Timothy Betts - Law Enforcement - Indiana

Correctional Officer Tim Betts, age 51, of Jasonville, Indiana, died in the line of duty on August 26, 2012, at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, in Indiana. 

Tim was a member of the Indiana Department of Corrections. He had 15 years of service. 

Tim suffered a fatal heart attack while escorting an unruly inmate to the segregation unit at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. He suddenly collapsed as he and other officers moved the inmate. The other officers immediately began CPR and used an automated external defibrillator until an ambulance arrived. 

Tim had received numerous letters of appreciation and commendation for his outstanding service and dedication to duty at the prison.

Father, lead Tim to the Stairway
to Heaven. 

Friends stated that Tim was a great guy, a hard worker and a man who lived his family. He was well-liked. 

Police officials stated that Tim was a great family man who loved his wife, his children and his grandchildren. He had a sense of humor. He will be greatly missed by all of his comrades. 

Tim is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his wife, his children and his grandchildren.

Pray for all who die in the line of duty.

Let us pray that Timothy Betts is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Marshall Bailey - Law Enforcement - West Virginia

Corporal Marshall Bailey, age 42, of Poca, West Virginia, died in the line of duty on August 28, 2012, in Clay County, West Virginia. 

Marshall was a member of the West Virginia State Police. He had 17 years and 4 months of service. 

Michael, Archangel, Patron
Saint of the Police, pray for
Marshall.  

He and another trooper stopped a vehicle for reckless driving at the commuter parking lot adjacent to I-79, in Clay County, at approximately 8:30 pm. The troopers determined the subject was intoxicated and placed him under arrest. The subject was searched and placed in the back of the patrol car when he was able to reach a concealed 9mm pistol that was not discovered in the search. He shot both troopers inside of the vehicle and took Corporal Bailey's service weapon. After climbing out of the vehicle he shot a tow truck driver who had been called to the scene to impound his car. The tow truck driver was able to get away from the scene and call for help.

The subject then fled on foot and set up an ambush in a ditch. He later opened fire on officers from multiple agencies who responded to the scene, wounding a Roane County deputy in the arm, hand, and stomach. The responding officers returned fire, killing the subject.

Family members stated that Marshall died doing something he loved. They describe him as a great guy with integrity and honesty and responsibility.

Marshall is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his parents; his brother, Justin Bailey; his children Whitney, Lauren and Wyatt.

Pray for all who die in the line of duty.

Let us pray that Marshall Bailey is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Jessica Wing

Staff Sgt. Jessica M. Wing, age 42, of Alexandria, Virginia, died on August 27, 2012, in Kuwait City, Kuwait in a non-combat related incident.

She was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, Bangor, Maine. 

The cause of her death has not been released as of this posting. 

Jessica served in the Army for 11 years and had deployed to Haiti and Bosnia. She also served in the National Guard for 8 years. In total she had spent 23 years in uniform in the service of her country. 

Saint Bernadette of
Lourdes, pray for
Jessica

Jessica was a helicopter crew chief and her unit provides medical evacuation to military personnel on UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. 

Military officials stated that they are saddened and shocked at her death and are forever indebted to her for service to her country. 

Other military comrades stated that Jessica had served with distinction throughout her career and was dedicated to the military. She did her best. 

Jessica is survived by many loving friends and relatives, including her father and 2 sisters. She was predeceased by her mother. 

Let us pray that Jessica Wing is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Mabry Anders

Spc. Mabry J. Anders, age 21, of Baker City, Oregon, died on August 27, 2012, in in Kalagush, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from enemy, small arms fire.

He was assigned to the 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort arson, Colorado. 

Mabry attended Baker High School in Baker City, Oregon and also Baker High School in San Bernadino County in California. 

Mabry joined the Army on January 5, 2010. He had served at Fort Carson since July of 2011. He was deployed to Afghanistan on March 10, 2012. This was his first overseas deployment. 

Emil Kapaun, on your way
to Sainthood, pray for
Mabry

His awards include an Army Achievement Medal, a National Defense Service medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and an Overseas Service Ribbon. He will also be awarded a Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and Army Good Conduct Medal.

High school officials describe him as bubbly, likeable, with an upbeat personality. 

Family members stated that they are proud of their son and of his service to his country. They said that they will miss his fearless spirit and love of life. 

Mabry is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his parents, Troy and Genevieve Woydziak.

Pray for the 21 year olds who are killed in combat. Yesterday, they were just boys. 

Let us pray that Mabry Anders is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Christopher Birdwell

Sgt. Christopher J. Birdwell, age 25, of Windsor, Colorado, died on August 27, 2012, in in Kalagush, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from enemy, small arms fire.

