Rest In Peace...

LTC Tom Wren died in Iraq on November 5th, 2005. Tom was my good friend. The messed up part about it was he died in a damn vehicle accident.

ONE U.S. SERVICEMAN KILLED, THREE INJURED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT TALLIL, Iraq
– One U.S. service member was killed and three others were injured in a non-combat related vehicle accident near Tallil, Iraq at approximately 1:49 p.m. Nov 5. The three injured service members were evacuated to a Combat Support Hospital at Tallil Air Base for further treatment. The service members are all assigned to the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq in support of its mission to rebuild, train, equip and mentor the Iraqi security forces. The names of the dead and injured are being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.

His wife has been notified so I can blog about it. My buddy called me last night from Germany and told me the casualty assistance folks came to his house already.

Tom leaves behind a 6-month old baby from this marriage, and four children from a previous marriage.

Tom was a great human being. He was a reservist who volunteered for every deployment he could go on. He was an officer who liked to take care of his troops. I met him in Bosnia in 1999 and we have been friends ever since. He lived in Northern Virginia, and we would visit every couple of months when I slid through the Beltway. We used to link up at an Irish Pub in Springfield for Guinness and conversation. He would give you the shirt off his back, and was always an optimist despite times of turmoil. I am proud to have known him.

God Speed, Thomas Wren, save a seat for me and keep the Guinness cold.

UPDATE: Friends of Tom opened a website in memory of him. Please take the time to look at the photos. Don't forget the fallen. Ever. Keep their memories fresh in your mind.