Requiescat, part two.

We learned with much sadness a few days ago that PFC Brandon Buttry, a native of Shenandoah, Iowa, was killed on the mean streets of Kandahar province in Afghanistan not long ago. It's hard to write this, as we here feel a personal connection to the war-Jay has deployed twice and it looks like round 3 is waiting in the wings.

A good friend of mine has a son who has gone through the same trial by fire and lives to tell the tale. She's relieved but at the same time feels guilty that her son came home but others will not.I feel some of that too.

PFC Buttry was only nineteen years old, a mere child, but he took up arms like a man and gave, as Lincoln said, the last full measure of devotion.

His uncle Steve has started a remembrance page for Brandon and he has this to say:

"Brandon died defending our freedoms and our rights. If you haven't already voted, please get out today and exercise that precious right. If you spend an ounce of energy trying to keep Americans from voting, you are not worthy of his sacrifice and you dishonor the generations of U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who have defended our Constitution and our flag."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let Light Perpetual shine on them.

Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John, 15:13.