Loved and Lost on the Way to the Last Post

At the end of each year, major media outlets usually run feature stories listing notables and celebrities that have passed away during the year; stories that recount highlights of the person’s life.

Sometimes memories connect through space and time linked to your own remembrances of the person. Memories of what you were doing at a certain time in your life, at a certain place.

Special memories randomly emerge from the dark recesses of time. You feel heaviness, a sense of loss, not only for the “notable person” or “celebrity” that you probably never met, but also for yourself. For the loss of time.

That time.

Your time.

Well, here’s my feature story. 

My list. 

It’s a little bit longer than the major media outlets would publish. Over 820 names of people like Christopher, Gloria, Fernando, Dustin, Ed, Jeanette, Joseph, Joshua, Eric, Minhee, Tung, Bobby, Jennifer, Travis, Jason, Steven, Scott, David, Theodore, Luke, Nicholas, Felipe, Jesus, David, Theodore, Matthew, Yari, Cody, Reece, Mario, Edwardo, Andrew.

The Loved and Lost

... and on … and on … and on.

Fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, wives, husbands, cousins, nephews, nieces, all.

Not by Accident

They passed on not by accident, not by bodily deterioration brought on by the mean ravages of time, but because they had a special job.

A job that ended a too-brief sojourn on this blue-green magical wonder called earth.

A job they chose.

So Costly a Sacrifice

They were American soldiers. 

A step ahead, a step behind, a blink of the eye at the wrong time, and ... then it was over. 

 

What is life?

It is the flash of a firefly in the night.

 It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.

It is the little shadow that runs across the grass

and loses itself in the sunset.

 

 Crowfoot, Native American Blackfoot warrior and orator


The fleeting flash of a firefly in the night … gone.

But not.

Their undiminishable light echoes eternally throughout the music of the spheres like heavenly bagpipes playing Amazing Grace … across the unfathomable unknowable on their way to The Last Post. 

Who were these fireflies in the night? Who were these shadows that ran across the grass riding a Sonata of Moonlight, on an Ode to Joy – to living, giving and life? 

Here's who:

 

