"We were told we'd never sing"

Found via Creative Minority Report. Sometimes doctors are completely full of shit. To hear it better, turn off the Playlist under my profile.

Second guessing the police

BOSTON (AP) - Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the police sergeant who arrested him last July after a confrontation outside his home both missed opportunities to "ratchet down" the situation and end things more calmly, according to a review of the case released Wednesday.
The independent review said "misunderstandings and failed communications" and a "certain degree of fear" each man had for the other led to the six-minute dispute that ended with the renowned black scholar being arrested by the veteran white Cambridge police sergeant.

Sgt. James Crowley arrested Gates for disorderly conduct at his Cambridge home July 16 while investigating a possible burglary. Gates alleged he was a victim of racial profiling. Charges were later dropped.

The conflict sparked a national debate on race relations, and President Barack Obama invited both men to the White House for a "beer summit."

The situation at Gates' home quickly escalated when it shouldn't have, according to the review put together by a 12-member panel assembled in September. No one on the panel had direct ties to the Cambridge Police Department.

The report suggests that Crowley could have more clearly explained what he was doing and why he was doing it, especially after being shown Gates' license and university ID. For his part, Gates could have used a more respectful tone to address the officer.

Neither man, in interviews with the panel, said he would have acted differently.

The incident was a "textbook example of how a police officer and a member of the community can clash if they do not share a sense of responsibility," according to the report.

The panel made 10 recommendations for avoiding similar incidents in the future, including better training for police in de-escalating conflicts, as well as more outreach to the public and academic community to teach understanding of the police department's job.

Commissioner Robert Haas and review panel Chairman Chuck Wexler have scheduled a Wednesday news conference to discuss the report's conclusions and recommendations.

Gates turned down a request to comment on the report when contacted via e-mail, deferring comments to his lawyer and fellow Harvard professor Charles Ogletree. Ogletree did not immediately return a phone call to his office Wednesday morning or respond to an e-mail.

A message left Wednesday for Crowley at the Cambridge Police Department was not immediately returned.

What a steaming crock of shit.

The article places primary blame on the police here. Big surprise in this day and age when any authority figure is guilty until proven innocent.

The public owes their cooperation to the police in the performance of their duties. End of story. Whenever a cop puts the uniform on he/she might as well be placing a bulls eye on their backs. It's become that kind of world. The general public, no matter if they're white, black or striped like a zebra, need to remember that one. Being a cop isn't on the same level as workfare, it's a damned difficult and nasty job done to protect law abiding citizens.

FWIW, I've run into abusive cops and ones who think their badge elevates them above the status of mere mortals. They're assholes. But they're also the exception to the rule.

Wonder if I could get a free copy of the report cited in the article, we're low on toilet paper here.

R.I.P. Spc. Nathan W. Cox

Army Spc. Nathan W. Cox
Died June 14, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

27, of Fremont, Calif.; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 16 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of injuries sustained June 14 when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire at Near Forward Operating Base, Khogyani, Afghanistan.

(The following was taken from articles.sfgate.com of June 22, 2010) A soldier from Fremont has died after being wounded in fighting in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Monday.

Army Spc. Nathan W. Cox, 27, was wounded by small arms fire when insurgents attacked a forward operating base at Khogyani in eastern Afghanistan on June 14, the Defense Department said. He died two days later at a hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.

Cox was a combat medic with the HHC, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based at Fort Campbell, Ky.

R.I.P. Spc. Brian M. Anderson

Army Spc. Brian M. Anderson
Died June 12, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

24, of Harrisonburg, Va.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died June 12 in Za Khel, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his vehicle using an improvised explosive device.

(The following was taken from m.wusa9.com of June 16, 2010) FORT DRUM, N.Y. (WUSA) -- A soldier from Virginia was killed in action in Afghanistan, Defense officials announced in a statement released Tuesday.

Spc. Brian M. Anderson, 24, of Harrisonburg, Va., died June 12 in Za Khel, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his vehicle using an improvised explosive device.

Spc. Anderson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y. Spc. Anderson joined the Army in March 2008 and, after completing training, arrived at Fort Drum in July, 2008. He was an infantryman with the 1st Battalion 87th Infantry Regiment.

A press statement from Fort Drum listed Spc. Anderson's awards and decorations, including the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

Army officials said in the statement that Anderson is survived by his mother, father, brother and sister.

R.I.P. Sgt. Israel P. O’Bryan

Army Sgt. Israel P. O’Bryan
Died June 11, 2010 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom

24, of Newbern, Tenn.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died June 11 in Jalula, Iraq, of wounds suffered in a suicide car bombing. Also killed was Army Spc. William C. Yauch.

(The following was taken from www.nwtntoday.com of June 17, 2010) A Newbern soldier and former University of Tennessee at Martin student was killed in action Friday while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

According to a United States Department of Defense news release, 24-year-old Israel “Izzy” O’Bryan died on Friday, June 11 in Jalula, Iraq from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device.

O’Bryan was a sergeant assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

The Newbern soldier graduated Dyer County High School in 2004 and received a U.S. Army scholarship as well as a UTM Collegiate Scholarship.

He was enrolled at UT Martin from Fall 2004 until Spring 2006. O’Bryan was a secondary education major according to university officials.

While there, O’Bryan was a member of the university’s ROTC program and a Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity member.

“The university community is saddened by Israel O’Bryan’s death in service to his country. We’ll remember him as a dedicated soldier and freedom fighter. The UT Martin family extends our thoughts and prayers to Mr. O’Bryan’s family and friends,” UTM Chancellor Tom Rakes noted.
O
’Bryan enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 2006. This was his second deployment to Iraq. The first was in 2007. He was deployed for his second tour in Iraq in August 2009.

His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon and Combat Infantry Badge.

The 24-year-old soldier leaves behind a wife, Brenna, and their toddler son, Turner. According to an engagement announcement in “The Wilmont (S.D.) Enterprise” in December 2007, O’Bryan is the son of Eddie and Denise Jones of Newbern and Richard and Linda O’Bryan of Portland, Tenn.

Gay "rights" trump religious beliefs...

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 28, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a Christian student group does not have the right to restrict its membership to practicing Christians, in a decision Christian rights groups are calling a significant blow to religious freedom.

The court decided 5-4 Monday in the case Christian Legal Society v. Martinez to uphold a California law school’s denial of official recognition of a Christian student group. The Christian group refused to agree to let non-Christians and those engaging in a "sexually immoral lifestyle" to become voting members or leaders.

The case has received national interest as the guidelines, which bar openly-practicing homosexuals from the group, came to be perceived as discrimination against homosexuals.

The majority decision, authored by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, ruled that the UC Hastings College of Law's decision was a fair application of its anti-discrimination policy. In what may set a grim precedent, the liberals on the court upheld the "rights" of non-discrimination according to sexual orientation over rights of religious freedom by comparing Christian beliefs to racist beliefs: Justice John Paul Stevens asked, "What if the belief is that African-Americans are inferior?"

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which filed an amicus brief in the case representing numerous Christian campus organizations, called the outcome an "extremely disappointing decision" that "significantly damages the constitutional rights of religious organizations."

"The majority of the Supreme Court missed the mark in understanding that it is fundamental to religious freedom that religious groups are free to define their own mission, select their own leaders and determine their own membership criteria," said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ.

"By permitting a discriminatory decision by the federal appeals court to stand, the Supreme Court decision represents, as Justice Alito correctly concluded in the dissent, 'a serious setback for freedom of expression in this country.' And, we, like Justice Alito, hope this decision will be an aberration and not a shift in First Amendment jurisprudence."

The case involved a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit siding with the Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Hastings denied official recognition to a student group – the Christian Legal Society (CLS) – after CLS said it could not abide by the school’s non-discrimination policy. That policy forbids student groups from discriminating on the basis of, among other things, "religion." CLS says its religious beliefs prevent non-Christians from exercising control over the group by becoming voting members or serving in leadership positions.

