Teatime with Gods, Goddesses, Angels, and Demons

I was around seven or eight years old. It was the middle of the night and I was being invited to tea by demons who were sitting quite comfortably in the four corners of my bedroom ceiling. I ran sweaty and panicked into my mom and dad's bedroom. "Mom, Dad, some demons are asking me to have tea with them." I was truly freaked out and hoping they'd let me snuggle in the safety of their bed (never their modus operandi). They sleepily (not believing me) told me to go back to my bed and pray to god to get rid of the demons. So I did, lying there repeating mantra fashion over and over, "Jehovah God, please help me, Jehovah God, please help me...." (I was raised a Jehovah's Witness, but left the religion long ago.) I was taught to believe that the bible was the inspired-to humans-word of god, and I knew that within its crispy pages angels were also reported to have spoken directly to man. But, inexplicably, this was now a thing relegated to the past. God and angels didn't communicate personally anymore. Oh, I could talk to god (you know, an old white bearded guy sitting on a throne in the clouds), but he didn't talk back. And neither did angels. They certainly didn't invite you to tea. But demons? They're everywhere. Always looking to tempt or steal your soul. The thing I've wondered ever since was, what if those weren't demons? What if they were angels? Or . . . . what if it was a mixture? Wow, what an amazing conversation over tea that would be have been.

New Year 2008. A little tea time here with a few gods, goddesses, angels, and demons.

As we are usually want to do around this time, we think of what the past year brought us. Or took from us. How we might have succeeded at the promises we'd made and intentions we'd had. Or not. How we might have dealt with the many choices, opportunities, challenges, and outcomes the year put in our path. Or not.

And now with hope and perhaps more than a touch of trepidation we look ahead to the new year, contemplating what it will bring, what it might take, what challenges and adventures will be put in our path, and wondering what the tally of it all will be by this time next year. Mostly, and more importantly (right?), we contemplate the people we love and care about-whether we lost them to the past year or before, or are hoping and praying we don't lose them to the next year or beyond. And then there's the many people who we don't yet know but who will undoubtedly, and perhaps a bit serendipitously, cross our paths and enter our hearts this coming year.

One of the many amazing people taken from us this past year, at the end of January, was the inimitable Molly Ivins. In February, in an underclassman and wannabe nod to Molly, I promised to write regularly (weekly I said-but weakly is more how it turned out) about the men and women who have lost their lives in our country's twin Freedom Operations: Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. Otherwise known as The Global War On Terror. My intent was to do so in a non-judgmental fashion however-not an easy task considering how these wars were based, predominantly, on lies. But necessary I felt, out of respect for the fact that many of these mostly young men and women (pay attention to their ages) and their surviving families and friends might have fully believed/believe that what they were doing was best for the advancement of freedom and democracy, and for our country. And I didn't want them to feel that their loved one's names were being used as propaganda.

Yes, Molly was inimitable. Not capable of being imitated. Matchless. When Molly, bless her funky and passionate and truth seeking soul, said, "This will be a regular feature of mine, like an old-fashioned newspaper campaign. Every column, I'll write about this war until we find some way to end it. STOP IT NOW. BAM! Every day, we will review some factor we should have gotten right," she honored her commitment, not even allowing her impending death to get in the way of it. I, on the other hand, allowed life to get in the way of mine. I followed through in February, March, and April. Sort of. My original intention had been to delve deeper into some of the lives of these fallen. And to also put a lens on the fallen in Iraq (where so many thousands more have died).

But then the Goddess of Burn Out paid me a visit. (And the Demon of You Think What You're Doing Makes Any Difference?)

Perhaps this is one of death's great lessons, especially when you know death is at your door, the god of Impending Death we'll call him. When Impending Death rings the doorbell you don't have the luxury of claiming burn out. Or laziness. Or ignorance. Or ineptitude. You can declare those excuses of course, like some unnecessary baggage or foreign purchase, while waiting for your lonely and uncertain passage across the dark River Styx. And some do, but for most people Impending Death is a clarifier. Impending Death forces you to your knees and compels you to choose what's most important-the thing, or things, you must do, (or get rid of to make room for the doing)-before Death takes you on its crossing. And what a blessed gift that is. One Molly accepted and offered in return wholeheartedly.

Most of us don't get blessed by a visit from Impending Death. We just get good ol Sudden Death, who has a tendency to lure us into the belief that we have forever to get our lives in order and prioritized.

I went to see my grandmother on her deathbed a couple months ago. 93 years old. She was the mastermind behind my grandfather, the professional wrestler Gorgeous George who some might still recall, and his gimmicks that helped make professional wrestling popular (oh joy) and inspired people like Little Richard, and Muhammad Ali, and Bob Dylan. Here was my Nana, bleeding internally, with her blood count dropping precipitously, and no one could find the source of the problem. The hospital's take? "Well, she's 93 years old. She's gonna die." They put her on some oxygen to help her breathe, gave her morphine when she couldn't and panicked, and that was pretty much it. My first day there I volunteered to be the one to stay overnight with her. I didn't want her to die, but if she did I was happy to be the one with her when it happened. I massaged lotion over her tiny feet. Helped her mostly naked and withering body out of bed and onto the toilet in the middle of the night (after she fiercely refused the indignity of soiling her bed and pad, which is what the nurses wanted her to do). All night long lying there, mostly sleepless, facing her from the other bed in the room, making eye contact once in a while, listening to her breathe like she might have done for me when I was little. And when her breath would catch: Is she breathing? Is she still alive? What a miracle and a mystery, this thing called Life and Death.

I've only been present with one other person as they were dying. And I felt, surprisingly, that she was ready to go, even though her death came surprisingly and suddenly. It was okay. The three days I sat with my Nana I couldn't find that feeling. I tried. But I couldn't even find it in the midst of what we all thought was really the end-when she couldn't find her breath at all, and could barely gasp out that she was ready to go because what she was feeling was so terrifying. But she lived through that moment. And that day. I had to come home the next. It was my daughter's first homecoming dance and I wanted to be here for her. I said my tearful farewell to my Nana, giving her the same butterfly kisses she used to give me, believing the next time I saw her it would be at her funeral.

Well, almost three months later, Nana is still alive, and getting stronger and healthier with every passing day. A couple days after I left the hospital she woke up and, taking her survival literally into her own hands, asked if eating liver would help her blood count. "I don't like liver, but I'll eat it if it helps me." And then she said she wanted steak instead, medium rare, on a heated plate (never mind it was served well done on a paper plate). She's a ferocious little thing. Refuses to die until it suits her.

Why do I tell this story here? (Other than because telling stories about my family helps me appreciate them more, and helps me feel more connected to other people and their stories, and because health care needs a wake up call.) It's because I witnessed one of the greatest gifts Impending Death and Recognized Endings can bring. Nana had several glorious-probably not the adjective she'd use, but glorious in some respects they were-days in the hospital where she apologized and forgave and reconnected with many people who she'd in one way or another distanced (or pissed off) in her life. Bitterness and judgment and anger melted away leaving only love and acceptance. On all sides. Those of us closest to her know what a miracle that was! There's also another reason I tell this story though. Try as I might, I couldn't find the feeling that she was ready to go. But I just accepted that because she was old, and the hospital said so, she probably was a goner. Now of course she will undoubtedly die in the not too distant future. But who says she doesn't have three or four or five more months? Or years? And I, and my family, were willing to accept her date with Impending Death without question. I mean what a crappy date and we were willing to let her go out with him, hardly any questions asked.

