A few weeks ago while training a group of police officers I noticed that one of the officers attending the class had a date tattooed on her wrist. "01-09-08" piqued my interest and I asked her what the date represented. "That is the day my brother died in Iraq," she replied. After a moment of feeling awkward for bringing up what was surely a painful memory for her, it occurred to me that the moment should not be awkward at all. I am quite certain that the tattoo she proudly displays often causes people to ask about its meaning. That is why it is there. To encourage people to ask, and therefore to remember Army Staff Sergeant Jonathan Dozier and to appreciate his sacrifice for us and our country.
On that fateful January day in 2008, Sgt. Dozier and five of his fellow soldiers were killed by an Improvised Explosive Device while conducting a search of a house suspected of being used by Al Queda. The other soldiers killed in the incident were Specialist Todd E. Davis; Staff Sergeant Sean Gaul; Sergeant Zachary McBride; Sergeant First Class Matthew Pionk; and Sergeant Christopher Sanders.
The week after I learned about Sgt. Dozier's story, I like the rest of America paused to recognize the anniversary of September 11th. Each and every American vividly remembers that horrible day in great detail. We go to great lengths to remember the thousands of victims that lost their lives that day, as well we should. As the slogan that has become so popular since 9/11 says: "We will never forget."
Sadly, however, it feels like as a population we tend to forget the thousands of American service men and women who have sacrificed their lives since 9/11 in the war against terror. The families of those brave and selfless soldiers will forever feel the enormous sense of loss, just as the families of 9/11 victims do. I for one am deeply grateful to each and every one of them who put their lives and families on hold, travelled across the world to a foreign land and day after day risked their lives under unimaginable conditions of war while we continued our lives as usual. And I am especially grateful to those who did not come home. Those like Sgt. Dozier. It should be noted that Sgt. Dozier was continuing a family legacy of serving their country which dated back several generations to the Civil War. In a letter Sgt. Dozier wrote in the weeks prior to his death he said, "I believe in things greater than myself and making sacrifices for the greater good." Well done Sir, you could not have set a better example for us all to follow.
Sgt. Dozier would have turned 36 years old today. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and our gratitude goes to his family for all of their service. In honor of Sgt. Dozier we have made a contribution to the Fallen Patriot Fund in his name. You may do the same by visiting their website at www.fallenpatriotfund.org.