In a dissent written by Justice Samuel Alito, and joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Scalia and Thomas, Justice Alito concluded that the majority decision "is a serious setback for freedom of expression in this country."

"Our First Amendment reflects a 'profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open,'" wrote Justice Alito, citing the 1964 case New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. "Even if the United States is the only Nation that shares this commitment to the same extent, I would not change our law to conform to the international norm. I fear that the Court’s decision marks a turn in that direction. Even those who find CLS’s views objectionable should be concerned about the way the group has been treated - by Hastings, the Court of Appeals, and now this Court. I can only hope that this decision will turn out to be an aberration."

In its amicus brief filed at the high court, the ACLJ contended that religious groups are constitutionally protected in following their religious beliefs.

"Religious groups by their nature embrace religious principles and, as a matter of organizational identity and coherence, will normally require adherence to such principles as a criterion for membership and certainly for leadership," the brief asserted. "This is not 'discrimination' but rather part and parcel of what defines them as religious groups. Wooden application of religious 'non-discrimination' policies therefore forces religious groups to choose between their religious identity and access to the forum. That 'choice' is an unconstitutional one between yielding to government intermeddling and no access at all. Far from a permissible condition on benefits, this is a choice that the government, under the Religion Clauses, has no business imposing on religious groups."

So what comes next? Will churches that refuse to perform "marriage" ceremonies for homosexuals be hauled into court? What about the reception of Communion (although the prohibition against active homosexuals receiving is ignored all too often already.) How about taking it a step further with the denial of women entering a seminary, will that also occasion lawsuits? (This last example was modified after an insightful query by Arby in the comment section.)

All too soon I feel we'll see a schism in the Catholic Church as those willing to follow the direction of the secular government split off from those who follow Rome. The result will be ongoing legal persecution against the latter group.

R.I.P. Spc. Christian M. Adams

Army Spc. Christian M. Adams
Died June 11, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

26, of Sierra Vista, Ariz.; assigned to the 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas; died June 11 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained in a non-combat-related incident.

(The following was taken from www.azcentral.com of June 17, 2010) A Sierra Vista soldier who died in Afghanistan late last week was described by his stepfather as a religious man who loved his family and the military.

Army Spc. Christian M. Adams, 26, died Friday of wounds from a non-combat-related incident, the Department of Defense said. No further information about his death was released this week, however.

"He was a strong-willed person," said John Roberts, 56.

Adams, a Buena High School graduate, left behind a wife, Donna, and 2-year-old daughter, Faith, both of Sierra Vista.

Roberts said Donna Adams had spoken with her husband by phone Friday morning before he died.

Adams' family traveled to the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Sunday to be there when his body was returned to the United States. The ceremony, during which fellow soldiers carried the casket off the plane, was simple and dignified, Roberts said.

Adams had been in Afghanistan since March in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He joined the military as a track vehicle repairer in June 2003 and previously was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 2004 to March 2005.

Adams was assigned in spring 2008 to the 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, at Fort Hood, Texas.

Circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation, the Fort Hood Public Affairs Office said.

During his years in the military, Adams received several awards and decorations, including the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Funeral arrangements are pending, Roberts said.

R.I.P. Spc. William C. Yauch

Army Spc. William C. Yauch
Died June 11, 2010 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom

23, of Batesville, Ark.; assigned to 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died June 11 in Jalula, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit with a vehicle-borne IED. Also killed was Sgt. Israel P. O’Bryan.

(The following was taken from www.todaysthv.com of June 18, 2010) The American flag-draped casket of Army Spc. William C. Yauch arrived at Batesville Regional Airport about 2:20 p.m. Friday, and was escorted to a funeral home.

The 23-year-old Yauch and Sgt. Israel O'Bryan of Newbern, Tenn., were killed June 11 when a suicide attacker detonated an explosive near their patrol in Jalula, about 80 miles north of Baghdad.

Yauch and O'Bryan were assigned to the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

Yauch is survived by his wife, Mallory, and his parents. His funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday.

R.I.P. Sgt. Mario Rodriguez

Army Sgt. Mario Rodriguez
Died June 11, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

24, of Smithville, Texas; assigned to the 264th Clearance Company, 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 11 in Powrak, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

(The following was taken from www.statesman.com of June 14, 2010) Sgt. Mario Rodriguez Jr., who was killed in combat in Afghanistan on Friday, was at least the third service member from Smithville to be killed in Afghanistan in the past year.

The 24-year-old husband and father joined a Marine and another soldier, both of whom died in 2009 . Although details are still unclear, Rodriguez's family said military officials told them that he was on a mission when he was hit by gunfire.

"He was a wonderful man, a wonderful husband and father," his wife, Leslie, said Monday, shortly after returning home from Delaware, where the family received his body Sunday night.

"Our little girl — he loved her so much. He was going to teach her how to play soccer. He always told her that he loved her big head."

Rodriguez is survived by his wife, 7-year-old daughter Raven George , two brothers, four sisters and his mother and father.

He grew up in Smithville and was a linebacker for Smithville High School's football team. When he was home on leave, he loved going to football games on Friday nights.

Britni Fleming, 21, went to high school with Rodriguez and said his "goofy smile" lit up the hallway.

"He's always been the leader-type, even before he joined the Army," she said. "He was always there for people. He was extremely close to his friends. He was a shoulder to cry on, there when you needed him."

Rodriguez enlisted with the Texas National Guard in 2003 and did his first tour of duty in Kosovo.

In 2007, he was deployed to Iraq . He was promoted to the rank of sergeant shortly before he was sent to Afghanistan in December as part of the 82nd Airborne , a sister said. The division is based at Fort Bragg, N.C.

"He was dedicated to what he decided to do," said Rosalva Rodriguez, 21 , Mario Rodriguez's younger sister. "He knew what his job was, and it didn't scare him. He was always worried about others being safe."

His two Rodriguez brothers have also served in the military — one will be deployed to Afghanistan next month.

Scott Grzyb, 24 , who also attended high school with Rodriguez, said his friend's death is "just like a punch to the gut."

"You don't really believe it at first," he said. "The war just got real, in other words."

Rodriguez met his wife online three years ago. He drove two hours from Fort Hood, where he was stationed, to Mexia for their first date.

"He would go without stuff just to make sure that me and Raven had the things that we wanted," Leslie Rodriguez said. "He made sure we had a roof over our heads and that we were always taken care of."

Funeral arrangements have not been made yet.

Smithville, about 40 miles east of Austin, has less than 5,000 residents, according to the city. But the small community is mobilizing in tragedy.

The Smithville High School class of 2004 is holding a Fallen Heroes Benefit on July 17 at the American Legion there in his honor. Proceeds will go toward a memorial for Rodriguez and other local casualties of the war, and toward a scholarship fund for underprivileged students.

R.I.P. Staff Sgt. Bryan A. Hoover

Army Staff Sgt. Bryan A. Hoover
Died June 11, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

29, of West Elizabeth, Pa.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, Connellsville, Pa.; died June 11 at FOB Bullard, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

R.I.P. Sgt. 1st Class Robert J. Fike

Army Sgt. 1st Class Robert J. Fike
Died June 11, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

38, of Conneautville, Pa.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, Connellsville, Pa.; died June 11 at FOB Bullard, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Staff Sgt. Bryan A. Hoover.

(The following was taken from http://www.yourpenntrafford.com/ of June 24, 2010) Most mornings for about a month, the two were the first to rise, enjoying the relative quiet of the forward operating base.

As the other men slept and the orange glow of another day broke over the hills of Afghanistan, the two would try to get online to send a message home, even though they knew they probably wouldn't get an Internet connection in the rough country of rural Zabul Province. And when the computer connection went down, they pursued a different kind of connection.

Alone in those quiet mornings far away from home, the 31-year-old freelance photographer from Harrisburg and the 38-year-old sergeant from Conneautville would talk.

"We would talk about home, family, his daughter, hunting and fishing," said embedded photographer Dan Shakal. "He really, really missed his daughter."

