One Brick Short

I’m a bit behind on these things. They’re not the most fun thing to put up, but they’re necessary to remind us that personal sacrifice, right down to body parts and life, are being made on our behalf:

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Feb. 5 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in Al Muqdadiyah when they encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations. 

Killed were U.S. Army Spc. Miguel A. Baez, 32, of Bonaire, Ga., who was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Sgt. John C. Osmolski, 23, of Eustis, Fla., who was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. and Sgt. Timothy R. Van Orman, 24, of Port Matilda, Pa., who was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

In a separate incident, U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Luis A. Souffront, 25,of Miami, Fla., died Feb. 7, from wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device while serving in combat operations in Iraq. He was assigned to an East Coast based SEAL team.