Remember who gives us independence

I wanted to share with you all who haven't read it, a piece that my father wrote for the Oconee Enterprise, which appeared in the paper today, in honor of Independence Day:

On the afternoon of January 28th, 2008, I was in my law office reviewing year-end financial information when my assistant came into the conference room and told me I was needed in the reception area. When I saw two uniformed Army officers, I knew that a military family's worst nightmare had come true: my 21 year-old son, Cpl. Evan A. Marshall, had been killed earlier that day by a roadside bomb in Mosul, Iraq.

Evan entered the Army within a week of his 18th birthday in June, 2004. His mother and I did not encourage him to volunteer for military service, but Evan wanted to do something that was difficult and challenging, and believed that the Army would allow him to serve his country and would be a benefit to him on a personal level.

He volunteered to serve in the Infantry, and was assigned to a mechanized infantry unit stationed in Ft. Carson, Colorado.

He was initially deployed to Iraq, in December 2005, where he served for approximately one year. At no time did he voice any complaints about hardships or dangers. He was certainly aware of the risks, and his unit suffered casualties during his first deployment. In fact, Evan's friend, Staff Sgt. Marion Flint, Jr., who was originally from Athens, was killed in an I.E.D. incident in May, 2006, along with another one of Evan's friends and comrades. This explosion occurred literally in front of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle which Evan was driving during a patrol.

Evan left Ft. Carson for his second deployment to Iraq in early December, 2007. His Battalion was assigned to Mosul.

He and four of his friends and comrades were in the lead Humvee on a combat reconnaissance patrol to capture al-Qaeda leaders when a massive bomb buried in the roadway exploded, killing all five soldiers instantly.

The other four Humvees involved in this operation were then fired upon by insurgents from Mosques and other locations in the vicinity using rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, and mortars. Evan's fellow soldiers lived the Army value that day of never leaving a fallen comrade and instead of fleeing for safety, gave battle until help arrived and the insurgents could be driven away. We are in awe of their courage.

We attended a memorial service for Evan and his fallen comrades at Ft. Carson on Feb. 13, and met the families of other soldiers who were killed in this incident.

The soldiers with whom Evan served during his second deployment were continuing to fulfill their responsiblities in Iraq, but we heard indirectly from them and met with a number of soldiers who served with Evan during his first deployment.

We heard stories of how Evan loved to give candy and dollar bills to Iraqi children, how he took pride in doing his full duty as a soldier, how he was fiercely competitive but a person who would seek out opportunities to welcome and assist newcomers to his unit, and how he contributed to the morale of his fellow soldiers with his smile and light-hearted comments, in his humble and modest way.

My family and I are very proud of Evan's service, and want this piece to honor him. Evan knew that he was deeply loved by his family and by many others, and that we considered him to be a hero.

As we pay tribute to him and honor his memory, we want readers to perhaps more fully understand that all of the persons who are serving us in this time of war are heroes.

As a nation, we ask a great deal of those who wear the uniform. We ask for their time, their talent, and their energy. We ask for their loyalty and their dedication. Although we do not like to think about it or talk about it, we also ask them to risk their lives in service to their country, and many do so unhesitatingly and willingly, just as many have done so throughout our nation's history.

As we look forward to another independence day, let us pause to reflect upon those to whom we owe so much for the freedoms we continue to enjoy in this country. Let us find ways to honor our veterans, passed and present, for their service and sacrifice.

On a personal note, we want to thank the Oconee County community, for the wonderful expressions of love, comfort, and support that we received when our hearts were broken. We will never forget your kindness.