Shakal looks back on those conversations now with deep sorrow and a sense of obligation. Sgt. 1st Class Robert Fike was killed in action June 11, not long after Shakal left Afghanistan for home.

Shakal grieves Fike's loss and feels a sense of duty to share his knowledge and his photographs so that the work of Fike and his fellow Pennsylvania National Guardsmen is understood and respected.

'A bad neighborhood'

It was clear from the outset that danger was ever-present, Shakal said. Zabul's sparse population, border with Pakistan and proximity to the Taliban stronghold Kandahar make it particularly rough territory. Kandahar, in particular, has been targeted for the next major offensive by coalition forces.

During the month Shakal was present, attacks were commonplace, and an American officer was killed.

"We watched it (the attacks) escalate over the weeks," Shakal said. "It's a bad neighborhood."

Nonetheless, the Provincial Reconstruction Team was making progress rebuilding the infrastructure and stabilizing local governments and the services they provide.

"They are trying to win the support of locals," Shakal said.

Fike was among the leaders of the Reconstruction Team's security detail. Missions outside of their forward operating base ran the gamut from a few hours to overnight.

"It was very interesting to watch them go out on a mission," Shakal said. "On base, they were like regular guys. But as soon as you got out past the wire, it was like a light switch turned on. They were 100-percent professional. Heads on a swivel.

"You just have to keep your eyes open--constantly looking all the time," said Shakal, who also was on alert. "It's draining after a while."

'Morale was good'

Fike and Shakal met in January during training before the group deployed to Afghanistan. The encounter left an immediate impression. Fike "was just one of those guys you just liked instantly," Shakal said.

During his time in Afghanistan, Shakal spent every moment with the troops--they ate, slept, worked and patrolled together. There were no special arrangements for the media. As a result, Shakal saw Fike's leadership and its impact up close.

"He was amazing," Shakal said. "The guys respected everything he said. They trusted and liked him. They were like his kids. They got along so well."

The bond between troops and officer and the trust extended in that relationship was key to managing the stress of an environment that demands hyperalertness. Thanks in no small part to Fike, the troops were in good spirits and retained their focus, Shakal said.

"Everybody was on their 'A' game. They knew what they are doing is important. Morale was good. But I can't say what is going on there now."

Haunting images

One of Shakal's photographs shows Fike kneeling, pausing during a patrol. Another shows Fike working with Staff Sgt. Bryan A. Hoover of West Elizabeth. Both pictures were taken in Bullard Bazaar, the spot where Fike, Hoover and several civilians were killed by a suicide bomber.

The bazaar is not far from the troops' base, and as a regional hub, the bazaar frequently was patrolled.

If the pictures had a soundtrack, it would be a cacophony of beeping horns, revving engines, raised voices, pounding, sawing and rumbling machines.

The Bullard Bazaar is a nearly mile-long strip of one- and two-story mud and brick buildings, most with rollup garage door entryways. They're swarming with people and bulging at the seams with commerce that ranges from groceries to metalworking shops, Shakal said.

"It's pretty much like the gathering place where everyone goes and hangs around. There isn't too much to do in rural Afghanistan."

It is also the site of one of the Reconstruction Team's projects--coordinating the placement of speed bumps by local contractors.

"The people used to drive through there like Andretti," Shakal said.

Although the bumps slowed traffic and cut some of the noise, the bazaar, with its warren of shops, constant movement and crowds, remained one of the most challenging security environments the troops faced.

"There are so many people," Shakal said.

R.I.P. Lance Cpl. Gavin R. Brummund

Marine Lance Cpl. Gavin R. Brummund
Died June 10, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

22, of Arnold, Calif.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died June 10 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations.

(The following was taken from www.uniondemocrat.com of June 21, 2010) Men, women and children crowded into the Calaveras County Fairgrounds Saturday evening to pay tribute to U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Gavin Brummund, the first soldier from the county to die in combat since the Vietnam War.

Hundreds came to hear tributes and remembrances from family, friends and fellow Marines for Brummund, 22, who was killed June 10 in Afghanistan after he stepped on an improvised explosive device in the Helmand province.

A U.S. Marine detail marched Brummund’s flag-draped coffin onto the stage to open the 6 p.m. ceremony, and buglers played out the notes of “Taps” and a team fired off a 21-gun salute to close.

Speaker after speaker recalled the 2006 Bret Harte High School graduate and Arnold resident as a man who made others smile, could relate to anyone, spoke softly, but inspired many.

“I really didn’t find the words that were sufficient,” his widow, Michaela, told the crowd after stepping to the microphone. “How do I speak about such a man in mere minutes?”

She urged attendees to remember her husband not just for his sacrifice to his country, but for his life out of uniform.

“I know many of you are proud of Gavin, the Marine, and we all should be,” she said. “But I want you to know that I’m extremely proud of Gavin Roderick Brummund, the man.”

Brummund’s father-in-law, Kevin Gause, told the story of a young man slowly transformed. When Gause’s daughter had first mentioned Brummund’s name, he wanted to “squeeze his hand and explain just how important Michaela is to me,” he told the crowd.

Brummund’s reputation and an “unauthorized visit” to his daughter started the two on a “very rocky road,” he continued. But his soon-to-be son-in-law hit a soft spot with the former Marine when he told him he intended to enlist. He would later baptize Brummund.

“Gavin went from that boy that I wanted to chase away to a man, a godly man, that I loved with all my heart,” he said.

Cpl. Brandon Beasley fought alongside Brummund in the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, during two deployments and was at his side when he was killed. He remembered his fellow soldier as a tireless friend.

“No matter how tired you were, or how long the day had been, he would be the one to get up and walk a mile with you to help out,” Beasley said in a statement read for him by former Marine Doug Rocky during the ceremony.

Brummund was honored with a posthumous Purple Heart during the ceremony, which was presented to his wife and parents, along with the flag from his coffin.

Brummund’s body arrived in Calaveras County Friday, escorted by a California Highway Patrol motorcade and followed by a line of cars that stretched along Highway 4 from Copperopolis to the horizon.

Along the way, the procession passed scores of flag-waving supporters, some in uniform, some with signs of tribute or condolence.

Marjorie Center, of Copperopolis, was there, holding a full-sized American flag. The 71-year-old has a grandson in Iraq who, like Brummund, is 22 years old.

“I just pray that they feel the comfort of the prayers for them,” she said of Gavin’s family.

Linda Stefanick, a broker with Copper Valley Realty, closed up shop to be there. Her 21-year-old nephew is currently deployed with the Army.

“There’s nothing more important than this,” she said.

R.I.P. 1st Lt. Joel C. Gentz

Air Force 1st Lt. Joel C. Gentz
Died June 09, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

25, of Grass Lake, Mich.; assigned to the 58th Rescue Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; died June 9, near FOB Jackson, Afghanistan, in a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crash. Also killed were Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael P. Flores, Air Force Staff Sgt. David C. Smith and Air Force Senior Airman Benjamin D. White.

(The following was taken from www.annarbor.com of June 24, 2010) A sign at Twister’s Ice Cream in Chelsea read “In memory of Joel Gentz. Thank you for your service.” The Mobil service station displayed a sign that read “God speed 4 Joel Gentz.” In front of the Chelsea Market, a sandwich board simply stated “God Bless Joel Gentz and his family.”

Those were some of the written messages of support for 25-year-old Air Force First Lt. Joel C. Gentz Thursday. Along the streets of Chelsea, dozens of residents showed their respect in other ways: by waving small flags,standing at attention and just lining the streets during the funeral procession for the 2002 Chelsea High School graduate. Gentz was killed June 9 during a rescue mission in southern Afghanistan.

Clad in leather vests and riding motorcycles affixed with American flags, members of the Michigan Patriot Guard Riders led the processional from Cole Funeral Chapel to St. Paul United Church of Christ, where the funeral was held.