Which made me think about how often we send our young men and women off on their dates with War Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression and Severed Limbs and Sudden Terrifying Death with barely a whispered resistance. Hardly any questions asked. Knowing as well that they and their actions (while in the honorable but perhaps misguided process of attempting to advance freedom and democracy) will often be the source of Panic, and Sorrow, and Severed Limbs, and Cancer Causing Depleted Uranium that will be around for oh-only about 4.5 Billion years, Destroyed Infrastructure And Culture And Homes And Places Of Worship And Families, and Thousands And Thousands Of Dead Civilians (just to name a few things). And I can't find the feeling that it is okay. And don't think I, or anyone else, should just accept it because someone else says so.

And while I didn't want any of my pieces about the fallen to appear judgmental or partisan, I can't help but appreciate some of the sentiments posted by an individual named "paschn" following a Guardian/UK article posted on December 31, 2007 at CommonDreams.org:

Actually, when you look at the track records of the whores in power lying us into killing and dying for their elite friends, there's no one betraying us but us. They simply do what evil blood-sucking swine do. We, on the other hand, continue to wave our little flags, offer up our ignorant off-spring, raise them to bury their little heads in the sand and rally 'round the flag for what appears to be the most destructive, nefarious, rapacious bunch of demons wrapped in human skin to ever soil the planet. So, you want to point the finger? first face a mirror, then point and you'll hit the bull's eye. Support our troops and what they've allowed themselves to do to those poor people that suffer for our lack of back-bone and courage to kick the bastards out? ...Our mindless following of the swine "leading" us for their high protein feeders has brought death on a scale not seen since they suckered us into slaughtering 600,000 phillipinos to save the sugar companies a tariff. Any sympathy I can muster is for the TRUE innocent victims. Those in the world who pay the price of our complacency and cherished ignorance. Those who had NO CHOICE in the matter.

The article, 2007 is America's Deadliest Year in Iraq, reports the following about Iraqi civilian deaths for 2007:

Over the year, 18,610 Iraqis were killed. In 2006, the only other full year an AP count has been made, 13,813 civilians were killed. The civilian toll was compiled by AP from hospital, police and military officials, as well as accounts from reporters and photographers. Insurgent deaths were not included. Other counts differ and some are much higher.

18,610 Iraqi civilians died in 2007 alone??? And other counts are much higher??? (Iraq Body Count puts it at between 22,586 and 24,159 for 2007) THIS is freedom and democracy on the march?? God (and demons if they can) help us if that's the case. Perhaps the numbers of our dying troops are decreasing, thankfully yes, but decreasing simply only perhaps because there's nobody left in Iraq. Wow. We sure showed them. High fives all around. Brought them our little McHappy Bags full of McFreedom and McDemocracy didn't we? They'll be thanking us for years and years won't they?

But in response to "paschen's" suggestion that our soldiers, since they appear to have a choice, are somehow less deserving of our sympathy, I have to add that while I see the point, I don't think it's as simple as that. I wrote a piece a few years ago about the Christmas Truce that happened in 1914 during WWII all along the Western Front. I shared the article a few days ago with a new friend of mine who is from Germany. Upon his recommendation I watched the movie Joyeux Noel, a retelling of that truce, and it was impressed upon me again how, even though it could be argued that war has been necessary at certain junctures, killing other human beings is not something the average person really wants to participate in. When these soldiers in WWII were faced with choices most of them didn't like or want, and an opportunity to rise above it appeared, a beautiful thing happened (albeit ever so briefly). Perhaps what we need to do is create different opportunities? Different ways than killing for people to help share in freedom and democracy? What a concept. Those ways already surely exist. We just need to quit listening to the Demons of BIG WAR AND PROFIT long enough to find and employ them.

So while it is absolutely imperative that we consider the spectre of utter carnage we have visited, in the name of freedom and democracy, upon Iraq and also Afghanistan, I have this feeling that the only way we'll muster a loud and vociferous reaction to it from those of us stateside is when it's made personal (and no, that doesn't mean I want to see Shock and Awe part II or III or XVI at my local theatre). No, I choose to highlight the names below because I believe, for one, that they deserve more attention than Anna or Britney or Ashley or Lindsey or . . . you get my drift, and that maybe the more we focus on what "we've" lost in these "freedom operations" the more likely we will wake from our national stupor. Because for many people, sadly, it's hard to imagine the lives of people half a world away being lost and destroyed. Anyway, they're just a bunch of "ragheads" and "sand niggers" and people who don't believe in Jesus and who probably don't care about their children or know how to love or have hopes and dreams or tell dumb jokes and do laundry and the dishes and....right? But this attitude is not just heartless ignorance. I think that in this country, from day one and in a myriad of ways, we are dumbed down and trained not to think or question. Which makes it very very easy, and is the overall purpose, to let our "opinions" and "beliefs" be shaped by outside influences. (That's a whole other story in itself.)

One major outside influence that shapes and guides much of what we think we believe is our media. And our media doesn't tell us squat. And WHY is that?? Do you know how many major airplane crashes with 500 fatalities it would take to add up to 18,600 dead people? Thirty-seven. If even one airplane crashed in 2007, anywhere in the world, killing all 500 aboard (and that's a big number for an airplane crash) don't you think it'd be headline and front page news? Or what if it was one a month? Or how about three? What then? Even if only one a year, they'd certainly milk that for as long as possible-and in its absence the plane crashes and train wrecks of our celebrity's lives-to distract us. Our media is in the business of playing the shell game. They are in the business of distracting us from the real news. Day in, day out. 24/7. Every channel. (Keith Olbermann aside.) And we keep buying it. But when almost (or more than) 20,000 people die in Iraq in just one year alone, because of our illegal occupation, what do we hear? Nothing.

(Oh the places you'll go when you sit back down to write at the computer after a long sabbatical.) Let me go back to where I began. Endings.

Endings, probably more so than beginnings, bring things into stark relief. Often make us face that which we've most been ignoring. Offer us, especially when impending and not sudden, an opportunity to make amends. I'm not sure what we can do to make amends to the nearly 4500 soldiers who have died in Afghanistan and Iraq in the past six years. Or to the tens upon thousands of dead Iraqis and Afghanis. But all their endings should prompt us to, among other things, consider as seriously as we possibly can what goes on in our name and with other people's blood in countries far away that don't want our meddling (or in countries who would appreciate our assistance--Darfur for example--if we had our priorities straight). Consider it and do something about it. No excuses. And, just a friendly suggestion, it's probably more important than standing in line for three hours on Friday trying to return that god awful pink nightgown with a faux fur collar that Aunt Margaret gave you at Christmas. Then again, what a gift from the Goddess of Opportunity! Why not talk to the person in line next to you? Make eye contact. Laugh about the nightgown. Discover what you have in common. Hopes for your children perhaps? The planet? The election? Your mutual enjoyment of knitting? Whatever. For the more we get to know each other, and see how much we have in common, the less likely we'll be to send our children off to kill, or be killed by, other people's children. And the more likely we will be to get our priorities right and start living up to, if it's not already too late, our "most powerful nation on earth" status and start helping people instead of destroying and killing them.

