An Honor Post

Brandon read the "Sunni Triangle, 30,000 feet above Baghdad, Buffalo Mine Clearing vehicle" post and wanted to share information.

These are strong people who learn the mechanics of conflict. It's grim work that demands sacrifice, service and bravery. You also need a sharp mind and an aggressive heart.

Keep these men's name in your hearts today. They died serving our country. Everything you do today, from cooking hamburgers to enjoying a beer to watching young men play a game, has been paid for with sacrifice.

Keep that thought in your heart.

There's an error I need to correct in my story. I had written that we lost 4 soldiers killed during our deployment in Iraq, and that 2 of them were from my company. Actually, 3 of the 4 were from my company. I know in the grand scheme of things, this does not matter, but I felt it would be a disservice to those soldiers to not correct my original email to Marc.

It should also be noted that one of the soldiers wounded in action during my 2005 deployment passed away just this year from complications stemming from his wounds. His name has since been added to the list of Iowa's Gold Star Heroes, making a total of 5 soldiers killed from injuries sustained during the 224th Engineer Battalion's 2005 deployment to Iraq.

They are:

LT Brian Gienau, SGT Seth Garceau, SGT John W. Miller -- all three from my unit, Alpha Company, 224th Engineer Battalion.

SGT Casey Byers - Bravo Company, 224th Engineer Battalion

SGT Robert W. Briggs - Charlie Company, 224th Engineer Battalion (passed this year from his injuries)

Again, please pass along my appreciation to Marc for writing a piece about these soldiers and all others who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Brandon Kirkley

 We heard from Capt. Chad "Fergus" Bortell again:

That spread is gonna be tough for us to contain. D Line is gonna have to bring it big time.

I know coach Kirk Ferentz will listen to a man who can fly an F-16.

Hey, we heard from Maj. Mike Lynch, the gentleman from the first photo yesterday.

Here's his e-mail:

Marc,

Thanks for the email! Wow, what a surprise I had when my wife emailed me the link to Ryan's submission! First off, THANK YOU for honoring our military members with your posting. It means a lot to us over here to see those 'feel good' stories from back home. Seeing my picture made me all 'tingly' inside - much like the standing ovation my flight mates and I got at the 50 yard line at halftime of the infamous 2008 Iowa-Penn St game. Watching the great Hawkeye fans filling Kinnick stand and clap for us that day will be a moment I'll cherish the rest of my life!

We really are lucky to be Americans enjoying the democracy that we've worked so hard to build. The Iraqis I've met are like us - they enjoy freedom, want the best for their families, and look to better themselves in all their endeavors; we're proud to serve in a capacity that will help them realize their own freedoms. After closing this chapter in our enduring partnership with Iraq, I know the Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines that are currently serving here look forward to rejoining their loved ones in time for the holidays this year - I'm personally counting the days until I get to see my beautiful wife, Christine, and my two year old angel, Isabella!

Thank you again for the kind words in your post and this email. This week I'm spoiled with the Hawkeye game being televised on AFN over here...here's to a big Hawkeye victory over Michigan! If we find our defense tomorrow, the Hawks will be victorious!

All the best to you, our beloved Hawkeyes, and the people of the great state of Iowa!

Go Hawks!

v/r,

Mike Lynch

No, no, no, Mike. Thank you!!!!!

 And I received an e-mail late today that shows what the word "sacrifice" really means. The stress deployment puts on families comes in many forms. Sometimes, it does irreparable damage.

Mr. Morehouse:

I am LTC Mark Coble (BS, 1990), one of the Iowa National Guardsmen listed below, also present in the photo that LTC Todd Jacobus sent. I just returned from temporary duty to Kosovo, where I was assisting another Iowa Grad, MAJ Joel Jacobson (1997) complete some training with the Kosovo Security Force.

Photo was taken while we were jogging outside Pristina, Kosovo on Sunday morning. I am the one wearing the black sweatshirt. My deployments have taken me all over the world, with deployments to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2007-2008. In my current job as the State Training Officer for Iowa, I have the opportunity to share my knowledge to our soldiers, making the likelihood of them getting back home that much easier.

To say my Hawkeye roots don't run deep or that I do not continue to be a huge fan would be a false statement. My son, Henry Krieger Coble is number 80 on this year's Iowa roster. He grew up with a father that was deployed often, and knows firsthand the sacrifices our military families have made during this last 10 years. His mother and I divorced in part due to the deployments that I have been called to make.

Regards,

Mark Coble

MARK L. COBLE

LTC, EN, IA ARNG

State Training Officer

 Godspeed, Mark! Thanks for sharing.