Charles Burgess, a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, leaned against a tree on Main Street under blue skies Thursday. He said came to pay his respects to a serviceman killed in the line of duty, adding that he has deep sympathies for those serving in the present conflicts.

“It’s a whole different world than we knew back when I was serving,” Burgess said.

With him were his wife Mary Ann Burgess and their granddaughter Alice Markle. They stood along the route because “it was the patriotic thing to do,” said Mary Ann Burgess, whose T-shirt was emblazoned with an American flag.

The route was lined with many veterans, including those from both the American Legion Post and Veterans of Foreign Wars groups. Jack Myers, a retired Chelsea village manager and retired Marine was also there to “honor a fallen hero,” he said.

Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts paid their respects, too. Gentz was a former member of Boy Scout Troop 476 in Chelsea. Mack Ruffin, scoutmaster of Chelsea Boy Scout Troop 425, brought several Scouts with him to witness the processional and to help park cars at the church.

Dania Dunlap-Hurden brought her two daughters Samantha, a Junior Scout, and Madeline, a Brownie Scout, to the start of the processional on Middle Street.

“As a parent, it’s a great way to show our children what a family is all about," she said. "In Chelsea, we will honor our own,” Dunlap-Hurden said.

R.I.P. Senior Airman Benjamin D. White

Air Force Senior Airman Benjamin D. White
Died June 09, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

24, of Erwin, Tenn.; assigned to the 48th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.; died June 9, near FOB Jackson, Afghanistan, in a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crash. Also killed were Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael P. Flores, Air Force 1st Lt. Joel C. Gentz and Air Force Staff Sgt. David C. Smith.

(The following was taken from www.johnsoncitypress.com of June 24, 2010)ERWIN — As the procession traveled down Ohio Avenue Saturday, a message heard by agencies taking part and felt by the hundreds who lined the streets to pay honor to one of their own came across the emergency services scanner.

Senior Airman Benjamin D. White was home.

White, 24, of Erwin, died along with three other airmen on June 9 when their HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter, assigned to the 55th Rescue Squadron at Davis-Mothan Air Force Base, Ariz., crashed in southeastern Afghanistan.

A couple of hours before White’s body was flown in from Dover, Del., the air around Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Blountville was filled with light chatter and the roar of the numerous motorcycles’ engines as riders from Rolling Thunder, Fountain of Life Baptist Church and the Christian Motorcyclists Association positioned themselves on the runway, preparing to take part in White’s procession.

Once the plane carrying White’s body touched down at 9:10 a.m., there was silence.

Upon leaving the airport, the procession was immediately greeted by people standing along the roadside to pay honor to White. This would prove to be a continuing theme as the escort made its way to Erwin Memorial Funeral Home.

Some of those who lined the roadways and interstate stood with flags in hand, other with their hands over their hearts, only briefly removing them to wipe away tears. Some held signs, with such messages as “We Love You” and “Our Hero.” Others saluted as the procession passed.

American flags were draped from each overpass along the interstate route to the Jackson Love-Highway exit, the largest of which was reserved for Exit 36 in Erwin. Flags flew from nearly each pole along the route and from the hands of those in Erwin who came out to honor White as the procession made its way from Ohio Avenue to Love Street to Main Avenue.

As part of his job with the Air Force pararescue unit, White lived by the motto “that others may live.” As the hearse carrying his body pulled into the Erwin Memorial Funeral Home late Saturday morning, many stood silently to show their appreciation to White for giving the ultimate sacrifice to follow that creed.

Visitation for White will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Grace Fellowship Church, located on South Greenwood Drive in Johnson City, with memorial services to begin at 7 p.m. Burial will take place Tuesday at the Mountain Home National Cemetery.

R.I.P. Lance Cpl. Michael G. Plank

Marine Lance Cpl. Michael G. Plank
Died June 09, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

25, of Cameron Mills, N.Y.; assigned to the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 9 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

(The following was taken from www.sungazette.com of June 21, 2010) ELKLAND - The family of fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Michael G. Plank, 25, bade him "good night" during funeral services here Sunday afternoon.

Plank was killed June 9 while serving his country in Afghanistan.

Referring to Plank as a "hero," the Rev. Larry O'Dell, pastor at Parkhurst Memorial Presbyterian Church, asked the 100 or so family and friends gathered in the sanctuary to "never forget" their fallen loved one but rather to "make him part of your life, now and forevermore."

O'Dell spoke of losses in his own life - two grandchildren and his father - and related to Plank's family that though the day of his funeral and burial - Father's Day - always would be "an infamous" day for them and that it probably never would be "better" for them, there will come a day when "you don't cry as much" when you think of him.

"They aren't really gone as long as you hold them dear in your heart," he said to Plank's mother, Kathy; his two brothers, Dominic and Jerry; and his stepfather, Butch Parker, who sat in the front pew in front of Plank's flag-draped casket.

He also said Plank defined the word "love" as spoken by Jesus in John 15 - "there is no greater love than that of he who lays down his life for his friends."

"Michael Plank demonstrated that to you - his mom, dad and family - love," he said.

O'Dell then asked the attendees to stand and place their hands over their hearts, a civilian sign of respect to those in the military, and to say "good night," addressing Plank however seemed fitting.

At the end of the service, six Marines carried Plank's casket to a waiting hearse and then returned to accompany the family to their cars and on to the burial site at Northrup Hill Cemetery, in Rathbone, N.Y., with full military honors.

In attendance at the funeral was state Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Howard, who gave his condolences to Plank's mother.

About 40 members of the Patriot Guard, a "mostly veterans" motorcycle club that accompanied the hearse bearing Plank's body from Williamsport, where the club is based. They also stood at attention outside the church, bearing American flags and saluting as Plank's casket was carried out of the church.

The group waited for several hours at the Market Street Bridge on Thursday for the casket and Plank's family to arrive from Dover, Del.

The family had experienced car trouble on the Northeast Extension of the state turnpike, putting them back several hours, according to John G. Heck, a retired captain in the Army and veteran of the Vietnam conflict.

Heck and fellow Vietnam veteran Mickey Finn, the senior ride captain of the Patriot Guard and a retired staff sergeant in the Air Force, presented the late Marine's mother and stepfather with plaques honoring Plank as a "true American hero."

Time to lead, follow or get out of the way...

WASHINGTON (AP) - People who sign petitions calling for public votes on controversial subjects don't have an automatic right to hide their names, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday as it sided against Washington state voters worried about harassment because of their desire to repeal that state's gay rights law.
The high court ruled against Protect Marriage Washington, which organized a petition drive for a public vote to repeal the state's "everything-but-marriage" gay rights law.

Petition signers wanted to hide their names because of worries of intimidation. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco refused to keep their names secret. The Supreme Court stepped in and temporarily blocked release of the names until the high court could make a decision.

The court now says disclosing names on a petition for a public referendum does not chill the signer's freedom of speech enough to warrant overturning the state's disclosure law.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing the 8-1 judgment for the court, said it is vitally important that states be able to ensure that signatures on referendum petitions are authentic.

"Public disclosure thus helps ensure that the only signatures counted are those that should be, and that the only referenda placed on the ballot are those that garner enough valid signatures," Roberts said. "Public disclosure also promotes transparency and accountability in the electoral process to an extent other measures cannot."

But Roberts also said that the court's opinion deals with whether disclosure of the names on referendum petitions as a whole violates the First Amendment, not solely the Protect Marriage Washington case.

The intimidation that anti-gay rights supporters fear is not present in other referendum issues like tax policy, revenue, budget or other state law issues, Roberts said. "Voters care about such issues, some quite deeply—but there is no reason to assume that any burdens imposed by disclosure of typical referendum petitions would be remotely like the burdens plaintiffs fear in this case," he said.

But the chief justice added that Protect Marriage Washington could go back to the lower courts and try again on their specific concern in hopes of getting an exemption.

"Upholding the law against a broad based challenge does not foreclose a litigant's success in a narrower one," the chief justice said.

The case now goes back to the lower courts for further arguments.

