" When I made my middle of the night trip to visit my son, SGT Mike Stokely's fellow soldiers at FT Stewart after they returned from Iraq, I found myself wandering about trying to find their barracks - at 2:00 a.m. I happened upon a soldier who was coming from the Latrine and he recognized me as "Stokely's dad" . This soldier was SGT Darren Edwards. He made provision for me to have the rack and took care of me. I saw him next a few days later as the Troop returned to their home base in Griffin GA and were released.
It is with saddness that I report that SGT Edwards was killed a week ago in a motorcycle crash and his funeral was this past Thursday in Decatur GA. I attended as did many of SGT Edward's fellow Echo 108th CAV soldiers. I recall talking to him when he found me wandering around that night at FT Stewart and his words of comfort to me about Mike's death. I told him that Mike was ready to die - having told me not to worry about his safety for if God was ready for him, it would not matter whether he was in the safety of America or danger of Iraq. SGT Edwards spoke highly of Mike and told me to take comfort in my son's words and knowledge of life, and death and to know that he truly was ready to die for his country.
SGT Edwards leaves a wife, several sons and several daughters. One of his son serves our military and is a fine, strapping younger version of his father. SGT Edwards left our country a continuing legacy of service.
Now, add to this the following events in other soldier's lives: Ryan Callway, who was Mike's friend and served in the same platoon of E Troop 108th CAV was recently pinned down in Beirut Lebannon as he was on a church mission trip with his brother, Jarred (who also served in Iraq with the 121st Infantry GA Natl Guard and was also Mike's friend). They have now made it out on the USS Nashville and last word were headed to Cyprus and then home. How many of us would have just returned from a year of war in the middle east only to turn around and head back on a church mission trip?
But, the dangers of life also struck home for another of Mike's soldiers who was found to have a cancerous thyroid when getting his demobilization physical at FT Stewart. The thyroid was removed and prognosis is good - but we all know that cancer survivors always remain vigilant. (soldier's name omitted due to privacy reasons). It was an honor to march in a local 4th of July parade with this brave soldier and his two sons - what a remarkable soldier. Less than two months after being diagnosed and then his surgery, he marches in a hot 4th of July parade in full basic daily uniform to honor my son and our family.
Mike understood life; he also understood that dying is a part of living and that one must always be prepared to die and that death comes to us where we are at when it is our time. That is the message Mike was trying to convey to me in our last conversation August 8 - both a message of reassurance and preparadness.
You know what this all tells me - our country is in good hands, for soldiers like I described above serve so others can freely debate."
Robert Stokely
proud dad SGT Mike Stokely
KIA by IED 16 Aug 05 near Yusufiyah south of Baghdad
E Troop 108th CAV 48th Brigade GA NATL Guard
Mr. Stokely, I couldn't agree more. Our country is in good hands, our soldiers have a moral courage and fortitude the likes of which this country has not seen in years. They know the power of action while others talk, and they realized early on, it isn't the process that matters but the results.
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