12/29/06Carter, Lawrence J.DoD Confirmation
12/29/06Newgard, William R.DoD Confirmation
12/28/06Esckelson, Christopher E.DoD Confirmation
12/28/06Donica, Dustin R.DoD Confirmation
12/28/06Miller, Nicholas A.DoD Confirmation
12/28/06Spencer, William D.DoD Confirmation
12/27/06Shaffer, Edward W.DoD Confirmation
12/27/06McCormick, Clinton T.DoD Confirmation
12/27/06Messer, Christopher P.DoD Confirmation
12/27/06Given, Nathaniel A. DoD Confirmation
12/27/06Koprince Jr., William C. DoD Confirmation
12/27/06Tinsley, Douglas L.DoD Confirmation
12/26/06Strong, Joseph A.DoD Confirmation
12/26/06Schmitz, Joshua M.DoD Confirmation
12/25/06Clayton, HayesDoD Confirmation
12/25/06Wheelous, Dexter E.DoD Confirmation
12/25/06Moon, Jae S.DoD Confirmation
12/26/06Bubeck, John T.DoD Confirmation
12/25/06Wilkus, Eric R.DoD Confirmation
12/25/06Preston, Aaron L.DoD Confirmation
12/25/06Nelson, Andrew H.DoD Confirmation
12/25/06Denfrund, Jason C.DoD Confirmation
12/24/06Bixler, Evan A.DoD Confirmation
12/24/06Morris, Stephen L.DoD Confirmation
12/23/06Crutchfield, Michael J.DoD Confirmation
12/23/06Barta, JohnDoD Confirmation
12/23/06Vollmer, Chad J.DoD Confirmation
12/23/06Algrim, Wilson A.DoD Confirmation
12/23/06Mejia II, Bobby DoD Confirmation
12/23/06Norris, Curtis L.DoD Confirmation
12/23/06Elias, EliasDoD Confirmation
12/22/06Sheppard, Joshua D.DoD Confirmation
12/21/06Tamayo, Fernando S.DoD Confirmation
12/21/06Burgess, Ryan J.DoD Confirmation
12/21/06Mayhan, Ryan L.DoD Confirmation
12/21/06Nolen, Kyle A.DoD Confirmation
12/20/06Sebastien, Myles Cody DoD Confirmation
12/20/06Dykman, Scott D. DoD Confirmation
12/20/06McMillan, Jacob G.DoD Confirmation
12/20/06Volker, Robert J.DoD Confirmation
12/19/06Daul, Andrew P.DoD Confirmation
12/19/06Pickard, Joshua D.DoD Confirmation
12/18/06Kryst, Kevin M.DoD Confirmation
12/18/06Mintzlaff, Brian L.DoD Confirmation
12/17/06Stanton, Seth M.DoD Confirmation
12/16/06Palmer, Nick J.DoD Confirmation
12/16/06Baines, Joe L.DoD Confirmation
12/16/06Staats, David R.DoD Confirmation
12/16/06Stanley, Matthew J.DoD Confirmation
12/15/06Kahalewai, Henry K.DoD Confirmation
12/15/06Balint Jr., PaulDoD Confirmation
12/14/06Spatol, Theodore A.DoD Confirmation
12/14/06Yepsen, Luke C.DoD Confirmation
12/14/06Clark, Matthew W.DoD Confirmation
12/12/06Davis, Gloria D.DoD Confirmation
12/12/06Dunkleberger, Brent W.DoD Confirmation
12/11/06Cote, Budd M.DoD Confirmation
12/11/06Dillon, Matthew V.DoD Confirmation
12/11/06Miller, Clinton J.DoD Confirmation
12/11/06McAnulty, Brian P.DoD Confirmation
12/10/06Clemons, Thomas W.DoD Confirmation
12/10/06Murphy, Shawn M.DoD Confirmation
12/10/06Ford, Philip C.DoD Confirmation
12/10/06Gibson, Brennan C.DoD Confirmation
12/10/06Steinbacher, Nicholas P.DoD Confirmation
12/09/06Krissoff, Nathan M. DoD Confirmation
12/07/06Beeler, Brent E.DoD Confirmation
12/07/06Linck, Henry W.DoD Confirmation
12/07/06Gifford, Micah S.DoD Confirmation
12/07/06Ciraso, Kristofer R.DoD Confirmation
12/06/06Gibbs, Nicholas R.DoD Confirmation
12/06/06Watson, Cody G.DoD Confirmation
12/06/06Ryndych, YevgeniyDoD Confirmation
12/06/06Krege, Travis C.DoD Confirmation
12/06/06Mokri, Yari DoD Confirmation
12/06/06Huffman, JasonDoD Confirmation
12/06/06Castro, Jesse J.J.DoD Confirmation
12/06/06Madden, Joshua B.DoD Confirmation
12/06/06Patriquin, Travis L.DoD Confirmation
12/06/06Pomante III, Vincent J.DoD Confirmation
12/06/06Libby, Dustin J.DoD Confirmation
12/06/06McClung, Megan M.DoD Confirmation
12/05/06Hess, Jordan W.DoD Confirmation
12/05/06Miller, Marco L.DoD Confirmation
12/04/06Suarez-Gonzalez, Roger A. DoD Confirmation
12/04/06Nelson, Albert M.DoD Confirmation
12/04/06Echols, Thomas P.DoD Confirmation
12/04/06Anderson, Christopher A.DoD Confirmation
