Tonight, we have three soldiers to remember. All three were fathers to small children. So far in 2011, 127 have been killed in Afghanistan. Since 2001, there have been 1579 American troops killed in Afghanistan. Since 2003, there have been 4452 American troops killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 34 killed in Operation New Dawn. Please take a moment to honor their sacrifice.
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.
DoD Announces Army Casualty
Sgt. Amaru Aguilar, 26, of Miami, Fla. died May 13, at Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit encountered small arms fire. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.
Martha Borgen was extremely proud of her son, but always worried about him. He had served two tours of duty in Iraq; however, when Aguilar told his family he was leaving for Afghanistan last December, everyone was nervous. He was due home in two weeks to go vacation with his family, when he was killed during a gun battle.
Soli Aquilar, Amaru's sister, told the news station Local 10:
"He served twice in Iraq, and when we found out right after New Year's that he was going to serve in Afghanistan, we all knew that it was a higher possibility that he was not going to come back," said Soli Aguilar.
His mother, Martha, told the Local 10 news:
"I put my son and daughter in the hands of God every day," Borgen said. "I am so proud of Amaru and I'm proud of this country."
Both the mother and sister were holding back their tears as they spoke about the long war in Afghanistan.
"Our young people are dying -- for what?" Borgen said.
"When will it end? When will it come to a resolution?" Soli Aguilar said.
Borgan told NBC- Miami, she hopes lawmakers will think about her son when they make decisions on war. She doesn't want her son to have died in vain. She doesn't want any other young man or woman to die in this war. She wants our troops to come home.
Sgt. Amaru Aguilar was born and raised in Miami. He was a gold medalist in junior Olympics for Tae Kwon Do. Shortly after graduating from South Miami Senior High School in 2003, he joined the Army. He kept in close contact with his family, friends and Tae Kwon Do coach.
Aquilar's mother told NBC - Miami
He will always be with us.
Sgt. Aquilar was most proud of his 9 month old son. Martha Borgan intends to keep his memory alive by telling and showing everything about her son to her grandson.
Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery.
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DoD Announces Army Casualty
Sgt. Robert C. Schlote, 26, of Norfolk, Neb., died May 14, in Omaha, Neb., from a non-combat related medical illness. He was assigned to the 195th Forward Support Company, Nebraska Army National Guard, Omaha, Neb.
Sgt. Schlote was a soldier through and through. He had been in the Army since 2003 served three tours of duty in Iraq and survived many I.E.D. explosions and gun fights, but when he arrived at the airport in April for leave, his mother didn't even recognize him. The once, strong, healthy 240 lb. soldier came off the plane so weak he could barely walk. Doctors were baffled and sent him home from Afghanistan for more help.
Schlote's wife, Tiffany, told the
Lincoln Journal-Star:
"He's always been a pretty big guy. And with how much weight he'd lost, his face was sunken in, and she wasn't expecting that at all."
The day after his return he was in a wheel chair. His daughter, Blair, was born the same day he went into a wheel chair. His wife told the paper, Schlote could not even get in or out of bed by himself, so he slept on the couch.
His condition continued to deteriorate. Doctors at Offut Air Force base could not determine what was wrong, and scheduled him for this week to go to Fort Bragg. He did not make it, Tiffany found him staring at the daughter's bassinet beside him in the living room. The paper wrote:
His wife found Sgt. Bob Schlote on the living room floor, his face near their daughter's bassinet, as if he had been peering in.
Sgt. Schlote graduated Norfolk High School in 2003 and joined the Army. He served three tours in Iraq, often alongside his brother, Sgt. Bill Schlote. He entered the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, also, worked in a title office. He was married to Tiffany and they have an infant daughter, Blair.
Rest in Peace, Sgt. Robert Schlote.
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DoD Announces Army Casualty
Spc. Brian D. Riley Jr., 24, of Longwood, Fla., died May 15, in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
Though the DOD lists Longwood, Florida as Riley's home. He originally haled from Binghamton, New York. The
Press & Sun Bulletin is currently working on a story, so is the Orlando Sentinel. When more information is available, I will update the story.
Spc. Riley was a proud father to his daughter. He shared many photos and stories of her on his Facebook page, ones such as this:
"I have the most amazing daughter in the world,"
His love for his daughter was the most important thing to him. She will always have her dad's love with her even if he isn't present. May this give her some comfort in the years to come.
In Flanders Fields
by Lt. Col. John McRae, MD, (1872-1918)
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved,
and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
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. Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries.
Click the IGTNT tags to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Maggie Jean, Jax Dem, Kestrel 9000, racheltracks, csas, and me, Sandy on Signal.
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.