For a time after the US invaded Afghanistan I would read the names of the troops killed in combat and look at their faces. This continued after the invasion of Iraq. It was my way of putting names and faces to the war, remind myself that it was real people involved in the conflicts.
During my second deployment I would read the names every day while I read Stars and Stripes, the military's newspaper. That was the most difficult because on numerous occasions, 58 to be exact, I recognized the names of those killed since they belonged to my brigade or were attached to my brigade. Many of those names I read immediately after attending the memorial for those soldiers.
I would eventually stop reading the names and looking at the faces. As I spent more and more time in the Army and met more and more people I feared that I would see a familiar name. A former coworker. A comrade. A friend.
This past Saturday there was a suicide attack in Kabul that killed 5 ISAF soldiers. One of them was LTC Dave Cabrera who I knew from my time in 296 BSB while he was assigned as the 3-2 SBCT mental health officer.
During my second deployment I would read the names every day while I read Stars and Stripes, the military's newspaper. That was the most difficult because on numerous occasions, 58 to be exact, I recognized the names of those killed since they belonged to my brigade or were attached to my brigade. Many of those names I read immediately after attending the memorial for those soldiers.
I would eventually stop reading the names and looking at the faces. As I spent more and more time in the Army and met more and more people I feared that I would see a familiar name. A former coworker. A comrade. A friend.
This past Saturday there was a suicide attack in Kabul that killed 5 ISAF soldiers. One of them was LTC Dave Cabrera who I knew from my time in 296 BSB while he was assigned as the 3-2 SBCT mental health officer.
That's then Major Cabrera in happier times prior to my promotion ceremony in Mosul, November 2006. Why does it look like he's about to punch me? It's because I looked away when he was talking to me wasn't it? Stupid lieutenant, never turn your back from a field grade! They are quick to anger!
I saw his name today among those who were killed. For some reason I was curious about the attack and read the names. He left behind a wife and 4 children.
We ate a few meals together those 5 months in Mosul before the brigade was sent down to Baghad and LTC Cabrera moved on to another assignment. Spent some time in his office chatting as well.
Rest in peace, sir.
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