It wasn't my intent, when I first set out here today, to do anything more than type all the names of the fallen that I'd neglected this year, and their ages and hometowns (which is what I first did, a powerful exercise I must add, especially when staring at their photos--available at The Military Times ). Then I was going to try and find an appropriate reading or poem to add as an introduction. I don't know what happened. I guess it was the Goddess of Getting Personal who wanted a little attention. But sometimes, if I'm not mistaken, it's Getting Personal who introduces us to Getting Real.

And the people listed below were very real. Had very real smiles and hopes and dreams and beliefs and families (just like those who died in Iraq and Afghanistan). People who we'd all probably find a great deal in common with. They will be missed.

With first names like Matthew, Ryan, Michael, Karen, John, and Christopher (lots of Christophers). And Astor, Princess, Genesia, Vincenzo, Ming, and Alejandro. With last names like Marciante, Rateb, Martinez, Vidhyarkorn, LaFleur, and O'Leary. And Brown, Smith, Johnson, Wilson, Davis, and Miller. They came from places like Sugar Land, Ooltewah, Rochester, Houston, Roswell, and Venus. And Rootstown, Long Beach, White Pigeon, Wahiawa, Chagrin Falls, and Pointblank. From Hoquiam (my husband's hometown), Grants Pass (one of my hometowns), Chicago, Moscow, Carthage, and Independence. And from every place in between. Please offer them a moment of your contemplation and whatever else the gods and goddesses and angels of Compassion and Appreciation and Non-Judgment and Humanity and Stopping War might suggest to you.

Kurt Vonnegut-another amazing person we lost this past year, and who witnessed firsthand the bombing of Dresden, Germany-once said, "A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved." And in my mind, that means absolutely everybody. My 17-year-old son who loves Kurt Vonnegut said it'd be better if I just wrote here: And so it goes. I allow him that.

And so it goes: In Memoriam (My sincere apologies for any inaccuracies or omissions.)

January 2007 Thomas E. Vandling Jr., 26, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Charles D. Allen, 28, of Wasilla, Alaska Michael L. Mundell, 47, of Brandenburg, Kentucky Raymond N. Mitchell Ill, 21, of West Memphis, Arkansas Jeremiah J. Johnson, 23, of Vancouver, Washington Stephen J. Raderstorf, 21, of Peoria, Arizona Eric T. Caldwell, 22, of Salisbury, Maryland Timothy R. Weiner, 35, of Tamarac, Florida Elizabeth A. Loncki, 23, of New Castle, Delaware Daniel B. Miller Jr., 24, of Galesburg, Illinois James M. Wosika Jr., 24, of St. Paul, Minnesota Ryan R. Berg, 19, of Sabine Pass, Texas Ming Sun, 20, of Cathedral City, California Paul T. Sanchez, 32, of Irving, Texas James D. Riekena, 22, of Redmond, Washington Mark J. Daily, 23, of Irvine, California Ian C. Anderson, 22, of Prairie Village, Kansas John E. Cooper, 29, of Ewing, Kentucky Matthew T. Grimm, 21, of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin Gregroy A. Wright, 28, Boston, Massachusetts Jason J. Corbett, 23, of Casper, Wyoming Jennifer A. Valdivia, 27, of Cambridge, Illinois Collin R. Schockmel, 19, of Richwood, Texas Joseph D. Alomar, 22, of Brooklyn, New York William J. Rechenmacher, 24, Jacksonville, Florida Russell P. Borea, 38, of El Paso, Texas Jacob H. Neal, 23, of San Marcos, Texas Brian S. Freeman, 31, of Temecula, California Luis J. Castillo, 20, of Lawton, Michigan Allen B. Jaynes, 21, of Henderson, Texas Jacob N. Fritz, 25, of Verdon, Nebraska Johnathan B. Chism, 22, of Gonzales, Louisiana Shawn P. Falter, 25, of Cortland, New York Johnathon M. Millican, 20, of Trafford, Alabama Brian D. Allgood, 46, of Oklahoma Darryl D. Booker, 37, of Midlothian, Virginia John G. Brown, 43, of Little Rock, Arkansas David C. Canegata, 50, of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands Marilyn L. Gabbard, 46, of Polk City, Iowa Roger W. Haller, 49, of Davidsonville, Maryland Paul M. Kelly, 45, of Stafford, Virginia Floyd E. Lake, 43, of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands Victor M. Langarica, 29, of Decatur, Georgia Sean E. Lyerly, 31, of Pflugerville, Texas Michael V. Taylor, 40, of North Little Rock, Arkansas William T. Warren, 48, of North Little Rock, Arkansas Ryan J. Hill, 20, of Keizer, Oregon Jonathan P.C. Kingman, 21, of Nankin, Ohio Sean P. Fennerty, 25, of Corvallis, Oregon Phillip D. McNeill, 22, of Sunrise, Florida Jeffrey D. Bisson, 22, of Vista, California Toby R. Olsen, 28, of Manchester, New Hampshire Darrel J. Morris, 21, of Spokane, Washington Emilian D. Sanchez, 20, of Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico Andrew G. Matus, 19, of Chetek, Wisconsin Nicholas P. Brown, 24, of Huber Heights, Ohio Brandon L. Stout, 23, of Grand Rapids, Michigan Jamie D. Wilson, 34, of San Diego, California Gary S. Johnston, 21, of Windthorst, Texas Michael J. Wiggins, 26, of Cleveland, Ohio Michael M. Kashkoush, 24, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio ector Leija, 27, of Houston, Texas Keith A. Callahan, 31, of McClure, Pennsylvania Michael C. Balsley, 23, of Hayward, California Darrell W. Shipp, 25, of San Antonio, Texas Mark D. Kidd, 26, of Milford, Michigan Alexander H. Fuller, 21, of Centerville, Massachusetts Alan R. Johnson, 44, of Yakima, Washington Nathan P. Fairlie, 21, of Candor, New York Anthony C. Melia, 20, of Thousand Oaks, California Mickel D. Garrigus, 24, of Elma, Washington Timothy A. Swanson, 21, of San Antonio, Texas Jon B. St.John II, 25, of Neenah, Wisconsin David T. Toomalatai, 19, of Long Beach, California Carla J. Stewart, 37, of Sun Valley, California Mark T. Resh, 28, of Fogelsville, Pennsylvania Cornell C. Chao, 36, of Orange City, California Adam Q. Emul, 19, of Vancouver, Washington Milton A. Gist Jr., 27, of St. Louis, Missouri Corey J. Aultz, 31, of Port Orchard, Washington Alejandro Carrillo, 22, of Los Angeles, California William M. Sigua, 21, of Los Altos Hills, California Stephen D. Shannon, 21, of Guttenberg, Iowa

