honor.
Tracy is survived by her three children and her parents. You can see some additional photos of her here.
Rest in peace, Tracy Birkman. May your brave and determined spirit roam free and be at peace forever, and may your memory be a blessing and an inspiration for all those who remember you.
PFC Duncan Crookston, 19, of Denver, CO
"He was so full of life"
The DoD reports:
Pfc. Duncan Charles Crookston, 19, of Denver, Colo., died Jan. 25 in Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
By all accounts, Duncan Crookston was an exceptionally intelligent, gifted individual. His mother, Leesha Crookston, told The Denver Post, "He was very intelligent, very into science and was able to teach himself things about things, especially electronics. He ended up being placed as a radio-tech operator in his unit because he was so good with electronics." A longtime friend, Estevan Ruiz, said of him, "He was a really great guy, and he helped everyone out whenever they needed him. And he knew everything about anything — music, computer games, books. And if he didn't know it, he was sure to learn it because that was just the way he was." His former squad leader, Sgt. Tristan Ruark, blogged, "The first time I met him everyone was like you gotta check this guy out he is the smartest dude ever. I walked down to one of the barracks rooms where he was hanging out and watched this kid complete a Rubik's cube in under 56 seconds. His knowledge of computers and iPods and PSPs and electronics were unchecked in the platoon." His wife, Meaghun, told The Rocky Mountain News, "He was just a kind guy. He was very loving and selfless, one in a million. He was willing to give up his life for other people. When he decided he wanted to go into the Army, there was no talking him out of it."
And yet he was even more than that. At just 19 years old, Duncan Crookston was one of the strongest, bravest, most determined human beings I’ve ever heard about. He was injured very badly on Sept. 4, 2007, when a bomb exploded near his vehicle in Iraq. Three of the other four people in the vehicle died immediately (see blue jersey mom's diary). Duncan was severely burned over more than half his body and sustained other serious injuries from the explosion. His squad leader said he was told that Duncan would not survive the night.
He did survive that night, and he fought for his life for nearly five months at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He lost both legs, one arm, and his other hand, but this did not deter him. He underwent numerous and serious surgical procedures—some of which failed and had to be repeated—but he kept fighting. He battled infection after infection. It’s impossible for me to imagine how much he suffered. But this man would not give up, no matter what happened to him. I really don’t think he knew how.
I wish so desperately that Duncan’s story had a happy ending. It doesn’t. His mother—who was at his side for the whole fight—broke the news on Jan. 25:
Dear Friends and Family, It is with great sadness I write to you today - Duncan passed away at 3:346 p.m. today after the decision was made to stop heroic measures. Duncan developed another infection over the past two days, the effects of which were causing him a great deal of pain and causing him to run a fever of 108* F overnight. The doctor who treated Duncan said he had never heard of anyone surviving such a high fever, and that normally the body did not allow itself to sustain such a high temperature for even 15 minutes, let alone the 2 hours Duncan suffered with it. The doctor said it was an indication the hypothalamus of the brain, which regulates body temperature, was damaged. He also advised us even though Duncan survived, he would have permanent and widespread brain damage that would eventually cause his organ systems to fail, and that his kidneys were already dialysis dependent, and he was quickly becoming ventilator dependent. Meaghun and I were asked to make a decision, and we chose to allow Duncan to die a dignified and peaceful death, so he was given a morphine drip and taken off the ventilator. He died about 45 minutes later surrounded by his beautiful wife, his mother, his battle buddy Joe Mixson [the other survivor of the explosion] and the hospital chaplain he had come to know during his stay. It is the closest thing to a "good death" one could ask for a young man who fought so hard and long, only to have the limits of his body betray him. Once we knew there was no chance of any sort of quality of life, we felt we could not ask this brave young man who lived life to its fullest to spend his remaining days hooked to machines with no chance of recovery. Words cannot express the gratitude we feel towards all those who offered support and prayer to Duncan and our families during the past 5 months. We can take away from this experience the knowledge that good people exist in this world, that evil is worth fighting or that reason, and Duncan was a proud example of a good person who did not stand by and allow it to flourish by doing nothing. Duncan would have been 20 years old tomorrow - he will be forever 19 now, and forever missed. Love, Lee Crookston
~ Reported on TheAngryAmerican
Duncan is survived by his wife, Meaghun, his parents, and five brothers. The wonderful Patriot Guard Riders will be present to honor him at his funeral on Feb. 2.
Rest in peace, Duncan Crookston. May your brave and fearless spirit roam free and be at peace forever, and may your memory be a blessing and an inspiration for all those who remember you.
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Kahler, 29, of Granite Falls, MN
"All he ever wanted to do was protect and serve"
The DoD reports:
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Ryan Kahler, 29, of Granite Falls, Minn., died Jan. 26 in FOB Fenty, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from small arms fire in Waygul, Afghanistan. Possible friendly fire. Afghan guard (ally) possibly mistook the soldier as an enemy combatant and engaged with small arms fire. Incident is under investigation.
He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.