He was assigned to the 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. 

Chris was a graduate of Windsor High School. He joined the Army in 2006 and arrived at Fort Carson on May 23, 2009. He had been on two previous deployments to Afghanistan (2007 and 2010) prior to his current one in 2012, where he had been since March of 2012.

Gabriel, Archangel, who stands
in the presence of God, pray for
Chris.

Chris was promoted to sergeant in February of 2011 and was a squad leader with eight soldiers in his command. Chris was airborne-certified through the Army Airborne School and top of his class in Army sniper school. Chris had more than 20 awards for his service.

Family members stated that Chris fit really well into the service and wanted to make the military his career. They describe him as a wonderful person, a true leader and a good friend. He could make anyone smile. 

They will forever grieve for Chris.

Chris is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his parents, Jim and Pam Birdwell; a brother and two sisters. 

Let us pray that Christopher Birdwell is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Guang Hua Liu - Toronto, Canada

Guang Hua Liu, age 41, died sometime in August, 2012, somewhere in the vicinity of Toronto, Canada. 

She was last seen alive on August 10, 2012. 

Charged with second degree murder is Chun Qi Jiang, age 40, who is the former boyfriend of Guang Hua Liu. They had had a 4 year relationship. 

Mary, pray for
Guang Hua Liu

Guang Hua Liu was a mother of 3 who was also a business owner. She had been operating a spa in a Scarborough mall, but the spa is no longer in business. Friends said Liu was planning to sell her business after owning it for only a few months. The evening she went missing, she was scheduled to meet a prospective buyer.

Some of her body parts were recovered from a river in Mississauga and a creek in Toronto. A severed head, a foot, two hands and other body parts were found in the Credit River and Highland Creek.

The accussed, Jiang is a construction laborer. He is a Canadian citizen of Chinese descent who arrived in Canada in 2002.

God save us from our lovers who say they love us and then they kill us. 

Let us pray that Guang Hua Liu is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

17 Party-goers murdered by Taliban in Afghanistan

On August 27, 2012, 17 civilian villagers were found murdered in the Musa Qala district of southern Helmand Province, Afghanistan. 

A photo from 2001 in Kabul when the Taliban was in power.
A woman dared to expose her face in a public market and was
beaten by this man who belonged to the Taliban
Government Dept. called the Promotion of Virtue and the
Prevention of Vice - No doubt the same dudes who
murdered these 17 villagers for dancing.  Look at the girl
in the lower right of this photo - she is seeing her future. 

Apparently this area is under control of the Taliban. It is not under the control of the legitimate Afghan government and doesn't seem to be under the control of NATO forces either. 

15 men and 2 women were having a party. Nematullah Khan, the Musa Qala district chief, confirmed that the villagers had organised a party with music, and a local official said he suspected that the two women had been dancing. Secret parties with dancing women from a gypsy-type tribe are common across southern Afghanistan.

The local Taliban's potential response to news of a party involves these options:

Option A:  Ignore it - who cares? 

Option B - Let's go to the party and have some fun. 

Option C - Let's murder everyone at the party.  They are having too much fun. 

Father, why do these
Taliban shit-heads continue to
bring destruction to this
country and still kill our troops?

And guess what option the Taliban chose?  Option C. 

Some news reports said that the 17 people involved were beheaded; other reports said they had their throats slit. In any case, they are all needlessly dead.

The Taliban does not approve of music and dancing among men and women who are not related. End of story. If you do it, you can die, if they catch you. 

A Taliban attack shortly thereafter also killed 10 Afghan soldiers at a checkpoint in an area nearby. These men were fellow Afghans who were sons, brothers, husbands and fathers. These 10 Afghan men are stone cold dead. The Taliban kill their own people. 

God save Afghanistan from the Taliban freaks. Amen

God save us from the terrorists.  Amen

Patricia Horne

Pfc. Patricia L. Horne, age 20, of Greenwood, Mississippi, died on August 24, 2012, in Bagram, Afghanistan. 

The cause of her death has not been released as of this posting. 

Angels of God, pray for Pat

She was assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Pat graduated from Greenwood High School in Mississippi in 2010. She lists her hometown as Opelousas, Louisiana.

Family members stated that Pat was intelligent and driven.  She was their hero. She will be forever missed.

Patricia is survived by many loving friends and relatives, including her mother, Betty Horne and 5 siblings.  

Pray for the 20 year old women who die in war zones. Yesterday, they were just girls. 