"This is a good day for transparency and accountability in elections—not just in Washington but across our country," said Rob McKenna, Washington state's attorney general. "We're pleased the Supreme Court ruled in favor of disclosure, upholding the public's right to double-check the work of signature gatherers and government—and giving them the ability to learn which voters are directing the state to hold an election on a new law. Citizen legislating is too important to be conducted in secret."

Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the court's opinion.

"In my view, compelled disclosure of signed referendum and initiative petitions under the Washington Public Records severely burdens those rights and chills citizen participation in the referendum process," Thomas said. "Given those burdens, I would hold that Washington's decision to subject all referendum petitions to public disclosure is unconstitutional because they will always be a less restrictive means by which Washington can vindicate its stated interest in preserving the integrity of its referendum process."

Opponents of the law that expanded the rights of gay couples mounted a petition drive that succeeded in getting a referendum on the "everything-but-marriage" law on last year's ballot. But voters backed the law by a 53 percent to 46 percent tally that granted registered domestic partners the same legal rights as married couples.

While the campaign was under way, gay rights supporters sought access to the petitions under Washington's open records law. Protect Marriage Washington, the group that organized opposition to the law, objected, saying its members would be harassed if their names were made public.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco refused to keep the names secret, but the Supreme Court stepped in and blocked release of the names before the vote.

The justices later intervened in another case in which gay rights opponents complained about potential harassment. The court's conservative majority prevented broadcast of the trial on California's ban on same-sex marriage.

The case is Doe v. Reed, 09-559.

The issue of harassment is why I won't put prolife stickers on my car. Here in Texas it's safe bet there'd be no problem. At this time. It may not stay that way.

The concern isn't for myself, I'm still big enough and ugly enough to make any troublemakers pause before they act. Probably still get my butt kicked, I've never been good at fighting. I'll do it, just not good at it. So sue me.

My concerns would be for the wife and kids, especially if I wasn't around when some creep got insulted by the bumperstickers.

So now standing up for our beliefs may become even more risky. Oh well, guess it was only a matter of time.

Rulings like this one won't stop me from speaking out as I see fit. But I'll keep in mind the increased likelihood of consequences for standing up for my beliefs.

It's getting to be the time when the men are separated from the boys.

R.I.P. Staff Sgt. David C. Smith

Air Force Staff Sgt. David C. Smith
Died June 09, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

26, of Eight Mile, Ala.; assigned to the 66th Rescue Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; died June 9, near FOB Jackson, Afghanistan, in a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crash. Also killed were Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael P. Flores, Air Force 1st Lt. Joel C. Gentz and Air Force Senior Airman Benjamin D. White.

(The following was taken from blogal.com of June 21, 2010) MOBILE, Ala. -- Staff Sgt. David C. Smith was remembered at his funeral today as a "great person, airman and warrior" who had a "passion for saving lives."

The 26-year-old Satsuma High School graduate was killed June 9 in Afghanistan, along with three other airmen, after Taliban insurgents fired rockets at the helicopter he was in during a combat rescue mission.

Lt. Col. Tom Dorl, Smith's squadron commander, told mourners at Little Catholic Church that in all, Smith saved 130 people during combat missions. In one mission alone, he saved 40 people, Dorl said.

Following his eulogy, Dorl presented the Purple Heart to Smith's mother, Mildred Hardee of Eight Mile.

Dozens of Patriot Guard Riders on motorcyles lead the procession, which stretched for miles, to Mobile Memorial Gardens following the church service.

A dozen children at Little Flower stood at attention holding small American flags as the procession left the church.

Smith had been in the 66th Rescue Squadron based at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.

R.I.P. Sgt. Zachary J. Walters

Marine Sgt. Zachary J. Walters
Died June 08, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

24, of Palm Coast, Fla.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died June 8 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. Also killed was Sgt. Derek L. Shanfield.

(The following was taken from interceder.net) Under a cloud-covered Friday afternoon, Sgt. Zachary J. Walters, 24, received a soldier's burial at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.

A liberty bell rang solemnly under still clouds as the funeral procession approached.

Walters died June 8 while on deployment in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He and a fellow soldier in his platoon were killed after stepping on a land mine. He had just arrived in Afghanistan on May 10.

"He was excited about going," said grandmother Bobbie Walters of Irving. "It was his life."

He already had five years in the service and had just re-signed for four more.

"He was high-caliber," said Staff Sgt. Michael Howard.

Walters was born in Saudia Arabia. He lived in Saudi Arabia; Irving, Texas and St. Croix, Virgin Islands while growing up.

His mother, Gina Walters of Decatur, said he developed the traits of a soldier and a leader throughout his youth.

"I had no idea how beloved he was by his fellow soldiers until today," she said.

An example of his devotion to his fellow Marines and selflessness was relayed in a letter by 1st Lt. Nick Thompson, his platoon leader.

"When he re-signed for four more years, he spent some of his signing bonus to purchase equipment for his men," the letter said. "Not because they didn't have good equipment, but because he knew of something better."

R.I.P. Staff Sgt. Michael P. Flores

Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael P. Flores
Died June 09, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

31, of San Antonio; assigned to the 48th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.; died June 9, near FOB Jackson, Afghanistan, in a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crash. Also killed were Air Force 1st Lt. Joel C. Gentz, Air Force Staff Sgt. David C. Smith and Air Force Senior Airman Benjamin D. White.

(The following was taken from www.mysanantonio.com of June 11, 2010) Tech. Sgt. Michael P. Flores was an elite Air Force “PJ” on a mercy flight when his helicopter went down Wednesday in one of Afghanistan's most violent provinces, but it wasn't just any mission.
That was the day the father of two marked his fifth wedding anniversary.

“I'm sad that it happened to him, but if it wasn't his helicopter, it would have been someone else's helicopter and someone else's family and that is something you wouldn't wish upon someone,” said his sister, Anna Flores of San Antonio. “That's the way I feel. I don't know how he would feel.”

A 1997 Marshall High School graduate, Flores, 31, of San Antonio was killed along with three others after their Air Force HH-60 Pavehawk helicopter went down in Helmand province. He was posthumously promoted Thursday from staff sergeant.

Among the other victims was a fellow pararescuer from the same Arizona-based squadron as Flores, Senior Airman Benjamin D. White, 24, of Erwin, Tenn.

First Lt. Joel C. Gentz, 25, of Grass Lake, Mich., and Staff Sgt. David C. Smith, 26, of Eight Mile, Ala., also were killed.

Gentz was a combat rescue officer with the 58th Rescue Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev., and Smith was a flight engineer with the 66th Rescue Squadron at Nellis.

Other people on the casualty evacuation mission were hurt, but officials wouldn't say how many.

“They were getting multiple missions a day, so this was just one of many,” said Flores' boss, Chief Master Sgt. Chaz Stiefken.

Insurgents claimed to have shot down the Osprey. The International Security Assistance Force headquarters in Kabul initially said it was hit by hostile fire, but a spokeswoman there told the San Antonio Express-News that report couldn't be confirmed.

“We have a team out to investigate it, so I can't confirm that is the reason the helicopter went down,” Air Force Master Sgt. Sabrina Foster said.

The crash ended a stellar career that began after Flores graduated from high school, where he was on the swim team.

At one time, pararescuers were known as “parajumpers.” The name changed, but the “PJ” initials stuck.

When he started two years of rigorous PJ training at Lackland AFB, Flores' time as a competitive swimmer may have given him an edge.

On his first day, Flores had to swim 75 feet underwater, run 11/2 miles in less than 10 minutes and 30 seconds, and perform 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes and 50 pushups in 2 minutes.

Many wash out of PJ training during the water test.

The standards only became tougher. In 1999, pararescue graduates had to run 6 miles in 45 minutes, swim 21/2 miles in 80 minutes and swim 75-foot laps underwater — six times.

As a “7-level” leader with the 48th Rescue Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., he met exceptionally rigorous rules because he ran the standards and evaluation department.