12/04/06Gauthreaux, Jay R.DoD Confirmation
12/04/06Turcotte, Nicholas D.DoD Confirmation
12/04/06McGinnis, Ross A.DoD Confirmation
12/04/06Adkins, Dustin M.DoD Confirmation
12/03/06English, Shawn L.DoD Confirmation
12/03/06Sticklen, Joshua C.DoD Confirmation
12/03/06McCloud, Joseph TraneDoD Confirmation
12/03/06Evans, Kermit O.DoD Confirmation
12/03/06Cooper, Troy D.DoD Confirmation
12/03/06Haines, Kenneth W.DoD Confirmation
12/03/06Farris, Billy B.DoD Confirmation
12/02/06Tillery, Jesse D.DoD Confirmation
12/02/06Rystad, Corey J.DoD Confirmation
12/02/06McDonough, Bryan T.DoD Confirmation
12/02/06Fiscus, Keith E.DoD Confirmation
12/01/06Love Jr., Robert L.DoD Confirmation
11/30/06Hartman Jr., John L.DoD Confirmation
11/30/06Mulhair, Jeremy W.DoD Confirmation
11/29/06West, Theodore M.DoD Confirmation
11/28/06Loney, JonerikDoD Confirmation
11/28/06Mason, ChrisDoD Confirmation
11/27/06Gilbert, Troy L.DoD Confirmation
11/27/06Schwarz, Michael A.DoD Confirmation
11/26/06Dunn, Jeannette T.DoD Confirmation
11/26/06Hamill, Jason R.DoD Confirmation
11/26/06Fraser, David M.DoD Confirmation
11/26/06Burrows, Joshua C.DoD Confirmation
11/25/06West, Jeromy D.DoD Confirmation
11/25/06Ledsome, Michael C.DoD Confirmation
11/25/06Morris, Daniel M.DoD Confirmation
11/24/06Moreno, Reece D.DoD Confirmation
11/24/06Rapavi, Nicholas P.DoD Confirmation
11/23/06Priestap, James D.DoD Confirmation
11/22/06Davenport, James R.DoD Confirmation
11/22/06Alonzo, Joshua C.DoD Confirmation
11/22/06Warner, HeathDoD Confirmation
11/21/06Musack, James P.DoD Confirmation
11/21/06Watts, Donovan E.DoD Confirmation
11/21/06Vizcaino, EricDoD Confirmation
11/19/06Shock, Jeremy S.DoD Confirmation
11/18/06Shilling, Bradley N.DoD Confirmation
11/16/06Schiller, Rhett W.DoD Confirmation
11/15/06Dennison, John R.DoD Confirmation
11/15/06Mutz, Mitchel T.DoD Confirmation
11/15/06Haynes, Schuyler B.DoD Confirmation
11/14/06Nguyen, Tung M. DoD Confirmation
11/14/06Garcia, Justin R.DoD Confirmation
11/14/06Felts Sr., Thomas H.DoD Confirmation
11/14/06Scholl, Michael D.DoD Confirmation
11/14/06Gonzalez, Mario D.DoD Confirmation
11/14/06Brown, Timothy W.DoD Confirmation
11/14/06Rivera, Eric G. Palacios DoD Confirmation
11/13/06Kim, Jang H.DoD Confirmation
11/13/06Allman II, Daniel J.DoD Confirmation
11/12/06Winkler III, Harry A.DoD Confirmation
11/12/06Cerrone, Michael A.DoD Confirmation
11/11/06Martinez, MisaelDoD Confirmation
11/11/06Jackson II, William SamuelDoD Confirmation
11/11/06Ramirez, Angel De Jesus LucioDoD Confirmation
11/09/06Salcido, Rudy A.DoD Confirmation
11/09/06Warren, Kristopher C.DoD Confirmation
11/09/06Burgess, BryanDoD Confirmation
11/09/06Kennard, Courtland A.DoD Confirmation
11/09/06McCoy, Gregory W. G.DoD Confirmation
11/07/06Doria, Richwell A.DoD Confirmation
11/07/06McCaughn, Ryan T.DoD Confirmation
11/06/06White, Lucas T.DoD Confirmation
11/06/06Priestner, John R.DoD Confirmation
11/06/06Henderson, Miles P.DoD Confirmation
11/05/06Desjardins, Douglas C.DoD Confirmation
11/05/06Galvan, Jose A.DoD Confirmation
11/04/06Powell, Kyle W.DoD Confirmation
11/04/06Gelina, Mark C.DoD Confirmation
11/04/06Bridges, James L.DoD Confirmation
11/02/06Finken, Paul J.DoD Confirmation
11/02/06Kruger, Eric J.DoD Confirmation
11/02/06Gage, Joseph A.DoD Confirmation
11/02/06Brown, JamesDoD Confirmation
11/02/06Whitehouse, Jason D.DoD Confirmation
11/02/06Lasky, Michael H.DoD Confirmation
11/02/06Holler, Luke B.DoD Confirmation
11/02/06Bridges, Michael P.DoD Confirmation
11/01/06Kim, Minhee DoD Confirmation
11/01/06Koehler, Gary A.DoD Confirmation
11/01/06Ellenburg, Kevin J.DoD Confirmation
10/31/06Franco, JasonDoD Confirmation
10/31/06Weidemann, Michael R.DoD Confirmation
10/30/06Foyteck, Kraig D.DoD Confirmation
