I have been given permission to share the text of the email I referenced in my Friday post about the death of a soldier in Afghanistan.  SGM Tim Johnson is the battalion sergeant major (the highest ranking sergeant) for the 3/187 Infantry Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.  His email reflect his concern for each of his soldiers.    This is his personal report of the story.

My unit lost a Soldier on 1 March 2010 to enemy fire.  His name was Specialist Vincent Owens, he was 22, and married less than 2 months.  I tell you this because I think it’s important that it’s more understood when it comes from someone you know versus reading it in a paper….or seeing a name/face on the news.  He is a wonderful young man who didn’t deserve to leave this earth so quickly.  His unit is going through a range of emotions at this moment and today will be even more difficult as we conduct the memorial ceremony to pay proper respects to this fine young American and what he sacrificed for his Nation.

I was with him when they brought him into the emergency room here on FOB Sharana and i will tell you that the FST (Forward Surgical Team-Army) did all they could to prevent his death….and this goes for the combat medic that was with him when he was first became the casualty.  The medic on the ground was asked to do more than you would ask a 19-yr old to do….and the surgeon commented on what a fine job he did trying to resuscitate him….but even they knew there was no way SPC Owens would’ve survived such a difficult injury.

We conduct a “departure ceremony” (more commonly referred to as a HERO FLIGHT-and rightfully so) immediately following his pronouncement of death.  This consisted of rows of Soldiers lined up at the helicopter landing zone waiting for the ambulance to escort the Soldier with the honor guard in trail and the battalion leadership leading the escort with a tri-folded American Flag to pass along to the medical crew that would then escort the Soldier to Bagram Airfield where he would then be given a ‘ramp ceremony’ where he would be then flown to the U.S.  Our chaplain prayed over him both in the emergency room after he was declared dead and when his body was transferred to the helicopter.

There will be a memorial ceremony (Eagle Remembrance ceremony) back at Ft Campbell in April to pay honor to his ultimate sacrifice.  The division will bring in the wife and family and take care of them during these difficult times.  I would ask that you pray for his wife who is a very young woman from Arkansas and his family who is from Oklahoma.  I can only imagine how they feel and what pain they are enduring.  We here are feeling this loss too as a Soldier who dies in combat is a “brother” to all of us……and I mean literally a brother.

Thank you all for listening to this and know that no matter what the enemy does….he will never defeat or deter us from this mission.

God Bless You All…….Love…..Tim

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