PiKA loses another Brother:

I just was looking at pikes.org and found this -

William R. Watkins, III (North Carolina State, Alpha Epsilon) '85
Lt. Col., 333rd Fighter Squadron, U.S. Air Force
Died in the line of duty on April 7, 2003, serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom

With all due respect, I wonder if it isn't time to let this thread drop away from the top of the list.

While there will certainly be more casualties, the potential for mass "war" injuries and deaths is over -- at least according to the President.

The loss of any person in service to our country is sad and unfortunate, but sometimes the best thing is to simply move on -- with thanks and heartfelt sympathy to not only those who died, but also their families and loved ones.

VERY good point, Delt Alum. This thread has been "unstuck."

I'm NOT dead
 

Just to let you know, I am not the Scott Jamar who died in Iraq. And it was my grandfather, (not great grandfather) Scott Preston Squyres who was AA1.

I am always interested in finding out more about his activities during his life, as I was named after him, and used to listen to my grandmothers stories.

Any info you can forward to me, or sources to find out more would be helpful.

Thanks again.

Scott P Jamar

Except for the good news that Scott Jamar is not the one who passed --except for his relative....it is so sad to realize that this thread was started in 2003 (has been stopped....) and yet, this war is still raging and the death toll overall regardless of Greeks or non Greeks is nearly 3000. Let us fervently hope that the best Christmas present we could all hope for will be that this time next year...Christmas 2007..this war is either just about or totally over and we can put this entire memory away and trust it is a long long time before we are in another one. God trust it happens. Amen

Not picking on you, DA... but, when I looked at the date of that post, I was floored. May this situation be resolved in '07 so that our soldiers can get back home.

American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 2957(total) 2426
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03) 2820(total) 2331 (in combat)
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 2491(total) 2123 (in combat)
Since Handover (6/29/04): 2091(total) 1798 (in combat)
Since Election (1/31/05): 1521(total) 1314 (in combat)

It is sad indeed as we lose more and more men and women in the armed forces.

I am sure there have been members of GLOs who have died in not just one place Iraq but the other war Afghanstan. My Chapter has been lucky so far, 2 back and still two over there.

May they all come back safe.

While we all would like this to be over, if we and the other countrys of democracy do not make a stand here, we will live with it forever.

On the plane today, I sat by a young Army man, who had tried college and didn't like it; and then had tried work, but didn't like it; and was within six months of the end of his Army service - currently as a supply guy in Afganistan.

He had been flying for four days, and was about to surprise his family in Springfield with a Christmas visit. In 15 days, he had to be back in Afganistan.

What a great surprise.

After the Army, he plans to enroll at Eastern Ill.