I Got The News Today (IGTNT) is one of the oldest continuous series on Daily Kos. It is a way for our community to pay respect to those who have died as a result of war.
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Tonight we gather again to mourn a serviceman who had died far from home and family. Staff Sergeant Randall R. Lane was on assignment in Afghanistan when he suddenlly died.
Staff Sergeant Randall R. Lane
Randall “Randy” Lane was born in on October 24th, 1969 in Neoga, Illinois. He attended the First Christian Church of Neoga and graduated from Neoga High school in 1988. Later that same year, Lane enlisted in the Marines. Lane later joined the Indiana Army National Guard and served for more than 20 years. He had recieved specialized training as a motor transport operator at Fort Lee in Virginia.
Staff Sergeant Lane was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. When he was home he liked to work on cars. He loved riding his Harley, affectionately known as “Papa Smurf.”
Lane deployed to Afghanistan in January as a member of the 1438th Transportation Company, stationed out of Franklin, Indiana. He served as a motor transport operator providing security for convoy operations in Afghanistan.
According to the Effingham Daily News, Greg Albin, Lane's brother, said that the death might have been due to a heart attack:
“We’re doing pretty good,” he said. “Lots of family and friends have been helping out. He was real close to all of his classmates, and they’ve been really good at reaching out.”
Albin said he has always been close to his brother even during Lane’s two tours in Afghanistan.
“Ever since he was over in Afghanistan, we talked every morning and evening on Facebook,” he said. “Whenever he was home, we were running around together.”
Albin said the thing people should remember about Lane is the joy he took in serving his community and nation.
On September 13th, 2013, Lane was serving at Camp Phoenix with the Indiana Army National Guard in Kabul. He is reported to have died there as the result of a "non-combat related illness." He was 43 years old.
He is survived by his wife, Gina M. Lane; his stepson, Joshua Phares; his daughters, Abigayle Napier, Ashley Lane and Delahney Lane; his mother, Darlene Albin; his father and stepmother, John and Rosemary Albin; his brothers, Greg Albin and John Davis; and his sister, Allethia Davis-Shoot.
Visitation will be on Monday, September 23 at Flanner and Buchanan in Indianapolis and on Tuesday, September 24 at the First Christian Church of Neoga. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 25 at the First Christian Church of Neoga. Burial will be in Swedish Lutheran Cemetery in rural Neoga.
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About the IGTNT series:
”I Got the News Today” is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remember the fallen, and to remind us that each casualty has family and friends who received the terrible news that their loved one has died. US service members whose names have been released by the US Department of Defense will usually be diarized two days after the official announcement on the DoD website. This allows the IGTNT team to cover each person more fully, but still in a timely manner. Click the IGTNT tags below to see previous diaries in the series, which was begun by i dunno, and is maintained by i dunno, Sandy on Signal, Monkeybiz, Noweasels, Blue Jersey Mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, SisTwo, Spam Nunn, True Blue Majority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, Jax Dem, The Fat Lady Sings, Ekaterin, & Joy of Fishes. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but show our community’s respect for those who have died.
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Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members mentioned here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.