Let us pray that Patricia Horne is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Neil Armstrong - the Courageous Moon Walker

Astronaut Neil Armstrong, age 82, has died of complications from cardiovascular surgery.

Neil underwent cardiac bypass surgery earlier this month after doctors found blockages in his coronary arteries.

Neil Armstrong and fellow Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. 

These men are the true American heroes. They travelled 384, 400 km to the moon, under primitive circumstances. Computer technology was a joke in 1969. It was nothing like it is today. 

Father, place Neil on the stairway
to heaven. 

These men were the bravest of the brave. They put their lives at the greatest of risk. 

Family members have stated that Neil Armstrong was a reluctant American hero, who had served his nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut.

They also stated: “Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

Let us pray that Neil Armstrong is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Louis Torres

Sgt. Louis R. Torres, age 23, of Oberlin, Ohio, died on August 22, 2012, in San Antonio, Texas, of wounds suffered when he encountered an enemy improvised explosive device on August 6, 2012, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Louis was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. 

Raphael, Archangel of
Healing, pray for Louis.
Pray that he is taken into
heaven. 

Louis entered the Army in 2008 and had been in Afghanistan since December. It was his second deployment, having also served in Iraq for nearly a year.

Louis is survived by many loving friends and relatives. 

Pray for those who die young. 

Pray for those who are injured and who linger and thereby suffer.  Amen. 

Let us pray that Louis Torres is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Deanna Patrick - Dallas, Texas

Deanna Patrick, age 32, was murdered in Dallas, Texas, on August 17, 2012. 

Her maiden name was Deanna Cook. 

Her body was found on August 19, 2012, in the bathtub of her residence. 

Delvecchio Patrick, age 35, her ex-husband, has been arrested and charged with her murder. He has a prior history of alleged domestic violence against his wife. 

On August 17, 2012, Deanna called 911 (the Police Emergency Number) from her cell phone. It took time for police officials to determine what address the call was coming from. 

After obtaining an address, the dispatcher gave the call to the first available police field element. The officers that received the call arrived at the location and knocked at the door. When no one answered, they requested a call-back of the caller which went to voicemail. They also checked the perimeter windows of the home and spoke with neighbors who reported that they had not heard any disturbance. Then they left the scene. 

Angels of God, pray for Deanna

Records show that Deanna called the Police at 10:54 a.m. This was not a drunken call in the middle of the night. She could be heard screaming "Delvecchio, why are you doing this?....please stop, I didn't do anything to you."

Deanna's family, two days later, who were concerned about her, went to her home and found her dead. 

The bloggers of this website are in support of the Police and Police support workers such as 911 emergency operators. However....we are confused about this tragedy.  

If it is 11:00 in the morning and a woman calls the emergency line screaming into the phone, is there no sense of urgency conveyed to the responding officers? And then when the responding officers can't get access into the residence, they leave? 

God help us. How much screaming does one person have to do to get help?

God save us from the husbands and wives who said they loved us and then kill us. 

Let us pray that Deanna is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Adrian Morris - Law Enforcement - Maryland

Police Officer Adrian Morris, age 23, of Laurel, Maryland, died in the line of duty on August 20, 2012, on Highway I-95 in Maryland.

Adrian was a member of the Prince George's County Police Department - 6th District. He had 2 1/2 years of service.

Michael, Archangel, Patron
Saint of the Police, pray
for Adrian

He was killed in a vehicle crash while pursuing a vehicle on I-95, near the Powder Mill Road interchange, shortly before 1:00 pm.  Officer Morris and his partner had been investigating a theft when they spotted a car being driven by the suspect and attempted to stop it. The officers pursued the vehicle onto southbound I-95 and chased it a short distance until the vehicle purposefully cut them off, causing the patrol car to leave the roadway and enter a ravine. Officer Morris was ejected from the vehicle. Both officers were transported to a local hospital where Officer Morris succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the vehicle they were pursuing continued to flee and remains at large.

Adrian was born in Kingston, Jamaica, but grew up in the Laurel area and became a U.S. citizen in 2009. He was a 2007 graduate of Eleanor Roosevelt High School. 

Comrades stated that Adrian had dreamed of joining the force since he entered a law enforcement program as a teen. He is described as a friendly, compassionate officer, who took pride in his career.

Adrian is survived by many loving friends and relatives.

Pray for all who die in the line of duty. 

Let us pray that Adrian Morris is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Coater Debose

Sgt. 1st Class Coater B. Debose, age 55, of State Line, Mississippi, died on August 19, 2012, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from small arms fire from an Afghan police officer.