February 2007

March 2007

April 2007

May 2007 Johnathan E. Kirk, 25, of Belhaven, North Carolina Zachary R. Gullett, 20, of Hillsboro, Ohio Katie M. Soenksen, 19, of Davenport, Iowa Ryan P. Jones, 23, of Westminster, Massachusetts Astor A. Sunsin-Pineda, 20, of Long Beach, California Colby J. Umbrell, 26, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania Joseph G. Harris, 19, of Sugar Land, Texas Andrew R. Weiss, 28, of Lafayette, Indiana Felix G. Gonzalez-Iraheta, 25, of Sun Valley, California John D. Flores, 21, of Barrigada, Guam Kelly B. Grothe, 21, of Spokane, Washington Jerome J. Potter, 24, of Tacoma, Washington Matthew T. Bolar, 24, of Montgomery, Alabama Christopher N. Hamlin, 24, of London, Kentucky Kenneth N. Mack, 42, of Fort Worth, Texas Charles O. Palmer II, 36, of Manteca, California Larry I. Guyton, 22, of Brenham, Texas Christopher S. Kiernan, 37, of Virginia Beach, Virginia Virgil C. Martinez, 33, of West Valley, Utah Robert J. Dixon, 27, of Minneapolis, Minnesota Sameer A.M. Rateb, 22, of Absecon, New Jersey Vincenzo Romeo, 23, of Lodi, New Jersey Joel W. Lewis, 28, of Sandia Park, New Mexico Jason R. Harkins, 25, of Clarkesville, Georgia Matthew L. Alexander, 21, of Gretna, Nebraska Anthony M. Bradshaw, 21, of San Antonio, Texas Michael A. Pursel, 19, of Clinton, Utah Wilberto Sabalu Jr., 36, of Chicago, Illinois James W. Harrison Jr., 47, of Ft. Leavenworth/Kansas City, Missouri Timothy P. Padgett, 28, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida Dan H. Nguyen, 24, of Sugar Land, Texas Blake C. Stephens, 25, of Pocatello, Idaho Kyle A. Little, 20, of West Boylston, Massachusetts Bradly D. Conner, 41, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Walter K. O'Haire, 20, of Lynn, Massachusetts Michael K. Frank, 36, of Great Falls, Montana Jason W. Vaughn, 29, of Iuka, Mississippi Roy L. Jones III, 21, of Houston, Texas Anthony J. Sausto, 22, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona William A. Farrar Jr., 20, of Redlands, California Douglas A. Zembiec, 34, of Albuquerque, New Mexico James D. Connell Jr., 40, of Lake City, Tennessee Daniel W. Courneya, 19, of Nashville, Michigan Christopher E. Murphy, 21, of Lynchburg, Virginia Rhys W. Klasno, 20, of Riverside, California Andrew J. Bacevich, 27, of Walpole, Massachusetts Jeffrey D. Walker, 21, of Macon, Georgia John T. Self, 29, of Pontotoc, Mississippi Nicholas S. Hartge, 20, of Rome City, Indiana Thomas G. Wright, 38, of Holly, Michigan Allen J. Dunckley, 25, of Yardley, Pennsylvania Christopher N. Gonzalez, 25, of Winslow, Arizona Anthony J. Schober, 23, of Reno, Nevada Larry J. Bauguess Jr., 36, of Moravian Falls, North Carolina Joshua R. Whitaker, 23, of Long Beach, California Jonathan V. Hamm, 20, of Baltimore, Maryland Jess Be. Albrecht, 31, of Hager City, Wisconsin Victor M. Fontanilla, 23, of Stockton, California Coty J. Phelps, 20, of Kingman, Arizona Steven M. Packer, 23, of Clovis, California Aaron D. Gautier, 19, of Hampton, Virginia Joshua G. Romero, 19, of Crowley, Texas Anselmo Martinez III, 26, of Robstown, Texas Casey W. Nash, 22, of Baltimore, Maryland Marquis J. McCants, 23, of San Antonio, Texas Scott J. Brown, 33, of Windsor, Colorado Ryan D. Collins, 20, of Vernon, Texas Ryan J. Baum, 27, of Aurora, Colorado Justin D. Wisniewski, 22, of Standish, Michigan Christopher Moore, 28, of Alpaugh, California Jean P. Medlin, 27, of Pelham, Alabama David W. Behrle, 20, of Tipton, Iowa Joseph A. Gilmore, 26, of Webster, Florida Travis F. Haslip, 20, of Ooltewah, Tennessee Alexander R. Varela, 19, of Fernley, Nevada Jason A. Schumann, 23, of Hawley, Minnesota Shannon V. Weaver, 28, Urich, Missouri Brian D. Ardron, 32, of Acworth, Georgia Michael W. Davis, 22, of San Marcos, Texas Benjamin D. Desilets, 21, of Elmwood, Illinois Julian M. Woodall, 21, of Tallahassee, Florida Robert J. Montgomery Jr., 29, of Scottsburg, Indiana Oscar Sauceda Jr., 21, of Del Rio, Texas David C. Kuehl, 27, of Wahpeton, North Dakota Kristopher A. Higdon, 25, of Odessa, Texas Robert A. Worthington, 19, of Jackson, Georgia Joseph J. Anzack Jr., 20, of Torrance, California Steve Butcher Jr., 27, of Rochester, New York Daniel P. Cagle, 22, of Carson, California Victor H. Toledo Pulido, 22, of Hanford, California Jonathan D. Winterbottom, 21, of Falls Church, Virginia Benjamin J. Ashley, 22, of Independence, Missouri Robert H. Dembowski, 20, of Ivyland, Pennsylvania Iosiwo Uruo, 27, of Agana Heights, Guam Robert E. Dunham, 36, of Baltimore, Maryland Russell K. Shoemaker, 31, of Sweet Springs, Missouri Mark R.C. Caguioa, 21, of Stockton, California Mathew P. LaForest, 21, of Austin, Texas Alexander Rosa Jr., 22, of Orlando, Florida William L. Baily III, 29, of Bellevue, Nebraska David P. Lindsey, 20, of Spartanburg, South Carolina Casey P. Zylman, 22, of Coleman, Michigan Erich S. Smallwood, 23, of Trumann, Arkansas Clayton G. Dunn II, 22, of Moreno Valley, California Michael J. Jaurigue, 20, of Texas City, Texas Gregory N. Millard, 22, of San Diego, California Nicholas R. Walsh, 27, of Millstadt, Illinois Francis M. Trussel Jr., 21, of Lincoln, Illinois Clinton C. Blodgett, 19, of Pekin, Indiana Emmanuel Villarreal, 21, of Eagle Pass, Texas Thomas M. McFall, 36, of Glendora, California Cedeno Sanchez, 20, of Miami, Florida Anthony D. Ewing, 22, of Phoenix, Arizona Keith N. Heidtman, 24, of Norwich, Connecticut Theodore U. Church, 32, of South Point, Ohio Zachary D. Baker, 24, of Vilonia, Arkansas James E. Summers III, 21, of Bourbon, Missouri Kile G. West, 23, of Pasadena, Texas Alexandre A. Alexeev, 23, of Wilmington, California Joseph M. Weiglein, 31, of Audubon, New Jersey Richard V. Correa, 25, of Honolulu, Hawaii Robert A. Liggett, 23, of Urbana, Illinois Doonewey White, 26, of Milpitas, California Jonathan A. Markham, 22, of Bedford, Texas Christopher M. Allgaier, 33, of Middleton, Missouri Joshua R. Rodgers, 29, of Carson City, Nevada Charlie L. Bagwell, 28, of Lake Toxaway, North Carolina Jesse A. Blamires, 25, of West Jordan, Utah Brandon E. Hadaway, 25, of Valley, Alabama Bacilio E. Cuellar, 24, of Odessa, Texas James E. Lundin, 20, of Bellport, New York Joshua M. Moore, 20, of Russellville, Kentucky Matthew A. Bean, 22, of Pembroke, Massachusetts Matthew E. Bayliss, 20, of Oakdale, New York Chadrick O. Domino, 23, of Ennis, Texas