Sometimes, an anecdote tells you more about someone than anything else. Ben Lecy, one of Matthew Kahler’s high school teachers and a family friend, told The West Central Tribune this one:
Lecy said that Kahler, while a young student, scraped together $10 one year so that he could attend an American Indian multicultural event. Kahler continued to join Lecy at the event for years, expressing his belief in its importance.
Every year after joining the service, Kahler would send Lecy a card with a $10 bill attached and a note that it should be used to pay the way for another student to attend the event. The card always came at the end of January, Lecy said.
"That was Matt Ryan Kahler," said Lecy. "He was just a great kid."
This particular great kid wanted one thing his whole life: to serve and protect his country and his fellow Americans. His father, Ron Kahler, said that Matt announced his intention to join the Army when he was just 10 years old. And Matt did join the Army. He didn’t even wait until he had graduated from high school—he enlisted after his junior year, and he was sent to basic training before graduation. He married his high school sweetheart, Vicki, in 1997, while on leave. He was so committed and dedicated that he actually wore a pager to his wedding, in case the Army needed him. (His pastor saw it and made him turn it off.) In 1999, they moved to Italy, where Matt was stationed. In 2003, he and Vicki welcomed their daughter, Allison:
In 2003, just a few hours before parachuting into northern Iraq at the start of the war, Kahler learned Vicki was pregnant. He got home on leave two hours before their daughter, Allison, was born, and then shipped back out 10 days later.
~ Minnesota Public Radio
Matt was not a stranger to the Middle East. KARE in Minnesota reports:
The eager paratrooper served a number of tours in the Middle East, beginning in 1997 in Saudi Arabia and including duty with the Kurds in Northern Iraq during the war that began in 2003. Sergeant Kahler was in the midst of his 2nd tour in Afghanistan at the time of his death.
...
By all accounts, Matthew Kahler was very proud of his service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nonetheless, after a decade in the active Army, Ron says he was debating whether or not to "reup".
(He) "had not made any final decisions and was going to need to make that decision when he got out of Afghanistan."
Lest you think this suggests that Matt was having second thoughts about his service, his father dispelled any such notion:
Ron Kahler says his son never wavered on why he felt it was important to serve, noting that Matt was on his third tour of duty.
The last time father and son saw each other was last Easter, when Matt was at Fort Benning, Georgia for some training. Ron recalls Matt talking passionately about al Qaida as "thugs and hoodlums" who have to be defeated.
"And he said, 'I don't ever want my daughter, my wife, or anyone else in the world to have to live with that kind of evil.' And he gave his life, doing what he believed in," said Ron Kahler.
~ Minnesota Public Radio
That’s really the money quote about Matt Kahler. This man was passionate about protecting his family, his friends, and all humanity. He did it all his life. When he was growing up, he protected and cared for his younger brother, Brian, who has Down’s Syndrome. His younger sister, Patrice, told the Jamestown Sun, "Matt always looked out for both of us and did everything he could to keep anything bad from happening to us." His older brother, Douglas, told The Minnesota Star Tribune, "He knew he was fighting to make the world a better place for his daughter." His friend, Dixon Diebold, said, "He was one of the most loyal people. I'm sure that's the way he was with his men."
I’ll let his teacher, Ben Lecy, have the last word about this exceptional man: "He was the epitome of a soldier. He cared more about the welfare of his country than anyone I can think of. All he ever wanted to do was protect and serve... He always stepped forward when no one else would. Sergeant Matthew Ryan Kahler always stepped forward without hesitation. Always. He truly was my hero."
Matt is survived by his wife, Vicki; his 4-year-old daughter, Allison; his father, Ron Kahler; his mother, Colleen Kahler; his siblings, Douglas Kahler, Patrice Kahler Luker, and Brian Kahler; three step-brothers; and his nieces and nephews. You can see an interview with his father here.
Rest in peace, Matthew Kahler. May your brave and loyal spirit roam free and be at peace forever, and may your memory be a blessing and an inspiration for all those who remember you.
To date, 3935 members of the United States military have lost their lives in Iraq, with 5 additional deaths pending notification of the families. 482 Americans have died in Afghanistan. Approximately 40,000 men and women have been wounded, and 132 have taken their own lives while on active duty. All of the fatalities can be seen here. The Department of Defense Press Releases can be seen here. The death toll among Iraqis and Afghanis is unknown, but conservative estimates place it at least in the tens of thousands.
You can help our military men and women. Please consider sponsoring a deployed service member at TroopCarePackage.com. It doesn’t take much time or money. Just send letters or care packages to your soldier, sailor, Airman, Marine, or Guardsman. One of my "adopted" soldiers told me that "mail is gold" for a deployed soldier. A few minutes of your time and one airmail stamp can make a real difference in a military person's life. anysoldier.com, Operation Helmet, and Fisher House are also wonderful organizations that provide comfort and care to deployed American troops.
And please don't forget them when they get home! Read welcomebackveterans.org to learn what you can do. (Thank you, noweasels!)
About "I Got the News Today" (IGTNT)
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor service members who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by monkeybiz, Sandy on Signal, noweasels, greenies, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, MsWings, labwitchy, moneysmith, joyful, roses, SisTwo, and Spam Nunn.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and families of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.