Coater was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 351st Infantry Regiment, 158th Infantry Brigade, 1st Army Division East, Camp Shelby, Mississippi. 

He deployed in April of 2012 to assist and train Afghan uniformed police in and around Kandahar.

Coater joined the Alabama Army National Guard in May of 1983. He transferred to the Army Reserves in 2008. He served in the military for more than 27 years including service in the Coast Guard.  He had previously served in Iraq in 2004 - 2005. 

Father, place Coater on the
stairway to Heaven

Military officials stated that Coater loved serving in the military. He was a mentor to the younger guys who looked up to him. 

Family members stated that Coater loved his kids and his grandkids. 

Coater is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his wife, Juanita; and children - Latravis Debose, Caronica Jackson, Christopher Debose, Nekeshia Raybon, and Broderick Debose. 

Let us pray that Coater Debose is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

David Williams

Sgt. David V. Williams, age 24, of Frederick, Maryland, died on August 18, 2012, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. 

The cause of death has not been disclosed as of this posting.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

David graduated from High School in 2006 and entered the Army in August of 2008. 

Light a candle for David.
Light his way to Heaven.

He was stationed at Camp Red Cloud, South Korea.  He arrived at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in February of 2011.  He deployed to Afghanistan with his brigade in April 2012. This was his first deployment.

His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal (two awards), Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, NATO Medal.

David is survived by many loving friends and relatives. 

Let us pray that David Williams is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

David Warsen

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class David J. Warsen, age 27, of Kentwood, Michigan, died on August 16, 2012, in a helicopter crash northeast of Kandahar, Afghanistan.

David was assigned to a West Coast-based naval Special warfare unit.  

Friends and family called him Davey. 

He graduated from East Kentwood High School and later attended several local colleges. He was currently living in San Diego.

David enlisted in the Navy in March of 2009 and had served with the SEAL unit since October of 2010. He was deployed to Afghanistan in December of 2011. 

Angels of God, pray for David

Family members describe him as talented, dedicated and proud of serving his country. They stated that he was well respected by his military colleagues.

David was due to return home no later than October 1, 2012. He was planning to get married on December 8. 

David is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his parents Patricia Frank and David Warsen; his grandfather, Duke Warsen; and his fiancee, Karlyn Deveau. 

Let us pray that David Warsen is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Luis Oliver Galbreath

Sgt. Luis A. Oliver Galbreath, age 41, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, died on August 16, 2012, in a helicopter crash northeast of Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Luis was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Luis joined the Army on January 25, 2003 and became a UH-60 Helicopter Repairer on December 4, 2003.

Mary, pray for Luis

His awards and decorations include the Air Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal and the Army Aviation Badge. 

Luis is survived by many loving friends and relatives, including his wife and 3 children.

Let us pray that Luis Oliver Galbreath is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Richard Essex

Sgt. Richard A. Essex, age 23, of Kelseyville, California, died on August 16, 2012, in a helicopter crash northeast of Kandahar, Afghanistan. 

Richard was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Richard attended Kelseyville High School. Officials there describe him as a positive kid, who was proud of what he was doing. 

Angels of God, pray for Richard

Family members describe him as a free spirit, who played the bass guitar, and was an artist and a published poet.

Richard is survived by many loving friends and relatives, including his parents Marion and Brett Hopkins.

Let us pray that Richard Essex is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Patrick Feeks

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class Patrick D. Feeks, age 28, of Edgewater, Maryland, died on August 16, 2012, in a helicopter crash northeast of Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Patrick was assigned to a West Coast-based naval special warfare unit.

Patrick enlisted in the Navy in March of 2006, and had served with Seal Team Three since May of 2008.

He had previously deployed to Iraq in 2008 and 2010.  He deployed to Afghanistan in December of 2011.

Saint Bernadette of
Lourdes, pray for
Patrick

His awards and decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Family members stated that it was always Patrick's dream to be a Navy Seal and that he was proud of his service.  

Friends describe him as selfless and driven, with a zest for life.

Patrick is survived by many loving friends and relatives, including his parents, Thomas and Virginia; and his wife, Emily.

Let us pray that Patrick Feeks is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Sean Carson

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Petty Officer Technician 1st Class Sean P. Carson, age 32, of Des Moines, Washington, died on August 16, 2012, in a helicopter crash northeast of Kandahar, Afghanistan. 

Sean was assigned to an explosive ordnance disposal mobile unit in San Diego. 

Sean enlisted in May of 1999 and graduated from boot camp at recruit training command in Great Lakes, Illinois in August of 1999. 

Angels of God, pray for Sean

His awards and decorations include the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Battle Efficiency Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. 