Lean and athletic at 5 feet 11 inches, he ran three miles in less than 23 minutes, exceeding physical training standards that other PJs had to meet.

“When you're a 7-level, you're at the peak of your qualifications. You're qualified to be in charge of any mission out there and Sgt. Flores was an exceptional team leader,” said Stiefken, who oversees all issues for enlistees in the squadron, which includes about 40 pararescuers.

“He led his men into literally hundreds of combat missions, saving hundreds of lives,” added Stiefken, 42, of Anchorage, Alaska. “He was in charge of all operations once on the ground and he always brought his men home alive and accomplished the mission, whether to recover the remains (of dead troops) or save the lives of the patients, since we've been in Afghanistan.”

It was his second tour of Afghanistan in less than a year.

Life as a PJ is a bit of the Army, Air Force and James Bond. Pararescuers hold many of the same skills as those in special operations. They know hand-to-hand combat, jump from airplanes at 20,000 feet at night, swim to shore in scuba gear and rappel from helicopters.

As important is the fact that they're skilled emergency medical technicians, trained to save people trapped in crashed aircraft — even if the plane or copter is on a mountain.

“Our real cream of the crop and bread and butter, and the reason these guys are put in harm's way, is because of their medical qualifications. They're advanced combat trauma medics,” said Stiefken, the son of an Air Force PJ.

“He knew the dangers and the consequences, but he loved it,” his 29-year-old sister said. “What the PJs stand for is that others may live. I think he enjoyed the special training they got and they were able to use it for good, to save lives.”

R.I.P. Sgt. Derek L. Shanfield

Marine Sgt. Derek L. Shanfield
Died June 08, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

22, of Hastings, Pa.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died June 8 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. Also killed was Sgt. Zachary J. Walters.

(The following was taken from www.pittsburghlive.com of June 10, 2010) It seemed like Sgt. Derek L. Shanfield was born to be a Marine.

The 22-year-old Cambria County native, who joined the Marines shortly after graduating in 2006 from Cambria Heights High School and recently was given a meritorious promotion, was killed Tuesday during combat operations in Afghanistan.

"He was truly amazing. He rose up through the ranks very high in a very short time. He was basically a picture of perfection when it comes to being a Marine," said Shanfield's brother, Marine Sgt. Sydney David Lee Shanfield.

Derek Shanfield and his twin brother, Marine Cpl. Devin L. Shanfield, joined the corps together and were stationed with different units in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

"I felt very compelled to take part in everything going on in our country, and both of my brothers were very proud to follow and do their part as well," said Sydney Shanfield, who joined the corps in 2001 and has served three tours of duty in Iraq.

"Derek believed in it wholeheartedly, believed in taking care of his Marines. He believed in everything he was doing."

The three Marines are the children of David and Pamela Shanfield of Hastings, 35 miles north of Johnstown.

"He was a squad leader. He deployed to Afghanistan earlier than the rest of his unit," Pamela Shanfield said. "He left May 21 and was just over there for two weeks. Devin was set to deploy later."

She said she didn't know all the details of what happened to her son.

"All I know is he was out on patrol."

The Department of Defense said Shanfield and Marine Sgt. Zachary J. Walters, 24, of Palm Coast, Fla., who also was based in Camp Lejeune, were killed in action in Helmand province. Both were members of 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Shanfield last talked to her son after he landed in Bangor, Maine, while en route to Afghanistan.

"He said the Freeport Flag Ladies took a bunch of pictures and put them on their website," Shanfield said, speaking of the group of women from a coastal Maine village who drive weekly to the airport in Bangor to see the soldiers off or greet them upon their return.

"He said not to worry, 'I'll be fine. I'll be coming home just as good as new.' I told him, 'Keep your head down and come on home.'"

She said her son -- who has two sisters, Jessica Petro of Maryland and Allison Shanfield, at home -- enjoyed running cross country and swimming.

"He was a good person. He made people laugh. He was just the kind of person who would make jokes or do something foolish. He had a lot of friends."

R.I.P. Sgt. Erick J. Klusacek

Army Sgt. Erick J. Klusacek
Died June 08, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

22, of Calcium, N.Y.; assigned to 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 8 at Gerda Serai, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a noncombat-related incident.

(The following was taken from www.dexterfuneral home of June 8, 2010) Sgt. Erick J. Klusacek, age 22 of the Bonney Rd. Watertown died June 8, 2010 in Afghanistan. Erick was born January 2, 1988 at Ft. Campbell, KY the son of Ronald E. and Sheila D. Bagnell Klusacek. He graduated from General Brown Central High School . He entered the US Army in May 2007 and served proudly as a Cavalry Scout in both Iraq and Afghanistan where he was currently deployed.

Erick married Amber L. Shannon on September 28, 2007 in Alexandria Bay.

Erick is survived by his wife Amber, a daughter Makella L. Klusacek of Glen Park, his parents Ronald and Sheila Klusacek of Watertown, a brother Kris Klusacek and his wife Tiffany of Ft. Campbell, KY. and brothers Kyle T. Klusacek and Nick T. Klusacek both at home. His paternal grandparents George and Gerry Camp of Little Rock, AK. and maternal grandparents John and Sigrid Bagnell of Palm Bay, FL. and several aunts and uncles and cousins also survive. He also has a niece Sabrina Klusacek of Ft. Campbell, KY. and his mother-in-law Tina Shannon of Glen Park.

Erick was predeceased by his maternal grandmother Florence Bagnell in 1992 and his father-in-law David Shannon in 2009.

Erick was a unique individual, full of love , full of life. He could put a smile on anyone's face with his quick sense of humor and jokes. He was one you could never stay mad at.

Erick so loved his family and his country. His daughter Makella was his shining star. She in her own way is a mirror image of her dad. Erick loved serving his country and helping fellow soldiers. The world will be a sadder place without him. He will be missed and always will be remembered by all the people he touched. Even though his life was cut short, we know Erick is resting in peace knowing he had such a fun and fulfilling life and a family that loved him dearly. Please join us in remembering Erick, and celebrating his life.

Funeral services will be Friday June 18th at 11:00 a.m. at New Hope Baptist Church of Watertown with the Rev. Patricia Walz, pastor of Brownville United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be with full military honors at Brownville Cemetery. Calling hours will be Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 at the Johnson Funeral Home, Dexter. Donations may be made to also to the Makella L. Klusacek Trust c/o Amber Klusacek 524 Church St. Glen Park, N.Y. 13601 or in Erick's name to Children of Fallen Soldiers, Fallen Soldiers 3200 Earhart Dr. Carrollton, Texas 75006.

R.I.P. Sgt. John K. Rankel

Marine Sgt. John K. Rankel
Died June 07, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

23, of Speedway, Ind.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, I MEF, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 7 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

(The following was taken from www.indystar.com of June 20, 2010) Friends and family remembered Sgt. John K. Rankel for his service, his tenacity, his faith -- and his smile.

More than 300 people gathered for the Marine's funeral Saturday in the Speedway High School gym.

"The world lost a warrior, a true hero," said fellow Marine and friend Matt Howard. "He loved being a Marine. He loved being a guardian for our nation. I'll sleep better tonight knowing we have an angel looking down on us from heaven."

Rankel, 23, died June 7 in Afghanistan, apparently from enemy fire. It was his
third tour of duty after serving twice in Iraq.

His survivors include his mother and stepfather, Trisha and Don Stockhoff; father and stepmother, Kevin and Kim Rankel; and brothers Tyler Rankel, who attends Center Grove Schools, and Nathan Stockhoff, who recently graduated and enlisted in the military.

Friends and relatives recalled how Rankel strived for excellence and pushed them to do the same.

"With 30 years' age difference, you'd think of the father as being the hero," said his dad, Kevin Rankel. "Not me. John Kenneth Rankel is and always will be my
hero."

Rankel, known as Johnny by his family and childhood friends, enlisted in the Marines after graduating from Speedway High School in 2005. He was most recently assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Seven people spoke about Rankel during the service. His girlfriend, Lindsay Raikes, shared stories about his humor and reflected that she knew a side of Rankel that few others did. The two started dating after peer-editing essays about the traits of a perfect match in English at Speedway High School.

