Mr. Robert Stokely, father of Sgt Michael Stokely responded to an email I sent him about Blackfive’s post We All Lost a Brother Today. Here is his reply that he sent me as well as Blackfive.
Hooked up on your blog and post above through Thunderrun. If possible, I would like to have my condolences conveyed to the family of Capt. Letendre and his friend, Jason. The loss of a soldier is tough – I know from personal experience, although not as a combat veteran. I so much appreciate Jason’s letter and the expression of feelings he gave. I have never served in the military, although I tried to enlist in the Marine Corp Aviation program as a sophomore in college in the 70s and was about to go in when the Vietnam War ended and they pulled my medical waiver.
Last Friday I visited Ft. Stewart GA to visit with Troop E 108th CAV 48th Brigade GA National Guard as they were in the last days of a week long demobilization, having just returned the previous Saturday from a year tour of duty in Iraq. I was privileged to “hang out” with them from the time I arrived after a 250 mile trip at 2:00 a.m. – sleeping in an empty rack, eating in the chow line, marching with them as they traveled the 1 plus mile hike to Warriors Walk for a special ceremony at the trees planted in honor of three of their fallen brothers. I was privileged to be a part of that ceremony, even being allowed to set the unit Guidon by the tree of a particular soldier – the first of the three killed. I was privileged to speak to the 100 plus soldiers and thank them for their service, sacrifice, friendship and support for me and my family during this deployment and particularly the last eight plus months. I was privileged to be presented with a special tee shirt made by the 2nd Platoon of Troop E and a numbered, special edition Troop E 108th CAV coin. I was then privileged to march back to the barracks and take part in other morning matters with these brave and fine soldiers who suffered seven seriously wounded in addition to the three lost brothers of Troop E. I have to say that this morning of privilege and honor granted to me by Troop E ranks head and shoulders above any privilege and honor given me save that of being the husband of my wife and the father of my three children. It ranks head and shoulders above my graduating college, law school, passing the State of Georgia Bar Exam, being appointed by the Governor of Georgia to fill a vacancy in the elected prosecutor’s office of Solicitor General for Coweta County, and being re-elected twice. Oh, and to have the guys of Troop E look after me that morning and shake my hand, tell me kind words, and let me know that the Stokely family would always be remembered and we only ask if we had need. Oh, if I had a million dollars (which I don’t even scratch the surface having) and had been asked to give that in exchange for having the privilege and honor of being with these soldiers and experiencing a small part of their daily routine that day, I would have gladly paid that and more. Never will I forget the moments of that morning for in those moments, I came to understand the brotherhood, the bond, the closeness and the looking out for one another that soldiers have for one another – the brotherhood that is spoken of in Jason’s letter about Capt. Letendre. Oh that I were a younger and more able bodied man than my 53 years of age and bad knee allow me to be, for I would sign up in a heartbeat to experience more of what I experienced the other morning...
Oh how I appreciate all the more why Mike wouldn’t take that exemption to stay behind and recruit while “his guys” deployed to Iraq and why he explained to me in Fall 2004 that “I can’t let my guys go it alone; I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to one of them and I wasn’t there – they are my guys and we have been together and this is what we trained for and I can’t let them be stuck with a new man at this stage.” Oh, how much the prouder I am of my son Mike I am for him serving with these guys, and they with him and the sacrifices they made in harsh and hostile conditions on the field of battle 8,000 miles from home. Oh how much more I appreciate the loss they feel when a brother falls in battle and how I can now better identify and understand what Jason said as he visited and held Capt. Letendre at the morgue. Oh how much more I understand Kevin Williams, a seriously wounded Troop E 108th soldier and why, still having much difficulty standing and walking from his wounds in Iraq, wouldn’t be denied the opportunity to walk blocks in a parade Sunday with his fellow soldiers, including others seriously hobbled and one – Mays – in a wheel chair in ranks as local citizens, families and friends cheered and clapped on their hometown return in Griffin GA. Oh, how much better I can understand why Williams – the first time I had seen him or met him – grabbed me as he walked along and embraced me and cried and sobbed and pleaded “I would have taken his place, I wish it had been me, I am sorry, I am sorry it wasn’t me instead, I loved him, I would trade places with him now.” Oh how I understand now the other wounded soldiers who appreciate they survived, but accept that gift with regret that their three fellow soldiers and brothers didn’t. Oh, if I could get a medical waiver and my wife and two children’s blessing, that I would sign and go myself and be a part of this brotherhood of service and become a part of the lineage of military patrons for the free world and America.
Thank you Jason Fargash for your moving tribute to your brother, Capt. Brian S. Letendre and giving me another view of that brotherhood you and so many other soldiers feel for each other, a feeling so strong, you would give your life instead so the brother would not have to. Thank you for your service and sacrifice and your family’s sacrifice as well. Thank you. Know that I grieve with you and the family of Capt. Letendre. Know that I understand and appreciate your loss and the family’s loss. Know this as well, I appreciate and understand the importance of those words you speak as to why we are there and while I acknowledge the right of others to engage in negative banter, I, like you, do not agree with those and their negative banter, and furthermore, I do not appreciate those of negative banter taking license and privilege and portending to speak for me and my family and our son and brother, Mike’s, service and sacrifice in Iraq.
Know this while my family has borne its share of loss this past year and our hearts broken, we share this loss and bear broken hearts with the privilege of sacrifice that some families must make when sons and daughters go to war. Oh that I have only one regret in such a privilege of family sacrifice – that I was not there myself, by my son’s side as he and his brothers served. Oh that I do not have enough years nor youth left to be like my son Mike, and serve with fine soldiers like his brothers of Troop E 108th CAV.
God Speed and God Bless our troops and those in harms way and the families back home. God Bless America.
Robert Stokely
Proud and privileged to be the dad of
SGT Michael “Mike” James Stokely
born April 19, 1982
KIA Iraq near Yusufiyah south of Baghdad by an IED on August 16, 2005
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