Sean is survived by many loving friends and relatives, including his wife and young daughter.

Let us pray that Sean Carson is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Suresh Krause

Chief Warrant Officer Suresh N. A. Krause, age 29, of Cathedral City, California, died on August 16, 2012, in a helicopter crash northeast of Kandahar, Afghanistan. 

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. 

Father, place Suresh on
the stairway to Heaven.

Suresh graduated from Cathedral City High School in 2001.

He joined the Army in February of 2007 and became a Black Hawk pilot in June of 2009.  This was his second deployment.

His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal and the Army Aviator Badge.

Suresh is survived by many loving friends and relatives.

Let us pray that Suresh Krause is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Brian Hornsby

Chief Warrant Officer Brian D. Hornsby, age 37, of Melbourne, Florida, died on August 16, 2012, in a helicopter crash northeast of Kandahar, Afghanistan. 

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Brian joined the Army in 1998 and became a helicopter pilot in 2003.  He was serving his second deployment to Afghanistan. 

Light a candle for Brian.
Light his way to Heaven.

He had received the Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal and the Senior Army Aviator Badge.

Brian is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his parents; his wife and two children.

Let us pray that Brian Hornsby is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Darrel Enos

Hospital Corpsman Petty Officer 1st Class Darrel L. Enos, age 36, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, died on August 17, 2012, while supporting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan.  He was shot by an Afghan police recruit he was training. 

He was in the Navy and was assigned to 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He had 16 years of service in the Navy.  This was his 7th tour of duty, said family members.

Darrel was a graduate of Mitchel High School.

Family members stated that Darrel was proud to serve his country and that they are proud of him. He loved being a corpsman and loved the Navy. 

Light a candle for Darrel.
Light his way to Heaven.

Darrel is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his mother, Patricia Loren; 7 siblings; his wife, 4 children and 2 step-children.

Let us pray that Darrel Enos is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Greg Copes

Staff Sgt. Gregory T. Copes, age 36, of Lynch Station, Virginia, died on August 17, 2012, while supporting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan.

He was shot by an Afghan police officer. 

He was assigned to 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He was helping to train local police officers.

Greg graduated from Hargrave Military Academy in 1994 and Longwood University in 1999. Greg joined the Marines soon after the September 11 attacks of 2001. 

Jesus, pray for Greg

Greg had served as a military instructor around the world, including missions in Mauritania, Malaysia and Indonesia. He had previously served a tour of duty in Iraq. 

He was an avid outdoorsman and also loved music and sports. 

 
Family members stated that Greg was proud of his service to his country and that they are proud of him. He always strived to be the best that he could be. 

Greg is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his two brothers Earl and William Copes; his wife, Tia; and their four children ages 6 months to 6 years. Greg was predeceased by his mother. 

Let us pray that Greg Copes is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Jacinda Baker

New Zealand Soldier Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker, age 26, of Christchurch, died on August 19, 2012, in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when her vehicle struck a roadside bomb. 

She was with the Royal Infantry of New Zealand - 2nd/1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (2/1 RNZIR) based in Burnham. 

She joined the Army as a medic and was posted to Burnham Regional Support Company in April of 2007. She was posted to 2/1 RNZIR in December of 2007, and deployed to Solomon Islands in 2010.  She deployed to Afghanistan in April of 2012.  

Saint Elizabeth Fyodorovna,
pray for Jacinda

Her family emigrated from the Netherlands when she was a child. 

Jacinda received a Chief of Army Commendation in 2011 for her professionalism and courage during Exercise Southern Warrior in June of 2008. She was promoted to Lance Corporal in July of 2008. 

Jacinda is the first female New Zealand soldier to have been killed in action since the Vietnam War. 

Friends stated that Jacinda was always up for an adventure including kayaking, rock climbing and hiking.  It was also stated that she loved the military. 

Jacinda is survived by many loving friends and relatives, including her partner, Geoff. 

Let us pray that Jacinda Baker is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Richard Harris

New Zealand Soldier Private Richard Lee Harris, age 21, of Pukekohe, died on August 19, 2012, in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb.

He was with the Royal Infantry of New Zealand - 2nd/1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (2/1 RNZIR) based in Burnham. 

Saint Christopher, pray for
Richard

Richard joined the Army in February of 2009. He had previously deployed to Timor Leste in 2009/2010. He deployed to Afghanistan in April of 2012. 

Richard is survived by many loving friends and relatives.

Pray for the 21 year olds who die in combat. Yesterday, they were just boys. 

Let us pray that Richard Harris is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.