Lest We Forget

On 4 October 2018, SGT James Slape, an EOD tech with 430th EOD Co, 60th Troop Command North Carolina Army National Guard was clearing a route for a recovery vehicle, so it could tow out another truck that had been hit by an IED, earlier on his unit’s patrol. As he was doing one of the most selfless jobs in the military, protecting his brothers and sisters from explosives, another IED detonated. SGT Slape was severely wounded in the blast. He was medivaced out of the area to a medical facility where he then succumbed to his wounds.

With the decrease of media coverage of the events occurring in the Middle East with our military, it has become easy to forget that there are young men and women, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, fathers, mothers, daughters and sons deploying all across the world. They are fighting and dying for each other. We can romanticize and say that these souls do it for freedom and their country. In reality it is for each other and to support their families, more than any other reasons out there.

So while we mark the beginning of the summer weather this Memorial Day, let’s remember the real reason so many of us have today off of work. Let’s remember our fallen with fond and wonderful memories.

TL:DR SGT James Slape was killed 4 October 2018 by an IED.

Yes I am aware he is wearing specialist ranks on his uniform. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.