In Memory of SPC Jordan Shay

As I was leaving work yesterday I checked Jordon's site to see if he had left a new post, Not seeing one I moved on to Alex's site and saw the title Through Amber Lenses, A Light. That's all I read. I thought it would be a post a promoting Jordan's site and made a mental note to read it today.

Today I recieved an email from someone who was also following Jordan's site and realized the worst had happened. In the terse words of the U.S. Department of Defense:

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Sept. 3 in Baqubah, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. The soldiers were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Todd W. Selge, 25, of Burnsville, Minn.; and

Spc. Jordan M. Shay, 22, of Salisbury, Mass.

The incident is under investigation.

For further information contact the Fort Lewis Public Affairs Office, (253) 967-0147 // 0152, or after-hours

My thoughts, prayers and sincere condolences go out to the families of SSG Todd W. Selge and SPC Jordan M. Shay.

I leave off with the words of Alex Horton a former member of the 3RD Stryker Brigade Combat Team with whom Jordan served: "The United States lost a brave soldier, and the military blog community lost a brave new voice. I ask that you take the time to read his blog from beginning to end. In his comments section, his girlfriend tells us the blog was important to him. I hope he realized how important it was to those who read it."

Read Alex's complete post. Army of Dude: Through Amber Lenses, A Light