"He was my best friend, my love and my hero," she said. "I challenged him and
supported his dreams. He pushed me beyond my comfort zone."

Two months after they started dating, Rankel sang Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" to her during a karaoke party.

"He was just a big kid," Raikes said. "He will still be John in heaven. He will love us there just as he did here on Earth."

Raikes' father, Gary, and Speedway basketball coach Chuck Bennett were two of Rnkel's mentors.

Gary Raikes first met Rankel as a parent volunteer moving yard markers on the football sidelines. Their relationship grew as he and Lindsay dated, moving from topics such as a love for sports to deep discussions about Christianity.

Raikes admitted that he, like some of the Marine's family members, questioned ankel's desire to join the military.

"I didn't want my daughter to face the reality we're facing today, but I supported his decision," said Raikes, who asked the audience to recognize military personnel in attendance. The response was a standing ovation.

Addressing Rankel's brothers, Raikes said: "John's legacy is in your lives. You'll
grow up to lead men."

Rankel attended Speedway elementary schools before moving to the Center Grove area, where he was a student through his sophomore year before returning to Speedway. Rankel played football, basketball and baseball and considered playing football at Franklin College.

Rankel is the 30th Hoosier to die in Afghanistan. In his honor, flags were flown at half-staff Friday in Johnson County and Saturday in Marion County.

After the funeral at Speedway High, Rankel was laid to rest in the Field of Valor at Crown Hill Cemetery, an area reserved for military veterans.

"John sacrificed his life for me and you, and he paid the highest price to ensure our freedom," said the Rev. Danny Anderson, senior pastor of Emmanuel Church of Greenwood, who was Rankel's youth minister. "We must sacrifice. Not by dying, but by living."

Graphic sex demonstrated to 8th graders...

...Taken from foxnews.com;

Parents are outraged after young teenagers were instructed on graphic sexual acts during a Planned Parenthood sex education class at the local high school in Shenandoah, Iowa.

“It was horribly inappropriate,” Colleen Dostal told Fox News Radio. “To do that in a mixed-gender classroom, — I truly believe it was inappropriate.”

Dostal’s 14-year-old son was one of a handful of eighth graders in the class. The students, she said, were given instruction on how to perform female exams and the instructor used a 3-D, anatomically correct male sex organ to explain how to use a condom.

But Dostal said she was most upset over the instructor simulating sexual acts using stuffed animals designed to resemble STD’s.

“I do not understand why any adult with a classroom of children would show them sexual positions,” she told Fox News Radio. “I think that’s horribly inappropriate.”

As for the photographs, “I believe some of those photos were pornographic,” she said.

“Had we known this was going on, I would have sat in the classroom or I would have pulled him out,” Dostal said.

She took her concerns to the principal, who Dostal said was “mortified.” The principal apologized but several other parents decided to take the issue to the school superintendent.

“I understand it’s a state law that sex education be taught but it is also state mandated that parents be told that this is going to happen and we were not told.”

Superintendent Dick Profit told the World Herald he received an equal number of calls supporting and opposing the Planned Parenthood presentation.

“It’s a political hot potato; it’s a religious hot potato; it’s a parental hot potato,” he told the newspaper. “It’s all of these things that cause a crack in the system between society, parents and schools, and we’re still required to do it.”

Planned Parenthood’s Jennifer Horner defended the class and said some of the material had been turned around.

"We are not trying to keep any of this a secret,” Horner told the newspaper. “All information we use is medically accurate and science based.”

Profit said next year parents and guardians will receive advanced warning about the class.
But that may not satisfy parents like Scott Gray, whose 16-year-old son was in the class.

“As far as we were concerned, it wasn’t sex ed, it was sex demonstration,” he told the World Herald.

I recall when sex ed classes first started there was a fear by many parents that they'd turn into "how to do it" type seminars. So glad to see that fear was groundless.

Lesbian gets honored by White House...

WASHINGTON, DC, June 22, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Earlier this year Constance McMillen was refused permission to attend her high-school prom with a female date while wearing a tuxedo, an event that catapulted her into the national media spotlight. Now her newfound notoriety has received an added boost, after the White House decided to invite her to a reception honoring lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders (LGBT) scheduled for Tuesday at 5pm.

Both President Obama and Vice-President Biden were expected to attend the reception. Openly gay Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh also planned to attend.

"I really hope the attention my case has generated will help encourage Congress to pass a federal law barring LGBT discrimination in schools so that no one else has to go through what I did," said McMillen.

McMillen said that she was grateful that "President Obama recognizes the difficulties that LGBT youth still have."

But Bryan Fischer, Director of Issue Analysis for the American Family Association, disputes the contention that McMillen’s rights of free speech were violated.

“She was just unhappy that the school would not normalize her sexuality. And they were absolutely right to do so,” he told LifeSiteNews.com.

McMillen's Mississippi high school cancelled the school-sponsored prom, citing the disruption caused by McMillen's attempts to attend it dressed as a boy with her girlfriend.

Besides offending the moral sensibilities of many of the families in the Bible-belt with children attending the school, school officials had concerns that the wearing of a tuxedo by a girl would contravene the school’s strict dress code, which states, “Clothing and general appearance are not to be the type that would cause a disturbance.” The school’s dress code is generally “conservative,” also forbidding skirts above the knee, muscle shirts and exposure of undergarments.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) intervened and filed a lawsuit against Itawamba Agricultural High School, which then canceled the prom. School officials said that McMillen would be permitted to attend a parent-sponsored prom with her girlfriend.

However the ACLU contends that on prom night McMillen went to a "decoy" prom that only a few other students attended, while the rest of her classmates attended another event.

The ACLU maintains that the school district violated McMillen's free-speech "right" to cross-dress and has caused McMillen to be repeatedly humiliated and harassed.

Fischer, however, said that McMillen has hardly ended up the victim in the whole exchange. Besides getting honored at the White House celebration, McMillen has appeared multiple times on national television, received a $30,000 dollar college scholarship from openly lesbian TV host Ellen Degeneres, and is going to be the Grand Marshall of the New York City Pride parade on June 27.

Just several days before the Pride parade a benefit concert, "All Love, All Woodstock," is being held on June 25, the proceeds of which will go to McMillen's college education fund and to the ACLU.

Fischer expressed concern that the White House’s honoring of McMillen is “going to ratchet up the pressure on every school to capitulate.”

“We’re going to see the normalization of homosexuality, one senior prom at a time, unless we have school superintendents and school boards that will have enough spine to stand up against that pressure and refuse to capitulate.”

Public schools may soon face federal coercion to accommodate homosexual values. McMillen was scheduled to meet with Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who hopes to pass the Student Nondiscrimination Act, prohibiting discrimination in schools on the basis of "sexual orientation" and "gender identity."

The ACLU has supported this legislation on the grounds that discrimination in schools is "an unacceptable daily reality."

Those of us holding traditional beliefs regarding homosexuality will soon find ourselves backed against a wall. This isn't a case of society in general becoming more tolerant, it's a case of the focus shifting so that what is actually normal will be marginalized and trivialized.

Soon we'll see class assignments given to middle-schoolers, asking them to detail their first sexual experience. The door will be further opened to "experiment" with aberrant practices including homosexuality, promiscuity, beastiality, etc.

Think that won't happen? Ask yourself if ten years ago you'd have thought our tax dollars were going to pay for a White House function honoring LGBT's, with one of the honored guests being a lesbian high schooler.

Things like this send me to my rosary. I'm really fearful for the sake of my kids.

R.I.P. Spc. Brendan P. Neenan

Army Spc. Brendan P. Neenan
Died June 07, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

21, of Enterprise, Ala.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died June 7 in Jelawar, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

(The following was taken from www2.dothaneagle.com of June 8, 2010) Selfless.