June 2007 Travis W. Atkins, 31, of Bozeman, Montana Bruce E. Horner, 43, of Newport News, Virginia Charles R. Browning, 31 of Tucson, Arizona Michael A. Robinson, 42, of Sylacauga, Alabama Juan F. Campos, 27, of McAllen, Texas William J. Crouch, 21, Zachary, Louisiana Keith V. Nepsa, 22, of New Philadelphia, Ohio Shawn E. Dressler, 22, of Santa Maria, California Jacob M. Lowell, 22, of New Lenox, Illinois Romel Catalan, 21, of Los Angeles, California Jeremiah D. Costello, 22, of Carlinville, Illinois Joshua D. Brown, 26, of Dearborn Heights, Michigan Kimel L. Watt, 21, of Brooklyn, New York Caleb P. Christopher, 25, of Chandler, Arizona Greg P. Gagarin, 38, of Los Angeles, California James C. Akin, 23, of Albuquerque, New Mexico Tyler J. Kritz, 21, of Eagle River, Wisconsin Robert A. Surber, 24, of Inverness, Florida Ryan A. Balmer, 33, of Mishawaka, Indiana Matthew J. Kuglics, 25, of North Canton, Ohio Timothy R. Vimoto, 19, of Fort Campbell Kentucky Andrews J. Higgins, 28, of Hayward, California Justin A. Verdeja, 20, of La Puente, California Greg L. Sutton, 38, of Spring Lake, North Carolina Timothy B. Cole Jr., 28, of Missouri City, Texas Shawn D. Gajdos, 25, of Grand Rapids, Michigan Matthew Soper, 25, of Kalamazoo, Michigan Charles E. Wyckoff Jr., 28, of Chula Vista, California William N. Newman, 23, of Kingston Springs, Tennessee Scott A. Miller, 20, of Casper, Wyoming Cory M. Endlich, 23, of Massillon, Ohio Dariek E. Dehn, 32, of Spangle, Washington Brian M. Long, 32, of Burns, Wyoming Eric M. Barnes, 20, of Lorain, Ohio Llythaniele Fender, 21, of Medical Lake, Washington Meresebang Ngiraked, 21, or Koror, Republic of Palau Adam G. Herold, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska Cameron K. Payne, 22, of Corona, California Glade L. Felix, 52, of Lake Park, Georgia William C. Johnson, 22, of Oxford, North Carolina Johnny R. Strong, 21, of Waco, Texas Damon G. LeGrand, 27, of Lakeside, California Casey S. Carriker, 20, of Hoquiam, Washington Derek T. Roberts, 24, of Gold River, California Val J. Borm, 21, of Sidney, Nebraska Farid Elazzouzi, 26, of Paterson, New Jersey Josiah W. Hollopeter, 27, of San Diego, California Michael A. Bechert, 24, of New Castle, Indiana Dustin R. Brisky, 26, of Round Rock, Texas Richard K. Parker, 26, of Phillips, Maine Arthur L. Lilley, 35, of Smithfield, Pennsylvania Kevin H. Sonnenberg, 42, McClure, Ohio Michael P. Pittman, 34, Davenport, Iowa Danny R. Soto, 24, of Houston, Texas Zachary A. Grass, 22, of Beach City, Ohio Roy P. Lewsader, Jr., 36, of Belleville, Illinois Frank B. Walkup IV, 23, of Woodbury, Tennessee Joshua E. Steele, 26, North Henderson, Illinois Christopher D. Henderson, 35, of Hillsboro, Oregon John M. Hennen, 26, of Vinton, Louisiana Larry Parks Jr., 24, of Altoona, Pennsylvania Eric L. Snell, 35, of Trenton, New Jersey Jacob T. Tracy, 20, of Palestine, Illinois Frank M. Sandoval, 27, of Yuma, Arizona David A. Wilkey, Jr., 22, of Elkhart, Indiana Darryl W. Linder, 23, of Hickory, North Carolina William A. Zapfe, 35, of Muldraugh, Kentucky Joshua S. Modgling, 22, of Las Vegas, Nevada Shawn P. Martin, 30, of Delmar, New York Stephen J. Wilson, 28, of Duluth, Georgia Sid W. Brookshire, 36, of Willard, Missouri Darren P. Hubbell, 38, of Tifton, Georgia Joe G. Charfauros Jr., 33, of Rota, Mariana Islands David J. Bentz III, 20, of Newfield, New Jersey Dustin J. Perrott, 23, of Fredericksburg, Virginia Alphonso J. Montenegro II, 22, of Far Rockaway, New York Ryan M. Wood, 22, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Raymond N. Spencer Jr., 23, of Carmichael, California Daniel J. Agami, 25, of Coconut Creek, Florida Anthony D. Hebert, 19, of Lake City, Minnesota Karen N. Clifton, 22, Lehigh Acres, Florida Thomas R. Leemhuis, 23, of Binger, Oklahoma Jerimiah J. Veitch, 21, of Dibble, Oklahoma Dominic N. Rodriguez, 23, of Klamath Falls, Oregon Michael J. Montpetit, 31, of Honolulu, Hawaii Jason D. Nathan, 22, of Macon, Georgia Joseph P. Kenny, 20, of Veneta, Oregon Chris Davis, 35, of Lubbock, Texas Michael D. Moody Jr., 31, of Richmond, Virginia Shane M. Stinson, 23, of Fullerton, California William E. Brown, 25, of Phil Campbell, Alabama Joel A. Dahl, 21, Los Lunas, New Mexico Darrell C. Lewis, 31, Washington, D.C. Jimy M. Malone, 23, Wills Point, Texas Carter A. Gamble Jr., 24, Brownstown, Indiana Derek A. Calhoun, 23, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Joel A. House, 22, of Lee, Maine Daniel P. Riordan, 24, of St. Louis, Missouri Eric C. Palmer, 21, of Maize, Kansas Henry G. Byrd III, 20, of Veguita, New Mexico Trista L. Moretti, 27, of South Plainfield, New Jersey Andre Craig Jr., 24, of New Haven, Connecticut Derek C. Dixon, 20, of Riverside, Ohio Nathan L. Winder, 32, of Blanding, Utah Daniel A. Newsome, 27, of Chiopee, Massachusetts Dustin L. Workman II, 19, of Greenwood, Nebraska Michael J. Martinez, 24, of Chula Vista, California William W. Crow Jr., 28, of Grandview Plaza, Kansas Cory F. Hiltz, 20, of La Verne, California Giann C. Joya Mendoza, 27, of North Hollywood, California Shin W. Kim, 23, Fullerton, California James L. Adair, 26, of Carthage, Texas Robb L. Rolfing, 29, of Milton, Massachusetts

