4th of July 2007 - Mark...you are not forgotten!

One year ago today I was in Houston, Texas participating in a 4th of July parade in which I rode in the back of duece and a half truck with other soldiers in my brigade. The crowd was great and they were very supportive of us and really showed it. It was classic american patriotism and it was moving and unforgetable. This what I wrote one year ago:

Sometimes I try to bring a level of levity to these posts. I dont take myself seriously and I like to make people laugh and think with what I write. Today, something happened to me that I will never forgot. I dont feel much like laughing tonight, so bear with me. Yesterday I had an opportunity to go to Houston for a couple of days to participate in a Independance Day parade. It was a chance to get out of FT Hood and to see another city in Texas I have not seen yet. We were escorted by a lady by the name of Ms. Julie (don't know her last name) who heads up a group on post that works with deployed soldiers, injured soldiers and their families. The do alot of neat stuff and show support for all those who need it. Ms. Julie has lots of friends all over Texas, and two of her friends joined us in Houston for dinner last night. They actually paid! We had about 24 in our group. Today we were in a parade held in a nice part of town called the Woodlands. As we rode down the parade route, people of all ages stood and cheered as we went by. It was very moving to see young kids and older folks (especially the veterans) enthusiastically cheer as we went by. "We love you" or "Thank you" was what they yelled at us as we went by. I was embarrassed a little I guess and just said thanks back to them. After awhile, I saw a young woman being held by two other woman. She was crying and was having a very bad time of it. I felt really bad because I knew that this meant that she had experienced some kind of awful loss. A few blocks down the road, Julie stopped our truck and brought the young woman to us and told us to help her into the truck. Julie says she needed to be close to us because she lost her brother to a road side bomb in Iraq last November. We all gladly helped her into the truck and told her that we would protect her. I then began talking to her and found out her name was Amy she was from Vermont and that her brother had been one of the "Green Mountain Boys", the Mountain Infantry unit out of Vermont. His name was 2LT Mark Procopio and he was killed in action on November 2nd, 2005 near Ramadi. Amy rode with us the rest of the parade route and got hugs from all the guys at the end. I told her that her brother will never be forgotten and that we wanted to come back to Houston next year so that she could see that we all made it back. I never had the honor of knowing Mark but I know that he was loved by his family and that he was killed doing something he felt was important. I pray that I will get the chance to do the same. Until that day, I salute Mark and the others who have lost their lives in this conflict. They will not be forgotten! Amy, it gonna be alright. I promise.


Well Amy, I am almost home. I want to come to Houston again before head home to Albany. Mark has not been forgotten, nor any of the over 3500 soldiers who have died during this conflict. I hope you are well. As far as the rest of you out there...all my family and my buds...have a great day and enjoy your 4th. Don't drink and drive and eat a burger or two for me. Happy Birthday America!