10/30/06Seeley, Michael T.DoD Confirmation
10/30/06Bostic, Kenneth E.DoD Confirmation
10/29/06Nealey, Troy D.DoD Confirmation
10/27/06Zimmerman, Luke J.DoD Confirmation
10/26/06McGinnis, Ricky L.DoD Confirmation
10/25/06Brown, Donald S. DoD Confirmation
10/25/06Gilbert, Thomas M.DoD Confirmation
10/25/06Chaires, Daniel B.DoD Confirmation
10/25/06Thornsberry, Jonathan B.DoD Confirmation
10/25/06Komppa, Charles V.DoD Confirmation
10/23/06Bock, Amos C. RDoD Confirmation
10/23/06Sare, Charles O.DoD Confirmation
10/23/06Buerstetta, Richard A.DoD Confirmation
10/23/06Overstreet, Tyler R.DoD Confirmation
10/23/06Eason, Carl A.DoD Confirmation
10/22/06Rogers, Nicholas K.DoD Confirmation
10/22/06Mock, Willsun M.DoD Confirmation
10/22/06Creed, Matthew W.DoD Confirmation
10/22/06Aguirre, Nathaniel A.DoD Confirmation
10/22/06Taylor, David G.DoD Confirmation
10/21/06Herzberg, Eric W.DoD Confirmation
10/21/06Knier, Tony L.DoD Confirmation
10/21/06Watkins, Joshua C.DoD Confirmation
10/21/06Manoukian, Nicholas J.DoD Confirmation
10/21/06Elrod, Nathan R.DoD Confirmation
10/21/06Collinsworth, Clifford R.DoD Confirmation
10/20/06Witte, Kevin M.DoD Confirmation
10/19/06Lopez Jr., EdwardoDoD Confirmation
10/18/06Barlow, Patrick O.DoD Confirmation
10/18/06Brozovich, Daniel A.DoD Confirmation
10/18/06Perez, Jose R.DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Winegeart, Daniel W.DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Paulsen, Ronald L.DoD Confirmation
10/18/06Montalvo, Jesus M.DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Dumas Jr., Joseph C. DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Unger, David M. DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Culbertson III, Russell G.DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Loudon, Christopher E.DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Haupt, Ryan E.DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Taylor III, Norman R.DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Frigo, Nathan J.DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Sizemore, Garth D.DoD Confirmation
10/17/06Booth, Joshua L.DoD Confirmation
10/15/06Baroncini, Jr., Lester DomenicoDoD Confirmation
10/15/06Bicknell, StephenDoD Confirmation
10/15/06Deese, Joshua DoD Confirmation
10/15/06Lootens, Jonathan E.DoD Confirmation
10/15/06Paine, Mark C.DoD Confirmation
10/15/06Babb, Brock A.DoD Confirmation
10/15/06Hines, Joshua M.DoD Confirmation
10/14/06Moore, Keith J.DoD Confirmation
10/14/06King, Charles M.DoD Confirmation
10/14/06Kane, Joseph M.DoD Confirmation
10/14/06Lauer, Timothy J.DoD Confirmation
10/14/06Simpson, Jonathan J.DoD Confirmation
10/14/06Chavis, Leebenard E.DoD Confirmation
10/13/06Craver, Johnny K.DoD Confirmation
10/13/06Stanton Jr., Kenny F.DoD Confirmation
10/13/06Hewett, Thomas J.DoD Confirmation
10/12/06Hawkins, Gene A.DoD Confirmation
10/11/06Walsh, Justin T.DoD Confirmation
10/11/06Adcock, Shane T.DoD Confirmation
10/11/06Sowinski, Nicholas R.DoD Confirmation
10/09/06Feniello, Shelby J.DoD Confirmation
10/08/06Jones, Derek W. DoD Confirmation
10/09/06Bowman, Jon EricDoD Confirmation
10/09/06Williams, Phillip B.DoD Confirmation
10/08/06Secher, Robert M.DoD Confirmation
10/08/06Austin, Shane R.DoD Confirmation
10/08/06Johnson, Stephen F.DoD Confirmation
10/09/06Arechaga, Julian M.DoD Confirmation
10/08/06Monroe, Jeremy Scott SandvickDoD Confirmation
10/08/06Fulkerson, TimothyDoD Confirmation
10/07/06Napper Jr, Roger AlanDoD Confirmation
10/07/06Wood, John EdwardDoD Confirmation
10/07/06Parrish, LawrenceDoD Confirmation
10/07/06Johnson II, Carl W.DoD Confirmation
10/07/06Asbury, Brandon S.DoD Confirmation
10/06/06Hale, John EdwardDoD Confirmation
10/06/06Payne, Bradford H.DoD Confirmation