July 2007 Jonathan M. Rossi, 20, Safety Harbor, Florida Victor A. Garcia, 22, of Rialto, California Raymond R. Buchan, 33, of Johnston, Pennsylvania Michael L. Ruoff Jr., 31, or Yosemite, California William C. Chambers, 20, of Ringgold, Georgia Jeremy L. Tinnel, 20, Mechanicsville, Virginia Christopher N. Rutherford, 25, of Newport, Ohio Juan M. Garcia Schill, 20, of Grants Pass, Oregon Scott A.M. Oswell, 33, of Fort Lewis, Washington Steven A. Davis, 23, of Woodbridge, Virginia Andrew T. Engstrom, 22, of Slaton, Texas Jeremy L. Stacey, 23, Bismark, Arkansas Keith A. Kline, 24, of Oak Harbor, Ohio James M. Ahearn, 43, of Concord, California Michelle R. Ring, 24, of Martin, Tennessee Joseph A. Miracle, 22, of Ortonville, Michigan Christopher S. Honaker, 23, of Cleveland, North Carolina Anthony M.K. Vinnedge, 24, of Okeana, Ohio Steven A. Stacy, 23, of Coos Bay, Oregon Jeremy D. Allbaugh, 21, Luther, Oklahoma Thomas P. McGee, 23, of Hawthorne, California Steven Phillip Daugherty, 28, of Barstow, California Robert Richard McRill, 42, of Lake Placid, Florida Jason Dale Lewis, 30, of Brookfield, Connecticut Jon M. Lockey, 44, of Fredericksburg, Virginia Le Ron A. Wilson, 18, of Queens, New York Gene L. Lamie, 25, of Homerville, Georgia Kory D. Wiens, 20, of Independence, Oregon Bruce C. Salazar Jr., 24, of Tracy, California Eric A. Lill, 28, of Chicago, Illinois Roberto J. Causor Jr., 21, of San Jose, California Sean K. Mitchell, 35, of Monterey, California Jason E. Dore, 25, of Moscow, Maine Randy J. Gillespie, 44, of Coaldale, Colorado Maria I. Ortiz, 40, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico Jeffrey R. McKinney, 40, of Garland, Texas Courtney T. Johnson, 26, of Garner, North Carolina Allen A. Greka, 29, of Alpena, Michigan Christopher D. Kube, 18, of Sterling Heights, Michigan Robert D. Varga, 24, of Monroe City, Missouri John R. Massey, 29, of Judsonia, Arkansas Benjamin B. Bartlett Jr., 25, of Manchester, Georgia Eric M. Holke, 31, of Crestline, California Shawn V. Starkovich, 20, of Arlington, Washington Scott R. Smith, 34, of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania Patrick L. Wade, 38, of Key West, Florida Jeffrey L. Chaney, 35, of Omaha, Nebraska Brandon K. Bobb, 20, of Orlando, Florida Ron J. Joshua Jr., 19, of Austin, Texas Nathan S. Barnes, 23, of American Fork, Utah James J. Harrelson, 19, of Dadeville, Alabama Richard Gilmore III, 22, of Jasper, Alabama Daniel E. Gomez, 21, Warner Robins, Georgia Zachary R. Clouser, 19, of Dover, Pennsylvania Luis E. Gutierrez-Rosales, 38, of Bakersfield, California Brandon M. Craig, 25, of Earleville, Maryland Ronald L. Coffelt, 36, of Fair Oaks, California Rhett A. Butler, 22, of Fort Worth, Texas Jacob S. Schmuecker, 27, of Atkinson, Nebraska Christopher G. Scherer, 21, of East Northport, New York Shawn G. Adams, 21, of Dixon, California Juan S. Restrapo, 20, of Pembroke Pines, Florida Bobby L. Twitty, 20, of Bedias, Texas Zachary R. Endsley, 21, of Spring, Texas Michael S. Curry Jr., 37, of Dania Beach, Florida Travon T. Johnson, 29, of Palmdale, California Adam J. Davis, 19, Twin Falls, Idaho Jessy S. Rogers, 20, Copper Center, Alaska Courtney D. Finch, 27, of Leavenworth, Kansas Camy Florexil, 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Daniel S. Noble, 21, of Whittier, California Joshua P. Mattero, 29, of San Diego, California Robert A. Lynch, 20, of Louisville, Kentucky James H. McRae, 22, Springtown, Texas Matthew R. Zindars, 21, of Watertown, Wisconsin Daniel A. Leckel, 19, Medford, Oregon Charles E. Bilbrey Jr., 21, of Owego, New York Jaime Rodriguez Jr., 19, of Oxnard, California William R. Howdeshell, 37, of Norfold, Virginia Michael A. Balogoa, 21, of Everett, Washington Thomas G. Bostick Jr., 37, of Llano, Texas William R. Fritsche, 23, of Martinsville, Indiana Cody C. Grater, 20, of Spring Hill, Florida Wilberto Suliveras, 38, of Humacao, Puerto Rico Sean A. Stokes, 24, of Auburn, California Jason M. Kessler, 29, of Mount Vernon, Washington Benjamin J. Hall, 24, of Fredericksburg, Virginia Stephen R. Maddies, 41, of Elizabethton, Tennessee Zachariah J. Gonzalez, 23, of Indianapolis, Indiana Charles T. Heinlein Jr., 23, of Hemlock, Michigan Alfred H. Jairala, 29, of Hialeah, Florida Bradley W. Marshall, 37, of Little Rock, Arkansas Daniel F. Reyes, 24, of San Diego, California