That is how the family of Army Specialist Brendan Neenan remembered him Tuesday, one day after the 21-year-old Enterprise soldier was killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.

“He was always worried about his dad, worried about everybody,” said Lesa Neenan, his stepmother. “His job in life was to make everything amusing and lighten our loads.”

Neenan was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne. Neenan’s decision to join the Army dates back to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

“He was just a boy, but when he saw those towers go down, he made up his mind about what to do and pursued it,” said his father, Hugh Neenan.

The military is a tradition in the Neenan family, with Brendan Neenan’s father and grandfather both serving as infantry paratroopers. Hugh Neenan gave his son his grandfather’s wings after he graduated jump school.

Although Neenan’s service took him into danger, his first concern was always the welfare of his family and friends. When a cousin asked Neenan on Facebook what he needed, Neenan asked the cousin to keep in contact with his stepmother.

“He just had the sweetest heart,” Lesa Neenan said.

Neenan’s brother, Tim, remembers that Neenan would frequently call him asking about his work as a stand-up comic and comedy writer in Los Angeles.

“He would always ask if I was making it or if I was alright,” he said. “He would listen to me whining about all this stuff that didn’t really matter. He was worried about me struggling at this silly job that I could quit at any time.”

Neenan was just seven days from being pulled off the line in Afghanistan when he was killed.

“When he joined, I was terrified,” Hugh Neenan said. “I offered to give him a piggyback ride to the Air Force recruiter or the Coast Guard recruiter. He said there’s bad guys out there and he decided to go airborne to protect his country. He was absolutely on the tip of the spear—that’s rare.

The Neenan family has been touched by more than its share of tragedy. Brendan Neenan lost his mother to breast cancer more than a decade ago. His stepbrother Jeremy Jackson was killed in a car accident in 2006. Now they’re grieving for another loss, while also honoring his service and sacrifice.

“I was proud of him the day he was born, and I’ll be proud of him the rest of my life,” Hugh Neenan said.

R.I.P. Spc. Blaine E. Redding

Army Spc. Blaine E. Redding
Died June 07, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

22, of Plattsmouth, Neb.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 7 in Konar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Also killed in the attack were Sgt. Joshua A. Lukeala, Spc. Matthew R. Catlett, and Spc. Charles S. Jirtle.

(The following was taken from www.journalstar.com of June 9, 2010) The parents, bride of three months and mother-in-law of a young Plattsmouth man waited under overcast skies at Delaware's Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday morning as caskets were carried off a C-17 Air Force transport airplane.

Their soldier, Army Spc. Blaine E. Redding, was coming home after just a month in Afghanistan.

Redding, 22, was killed Monday when his truck hit a roadside bomb near Kandahar, his family says. Military officials have yet to release details of the incident.

Four other soldiers -- including two of Redding's close friends -- died in the blast as well.

In Dover on Wednesday, Theresa Redding waited for her son's remains, watching an Army carry team remove flag-draped caskets from the cargo plane.

Three of the caskets held the remains of three servicemen, including Redding, who have yet to be officially identified.

"There's so much sadness and despair when you're standing there watching them," said Theresa Redding, who now lives in Elmwood. "I don't know what we're going to do without him."

Blaine Redding's younger brother is still a soldier.

Both members of the 101st Airborne Division, the Reddings were stationed less than an hour from each other in Afghanistan.

Wednesday evening, Pvt. Logan Redding, 19, was somewhere between Kuwait and the U.S., his parents said.

He flew to Kuwait with his brother's remains, but he had to wait there while the casket made its way to Dover.

"So I'm doing the hardest duty of all," Logan Redding wrote on his Facebook page, "not even the duty of a soldier, but I will soldier on as a brother in arms, and a brother proud of all Blaine has ever done."

Both parents said Logan Redding looked up to his brother.

"He lost his best friend," their mother said in a telephone interview with the Journal Star.

"Blaine was always the leader and Logan was always Blaine's crash test dummy. They were very adventurous. They were a lot of fun."

Logan has stayed strong, his mother said.

So has Nikki Redding, who married Blaine Redding March 13.

The couple -- who met near Fort Campbell, Ky., where he was stationed -- had planned to have children. They were friends first, and they married less than a year after they started dating.

The wedding was in an old brick building with hardwood floors, Theresa Redding said.

"It was very simple and very tasteful, and it was just family and close friends. ... They were so excited to get married."

Nikki Redding's mother, Gina Cotton, flew from Tennessee to Dover with her daughter.

"I love them," Theresa Redding said of Nikki's family. "My daughter-in-law is like one of my best friends.

"She's holding on. She's very strong."

Nikki Redding is studying to become a teacher.

Blaine Redding, who earned his GED in Plattsmouth, was hoping his military career could help him enroll in college, too.

He came from two military families, said Blaine A. Redding, his dad, who now lives in Lincoln.

"He loved what he did in the Army."

Arrangements for Redding's services are pending. The family plans to have his memorial in Plattsmouth.

"He was pretty much indescribable," his mother said. "He was a priceless personality. ... He was very energetic and strong and just very loyal and just a very sweet person.

"I'm his mom, so naturally I think that of him -- but everyone thought that of him."

R.I.P. Spc. Charles S. Jirtle

Army Spc. Charles S. Jirtle
Died June 07, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom

29, of Lawton, Okla.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died June 7 in Konar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Also killed in the attack were Sgt. Joshua A. Lukeala, Spc. Matthew R. Catlett, and Spc. Blaine E. Redding.

(The following was taken from newsok.com of June 17, 2010) LAWTON — Spc. Charles Scott Jirtle's legacy became abundantly clear during his Wednesday funeral, when the wife and parents of the fallen soldier received folded U.S. flags from Brig Gen. Ross E. Ridge, commandant of Fort Sill's School of Artillery.

Ridge then reached for three more flags, drawing gasps from some in the church.

Ridge knelt by Jirtle's three children, handed each a flag, then stood and saluted each child.

The soldier, whom friends and loved ones knew simply as "Scott,” had graduated to the realm of "an American hero” for his service to his country, pastor Trey Smart said.

Jirtle, 29, died with four U.S. Army comrades June 7 in the Kunar Province in Afghanistan when their mortar patrol struck a buried roadside bomb. He left behind his pregnant wife, Savannah, and daughters Cheyenne, 8, Chelsie, 5, and son Jordan, 4.

Moments earlier, onlookers fought back tears as a four-song slide show played on giant overhead screens. Images of Jirtle's childhood, teenage years and military career appeared in full color, evoking memories of a sly smile and Christmases long ago.

The photos told an American story of a child with a jutting jaw and a playful spirit who became a man and then a soldier. One image — of Jirtle kissing the belly of his pregnant wife before his May deployment — brought sobs from mourners at First Baptist East.

Smart said Jirtle's unborn son will soon bear a proud name — Charles Scott Jirtle Jr.

"Our son Charles Scott Jirtle joined the Army because he wanted to take care of his children,” Jirtle's parents, Virginia and Terry Jirtle, said in a statement released this week. "He extended his enlistment for this deployment, knowing that he was going to a very hot spot.”

Jirtle, who served a tour in Iraq in 2007-2008, had been in Afghanistan three weeks. His final posting on Facebook read: "Savannah is having a real problem with this deployment, and I pray to God that He will watch over her and my children.”

Laughter also played a role in Wednesday's service. Smart told of how Jirtle's four older brothers would recruit him when they heard the ice cream truck coming down the street.

"They always knew if they sent Scott to ask Terry and Virginia for money, they wouldn't turn him down because he was the youngest,” Smart said.

Smart told how Terry and Virginia Jirtle often reserved Friday nights for bowling. Their five boys would then turn their house into a makeshift arena for "Friday night wrestling matches.”

"Being the youngest,” Smart added, "I would assume Scott didn't fare very well.”

All five soldiers were assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division.

Jirtle, a Lawton native, was an indirect fire infantryman who joined the Army in July 2007 and arrived at Fort Campbell, Ky., in November 2007.