10/06/06Arvanitis, Nicholas A.DoD Confirmation
10/04/06Rosales, Benjamin S. DoD Confirmation
10/04/06Garvin, Edward M.DoD Confirmation
10/04/06Moudry, Christopher O.DoD Confirmation
10/04/06Obourn Jr., George R.DoD Confirmation
10/04/06Burke, Timothy DoD Confirmation
10/04/06Bright, DeanDoD Confirmation
10/03/06Rojas, JonathanDoD Confirmation
10/03/06Isshak, DanielDoD Confirmation
10/02/06Perry, Joseph W.DoD Confirmation
10/02/06Oremus, Michael K.DoD Confirmation
10/02/06Jarrett, Justin R.DoD Confirmation
10/02/06Ellis, James D.DoD Confirmation
10/02/06Armijo, Raymond S.DoD Confirmation
10/02/06Walker, Kristofer C.DoD Confirmation
10/02/06Greenlee, Satieon V.DoD Confirmation
10/02/06Narvaez, Joe A.DoD Confirmation
10/01/06Lannaman, Denise A.DoD Confirmation
10/01/06Nelson, Mario DoD Confirmation
10/01/06Haag, Chase A.DoD Confirmation
10/01/06Peterson, Justin D.DoD Confirmation
10/01/06Cosgrove III, Christopher B. DoD Confirmation
10/01/06Seal, Aaron L.DoD Confirmation
09/30/06Tejeda, Luis E.DoD Confirmation
09/30/06Sourivong, Kampha B.DoD Confirmation
09/30/06Nisely, Scott E.DoD Confirmation
09/30/06Weber, RobertDoD Confirmation
09/29/06Monsoor, Michael A.DoD Confirmation
09/29/06Blaney, Christopher T.DoD Confirmation
09/28/06Chamroeun, JamesDoD Confirmation
09/27/06Lyons, James N.DoD Confirmation
09/26/06Lanzarin, Jose A.DoD Confirmation
09/26/06Riviere, Christopher T.DoD Confirmation
09/26/06Reynolds Jr., Edward C.DoD Confirmation
09/26/06Paul, HenryDoD Confirmation
09/25/06Mellen, Casey L.DoD Confirmation
09/24/06March Jr., Howard S.DoD Confirmation
09/24/06Martinez, ReneDoD Confirmation
09/23/06Kincaid, IV, Kenneth EDoD Confirmation
09/23/06Locklear, III, VeltonDoD Confirmation
09/23/06Dominguez, CarlosDoD Confirmation
09/23/06Simmons, Windell J.DoD Confirmation
09/21/06Bevington, Allan R.DoD Confirmation
09/20/06Rodriguez, Yull EstradaDoD Confirmation
09/20/06Zimmerman, Christopher MichaelDoD Confirmation
09/20/06Kavanagh, EricDoD Confirmation
09/20/06Needham, Robb GordonDoD Confirmation
09/20/06Jones, Charles JasonDoD Confirmation
09/19/06Lanham, Jane ElizabethDoD Confirmation
09/19/06Callahan, Robert ThomasDoD Confirmation
09/19/06Raymond, Jared J.DoD Confirmation
09/19/06Huff, Ashley L. HendersonDoD Confirmation
09/18/06Worster, James R.DoD Confirmation
09/17/06Knox, Adam L.DoD Confirmation
09/17/06Davis, David J.DoD Confirmation
09/16/06Roddy, David SeanDoD Confirmation
09/15/06Granados, Cesar A.DoD Confirmation
09/14/06Cain, Marcus A. DoD Confirmation
09/14/06Hartman, Jennifer M.DoD Confirmation
09/14/06Smith, Aaron A.DoD Confirmation
09/14/06Miller, Ryan A.DoD Confirmation
09/14/06Williams, Clint E.DoD Confirmation
09/14/06Makowski, Russell M.DoD Confirmation
09/14/06Weir, David ThomasDoD Confirmation
09/13/06Shaffer, JeffreyDoD Confirmation
09/13/06Mattingly, Matthew C. DoD Confirmation
09/12/06Perez, Emily J.T.DoD Confirmation
09/11/06Andrews, Harley D.DoD Confirmation
09/10/06Jordan, AlexanderDoD Confirmation
09/09/06Benson, JohnathanDoD Confirmation
09/09/06Seig, Anthony P.DoD Confirmation
09/08/06Gordon, David W.DoD Confirmation
09/07/06Ramsey, David J.DoD Confirmation
09/07/06Montes, Luis A.DoD Confirmation
09/07/06Frassetto, Vincent M.DoD Confirmation
09/06/06Shank, Jeremy R.DoD Confirmation
09/06/06Carroll, John A.DoD Confirmation
09/04/06Gutierrez, Marshall A.DoD Confirmation
09/04/06Debro, Germaine L.DoD Confirmation
09/04/06Walsh, ChristopherDoD Confirmation
09/04/06Valdepenas, Eric P.DoD Confirmation
09/04/06Gunterman, Hannah L.DoD Confirmation
09/04/06Shoemaker, Jared M.DoD Confirmation
09/03/06Merrill, Jason L. DoD Confirmation
09/03/06Andino Jr., Edwin AnthonyDoD Confirmation
09/03/06Madaras, Nicholas A.DoD Confirmation
09/03/06Henkes II, Richard J. DoD Confirmation
09/03/06