August 2007 Travis S. Bachman, 30, of Garden City, Kansas Fernando Santos, 29, of San Antonio, Texas Eric D. Salinas, 25, of Houston, Texas Christian Rojas-Gallego, 24, of Loganville, Georgia Julian Ingles Rios, 52, of Anasco, Puerto Rico Taurean T. Harris, 22, of Liberty, Mississippi Cristian Vasquez, 20, of Coalinga, California Jaron D. Holliday, 21, of Tulsa, Oklahoma Jason K. Lafleur, 28, of Ignacio, Colorado Braden J. Long, 19, of Sherman, Texas Dustin S. Wakeman, 25, of Fort Worth, Texas Matthew M. Murchison, 21, of Independence, Missouri Charles E. Leonard Jr., 29, of Monroe, Louisiana Justin R. Blackwell, 27, of Paris, Tennessee Jeremy S. Bohannon, 18, of Bon Aqua, Tennessee Joey D. Link, 29, of Portland, Tennessee Nicholas A. Gummersall, 23, of Chubbuck, Idaho Christopher T. Neiberger, 22, of Gainesville, Florida Juan M. Alcantara, 22, of New York Kareem R. Khan, 20, of Manahawk, New Jersey Jacob M. Thompson, 26, of North Mankato, Minnesota Jon E. Bonnell Jr., 22, of Fort Dodge, Iowa Reynold Armand, 21, of Rochester, New York Donald M. Young, 19, of Helena, Montana Alicia A. Birchett, 29, of Mashpee, Massachusetts Michael E. Tayaotao, 27, of Sunnyvale, California Joan J. Duran, 24, of Roxbury, Massachusetts William L. Edwards, 23, of Houston, Texas Jordan E. Goode, 21, of Kalamazoo, Michigan Scott L. Kirkpatrick, 26, of Reston, Virginia Andrew W. Lancaster, 23, of Stockton, Illinois Justin O. Penrod, 24, of Mahomet, Illinois William D. Scates, 31, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Alan J. Austin, 21, of Houston, Texas Jesse G. Clowers Jr., 27, of Herndon, Virginia Charles B. Kitowski III, 31, of Farmers Branch, Texas Jeffrey D. Kettle, 31, of Madill, Oklahoma Alun R. Howells, 20, of Parlin, Colorado Eric D. Cottrell, 39, of Pittsview, Alabama Juan M. Lopez Jr., 23, of San Antonio, Texas Paulomarko U. Pacificador, 24, of Shirley, New York Christopher C. Johnson, 31, of Grandville, Michigan Jackie L. McFarlane, 30, of Virginia Beach, Virginia Sean P. Fisher, 29, of Santee, California Stanley B. Reynolds, 37, of Rock, West Virginia Steven R. Jewell, 26, of Bridgeton, North Carolina Shawn D. Hensel, 20, of Logansport, Indiana Robert R. Pirelli, 29, of Franklin, Massachusetts Princess C. Samuels, 22, of Mitchellville, Maryland Zandra T. Walker, 28, of Greenville, South Carolina Kamisha J. Block, 20, of Vidor, Texas Paul B. Norris, 30, of Cullman, Alabama Willard M. Powell, 21, of Evansville, Indiana Jonathan W. Edds, 24, of White Pigeon, Michigan Michael S. Fielder, 35, of Holly Springs, North Carolina George V. Libby, 23, of Aberdeen, North Carolina Donovan D. Witham, 20, of Malvern, Arkansas Sandy R. Britt, 30, of Apoka, Florida Corry P. Tyler, 29, of Georgia Paul J. Flynn, 28, of Whitsett, North Carolina Matthew L. Tallman, 30, of Groveland, California Rickey L. Bell, 21, of Caruthersville, Missouri Derek A. Dobogai, 26, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Jason L. Paton, 25, of Poway, California Garrett I. McLead, 23, of Rockport, Texas Jeremy P. Bouffard, 21, of Middlefield, Massachusetts Phillip J. Brodnick, 25, of New Lenox, Illinois Joshua S. Harmon, 20, of Mentor, Ohio Nathan C. Hubbard, 21, of Clovis, California Michael A. Hook, 25, of Altoona, Pennsylvania Jessy G. Pollard, 22, Springfield, Missouri Tyler R. Seideman, 20, of Lincoln, Arkansas Omar E. Torres, 20, of Chicago, Illinois Edgar E. Cardenas, 34, of Lilburn, Georgia Adrian M. Elizalde, 30, of North Bend, Oregon Michael J. Tully, 33, of Falls Creek, Pennsylvania Scott M. Carney, 37, of Ankeny, Iowa Daniel E. Miller, 43, of Rossford, Ohio David A. Heringes, 36, of Tampa, Florida Matthew S. Medlicott, 21, of Houston, Texas Nicholas R. Carnes, 25, of Dayton, Kentucky Joshua L. Morley, 22, of Boise, Idaho Tracy C. Willis, 21, of Marshall, Texas Rogelio A. Ramirez, 21, of Pasadena, California Scott R. Ball, 38, of Mount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania Thomas R. Wilson, 21, of Maurertown, Virginia Henry S. Ofeciar, 37, of Agana, Guam Jan M. Argonish, 26, of Peckville, Pennsylvania James S. Collins Jr., 35, of Rochester Hills, Michigan Cory L. Clark, 25, of Plant City, Florida Bryce D. Howard, 24, of Vancouver, Washington Rocky H. Herrera, 43, of Salt Lake City, Utah Erick M. Foster, 29, of Wexford, Pennsylvania Kevin A. Gilbertson, 24, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa Edward L. Brooks, 25, of Dayton, Ohio Andrew P. Nelson, 22, of Moorhead, Minnesota Justin T. Sanders, 22, of Watson, Louisiana John C. Tanner, 21, of Columbus, Georgia Travis M. Virgadamo, 19, of Las Vegas, Nevada Daniel E. Scheibner, 40, of Muskegon, Michigan Jason M. Butkus, 34, of West Milford, New Jersey

September 2007 Christopher G. Patton, 21, of Lawrenceville, Georgia Delmar White, 37, of Wallins, Kentucky Joel L. Murray, 26, of Kansas City, Missouri Patrick D. Magnani, 38, of Martinez, California Rodney J. Johnson, 20, of Houston, Texas David J. Lane, 20, of Emporia, Kansas Randol S. Shelton, 22, of Schiller Park, Illinois William T. Warford III, 24, of Temple, Texas Dane R. Balcom, 19, of Colorado Springs, Colorado Keith A. Nurnberg, 26, of McHenry, Illinois Javier G. Paredes, 24, of San Antonio, Texas David A. Cooper Jr., 36, of State College, Pennsylvania Michael J. Yarbrough, 24, of Malvern, Arkansas Bryan J. Scripsick, 22, of Wayne, Oklahoma Christopher L. Poole Jr., 22, of Mount Dora, Florida Mykel F. Miller, 19, of Phoenix, Arizona John C. Stock, 26, of Longview, Texas Lee. C. Wilson, 30, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina Drew N. Jensen, 27, of Clackamas, California Marisol Heredia, 19, of El Monte, California Thomas L. Hilbert, 20, of Venus, Texas Lance M. Clark, 21, of Cookeville, Tennessee Jason J. Hernandez, 21, of Streetsboro, Ohio Ryan A. Woodward, 22, of Fort Wayne, Indiana Courtney Hollinsworth, 26, of Yonkers, New York Alexander U. Gagalac, 28, of Wahiawa, Hawaii Travis M. Woods, 21, of Redding, California Jon T. Hicks Jr., 20, of Atco, New Jersey Carlos E. Gil Orozco, 23, of San Jose, California Yance T. Gray, 26, of Ismay, Montana Gregory Rivera-Santiago, 26, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands Michael C. Hardegree, 21, of Villa Rica, Georgia Omar L. Mora, 28, of Texas City, Texas Nicholas J. Patterson, 24, of Rochester, Indiana Ari D. Brown-Weeks, 23, of Abingdon, Maryland Steven R. Elrod, 20, of Hope Mills, North Carolina Sammie E. Phillips, 19, of Cecilia, Kentucky John Mele, 25, of Bunnell, Florida Todd A. Motley, 23, of Clare, Michigan Terry D. Wagoner, 28, of Piedmont, South Carolina Christopher M. McCloud, 24, of Malakoff, Texas Jonathan Rivadeneira, 22, of Jackson Heights, New York Terrence P. Allen, 21, of Pennsauken, New Jersey Brandon T. Thorsen, 22, of Trenton, Florida Michael L. Townes, 29, of Las Vegas Matthew J. Emerson, 20, of Grandview, Washington Aaron J. Walker, 23, of Harker Heights, Texas Joseph N. Landry III, 23, of Pensacola, Florida Nicholas P. Olson, 22, of Novato, California Donald E. Valentine III, 21, of Orange Park, Florida Christian M. Neff, 19, of Lima, Ohio Graham M. McMahon, 22, of Corvallis, Oregon Edmund J. Jeffers, 23, of Daleville, Alabama Roselle M. Hoffmaster, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio Luigi Marciante Jr., 25, of Elizabeth, New Jersey John J. Young, 24, of Savannah, Georgia Jonathan M. Lankford, 42, of Scottsboro, Alabama David L. Watson, 29, of Newport, Arkansas Joshua H. Reeves, 26, of Watkinsville, Georgia Matthew D. Blaskowski, 27, of Levering, Michigan Anthony K. Bento, 23, of San Diego, California Kevin R. Brown, 38, of Harrah, Oklahoma Zachary B. Tomczak, 24, of Huron, South Dakota Charles Luke Milam, 26, of Littleton, Colorado Christopher F. Pfeifer, 21, of Spalding, Nebraska Mathew D. Taylor, 21, of Cameron Park, California Randy L. Johnson, 34, of Washington, D.C. Ciara M. Durkin, 30, of Quincy, Massachusetts Donnie D. Dixon, 37, of Miami, Florida James D. Doster, 37, of Pine Bluff, Arkansas Robert T. Ayres III, 23, of Los Angeles, California Zachary D. Tellier, 31, of Charlotte, North Carolina Chirasak Vidhyarkorn, 32, of Queens, New York Randell Olguin, 24, of Ralls, Texas

