Yesterday, I talked to a fellow soldier of Mike's - one I knew, but really had not had a lengthy conversation with. He told me another important bit of information about the day before Mike died. Mike's Mission Occupation Specialty (MOS) was in communications (COMMO) before he was a CAV Scout. On the evening of August 15, 2005 he was out on patrol and due back in late evening and was to go back out on dismount patrol (walking patrol) and carry the radio. Then, his Lieutenant decided he had been going some pretty long hours, all day at that, and decided to give Mike the night off once the mission he was on was completed. The dismount patrol was going to be out to early morning hours on operational surveillance and maybe, if need be, kick a few doors in. It was on over around 2300 hours (11:00 p.m.) that Mike finished his other mission and was going to catch some shut-eye, when he saw the three HumVee team about to leave out, an empty rear seat in one of the vehicles as a soldier who would normally have that seat was home on his 2 week R&R. Mike saw that his two best military friends - they were a trio - were going out on that mission, so he grabbed his gear and jumped into the empty rear seat. Two hours later, while out of the vehicles (dismounted) and checking suspicious site, a powerful 130 millimeter artillery shell rigged to a washing machine timer and car battery exploded, killing Mike. Hearing this information gave me reason to ask What If...
What if Mike had never been born?
What if Mike had been born to some other family?
What if I had not had the privilege of being Mike's dad?
What if Mike's frail condition including collapsed lung as a premature baby, had taken his life as a new born?
What if I had not had Mike's love and desire to maintain a continous father / son relationship as an inspiration to get me to go to law school and finish?
What if I had not been broke that July 4, 1985 when Mike wanted a "cheez pitza and could have ordered Dominos delivered instead of going to the grocery store to buy a Chef Boyardee cheese pizza mix?
What if I had not met my beautiful wife Retta on that trip to the grocery store?
What if Retta and I had not started dating, fell in love and had Wes and Abbey?
What if Mike had not joined the military at all or for some other reason was not on that patrol August 16, 2005 at 0220 hours and some other soldier had died?
What if Mike had suffered and then died, instead of dying so quickly and mercifully?
What If God was not in control?
Fortunately, there is no What If when it comes to God being in control, and the questions above underscore for me the blessings of God being in control and in the end, letting us have Mike Stokely for 23 years 3 months and 27 days. We were blessed to have him, and those blessing continue even after Mike Stokely's death.
Robert Stokely
proud dad SGT Mike Stokely
KIA 16 Aug 05 near Yusufiyah Iraq
USA E 108 CAV 48th BCT GAARNG
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