October 2007 Herman J. Murkerson Jr., 35, of Adger, Alabama Shayna Ann Schnell, 19, of Tell City, Indiana Mark R. Cannon, 31, of Lubbock, Texas Ricardo X. Rodriguez, 23, of Arecibo, Puerto Rico Avealalo Milo, 23, of Hayward, California Vincent G. Kamka, 23, of Everett, Washington Rachel L. Hugo, 24, of Madison, Wisconsin Joseph B. Milledge, 23, of Pointblank, Texas Jason N. Marchand, 26, of Greenwood, West Virginia Adam D. Quinn, 22, of Orange City, Florida Gilberto A. Meza, 21, of Oxnard, California Benjamin C. Dillon, 22, of Rootstown, Ohio Jeremy W. Burris, 22, of Tacoma, Washington Eric T. Duckworth, 26, of Plano, Texas Jason M. Lantieri, 25, of Killingworth, Connecticut Lillian Clamens, 35, of Lawton, Oklahoma Samuel F. Pearson, 28, of Westerville, Ohio Frank L. Cady III, 20, of Sacramento, California Donald L. Munn II, 25, of St. Clair Shores, Michigan Nathan Z. Thacker, 18, of Greenbrier, Arkansas Thomas M. Martin, 27, of Ward, Arkansas Justin S. Monschke, 28, of Krum, Texas Kenneth J. Iwasinski, 22, of West Springfield, Massachusetts Jason B. Koutroubas, 21, of Dunnellon, Florida Michael D. Brown, 20, of Williamsburg, Kansas Vincent A. Madero, 22, of Port Heuneme, California Wayne M. Geiger, 23, of Lone Pine, California Jarred S. Fontenot, 35, of Port Barre, Louisiana Erik T. Garoutte, 22, of Santee, California Genesia Mattril Gresham, 19, of Lithonia, Georgia Anamarie Sannicolas Camacho, 20, of Panama City, Florida Edward O. Philpot, 38, of Latta, South Carolina Larry I. Rougle, 25, of West Jordan, Utah Robin L. Towns Sr., 52, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland Adam J. Chitjian, 39, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Joshua C. Brennan, 22, of Ontario, Oregon David E. Lambert, 39, of Cedar Bluff, Virginia Hugo V. Mendoza, 29, of Glendale, Arizona Joseph F. Curreri, 27, of Los Angeles, California Thomas L. Bruner, 50, of Owensboro, Kentucky Jeffrey R. Calero, 34, of Queens Village, New York James D. Bullard, 28, of Marion, South Carolina Daniel L. McCall, 24, of Pace, Florida Cody M. Carver, 19, of Haskell, Oklahoma Rush M. Jenkins, 22, of Clarksville, Tennessee Louis A. Griese, 30, of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Timothy I. McGovern, 28, of Idaville, Indiana Brandon W. Smitherman, 21, of Conroe, Texas

November 2007 Thomas A. Crowell, 36, of Neosho, Missouri David A. Wieger, 28, of North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania Tracy Lynn Alger, 30, of New Auburn, Wisconsin Johnny C. Walls, 41, of Bremerton, Washington Dwane A. Covert Jr., 20, of Tonawanda, New York Adam J. Muller, 21, of Underhill, Vermont Daniel J. Shaw, 23, of West Seneca, New York Carletta S. Davis, 34, of Anchorage, Alaska John D. Linde, 30, of New York, New York Derek T. Stenroos, 24, of North Pole, Alaska Kevin R. Bewley, 27, of Hector, Arkansas Christine M. Ndururi, 21, of Dracut, Massachusetts Benjamin D. Tiffner, 31, of West Virginia Lui Tumanuvao, 29, of Fagaalu, American Samoa Jermaine D. Franklin, 22, of Arlington, Texas Matthew C. Ferrara, 24, of Torrance, California Sean K.A. Langevin, 23, of Walnut Creek, California Phillip A. Bocks, 28, of Troy, Michigan Jeffery S. Mersman, 23, of Parker, Kansas Joseph M. Lancour, 21, of Swartz Creek, Michigan Lester G. Roque, 23, of Torrance, California Patrick F. Kutschback, 25, of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania Joseph M. Venek, 22, of Elmhurst, Illinois David A. Boris, 30, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania Adrian E. Hike, 26, of Callender, Iowa Ashley Sietsema, 20, of Melrose Park, Illinois Peter W. Schmidt, 30, of Eureka, California Casey P. Mason, 22, of Lake, Michigan Christopher R. Kruse, 23, of Emporia, Kansas Stuart F. Liles, 26, of Hot Springs, Arkansas Derek R. Banks, 24, of Newport News, Virginia Kenneth R. Booker, 25, of Vevay, Indiana Peter H. Burks, 26, of Dallas, Texas Mason L. Lewis, 26, of Gloucester, Virginia Steven C. Ganczewski, 22, of Niagra Falls, New York Christopher J. Nelson, 22, of Rochester, Washington Jason T. Lee, 26, of Fruitport, Michigan Marius L. Ferrero, 23, of Miami Alejandro Ayala, 26, of Riverside, California Alfred G. Paredez Jr., 32, of Las Vegas, Nevada Melvin L. Henley Jr., 26, of Jackson, Mississippi Jonathon L. Martin, 33, of Bellevue, Ohio Benjamin J. Garrison, 25, of Houston, Texas Isaac T. Cortes, 26, of Bronx, New York Allen C. Roberts, 21, of Arcola, Illinois John J. Tobiason, 42, of Bloomington, Minnesota Blair W. Emery, 24, of Lee, Maine

December 2007 Matthew K. Reece, 24, of Harrison, Arkansas Kyle Dayton, 22, of El Dorado Hills, California Eric J. Hernandez, 26, of Waldwick, New Jersey Dewayne L. White, 27, of Country Club Hills, Illinois Adam P. Snyder, 26, of Fort Pierce, Florida Randy W. Pickering, 31, of Bovey, Minnesota Tanner J. O'Leary, 23, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota Johnathan A. Lahmann, 21, of Richmond, Indiana Mark T. Carter, 27, of Fallbrook, California Gregory L. Elam, 39, of Columbus, Georgia Joshua C. Blaney, 25, of Matthews, North Carolina Michael J. Gabel, 30, of Crowley, Louisiana Samuel E. Kelsey, 24, of Troup, Texas Brynn J. Naylor, 21, of Roswell, New Mexico Daren A. Smith, 19, of Helena, Montana Jonathan A. Lowery, 38, of Houlton, Maine Austin D. Pratt, 22, of Cadet, Missouri Juctin R.P. McDaniel, 19, of Andover, New Hampshire Jeremy E. Ray, 26, of Houston, Texas George J. Howell, 24, of Salinas, California Nicholas D. Eischen, 24, of Sanger, California

Debi Smith lives in Ashland, Oregon. She's currently attempting to negotiate peace with, among many other entities, the Demon of Perfectionism and the Goddess of Speaking Your Truth While Also Respecting That Other People Might Have A Different Truth. She asks for your understanding if she's not agonized long enough over editing or certain societal niceties. She wishes everyone a 2008 of peace and happiness and one that takes into account the common dreams of everyone everywhere.