Joshua Byers, killed in Iraq, called '110%' in career & faith - PRAYER REQUEST

BPNews ^ | 25 JUly 2003 | By James Dotson

[DLfromthedesert]

Prayers for Kim and this wonderful young man's Mom, Dad, and siblings.

My heart aches for the families who are losing their loved ones in this conflict. We should never forget their great sacrifice.

[Kathy in Alaska]

RIP Capt. Byers

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, LTCJ, for posting the link for Capt Byers. And thank you too for your service to our country.

[dansangel]

May God hold this fine soldier in His loving arms for all of eternity. May our Father give the family and friends of Joshua strength and courage during this dark time of sorrow and loss.

Most importantly, may we all, as American citizens, give thanks daily for our troops who protect us with their selfless acts that ensure our freedoms. May we all pray for their protection daily and never forget these fine men and women.

We ask this in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Georgia pings and prayer pings - sorry if you've already been notified.

[Teacup]

Prayers for his wife, family and friends.

[MissouriForBush]

Josh and his family are now in my prayers.

We are so blessed to have such an outstanding, decent young man of character like Josh serving our country. He made the ultimate sacrifice on the front lines for our freedom. We must teach our children to always remember and honor the courage of the brave, noble Americans like Josh who never shirk when duty calls.

[WellsFargo94]

Prayers for all.

[SSG Brown]

Sir, I have taken this extremely hard. I found out last night from a friend who thankfully looked me up about CPT Byers. He was my supervisor and friend. I was the CG's
driver and he was the Aide, we were a 3 man team. I was close to CPT Byers and am truly devastated about this. I wish I would have been there maybe I would have spotted something and could have changed things. For more than a year we worked together, he sat at his desk no more than 5 feet from me. Even though I was a few months older, I looked up to him and respected him not because he is an officer, but because he IS a True American Soldier to the bottom of his heart and soul. I wish I could have the drive and dedication and pure patriotism that he does.
I didn't keep in touch with him after I left Ft Carson, which now I truly regret and will forever. I just figured I would call or email him tomorrow, but tomorrow never came. I thank you for posting that email and am sharing it with others that are mourning. We spent many late nights and weekends together in our jobs and that bond was strong between us.
He is the greatest Officer I have worked with or known. Always taking care of soldiers and truly dedicated to the Army. Myself and 3 others are going to be in SC this Friday and Saturday. CPT JOSH BYERS means alot to us and to the Army. I will never forget him and his picture will always be on my wall.

[LTCJ]

It's good to hear from you, Sergeant. I wish the conditions of our contact had been under different circumstances.

Let me offer my condolences to you. I took the news hard, too, but I realize that your working with CPT Byers (still a 1LT at that time?) so closely for the length of time you did puts a special light on his loss for you.

I didn't have the honor of working directly with Josh. I was fifteen years too old to have been his classmate, and I'm a weekend warrior, not in the Regulars any longer. Most of my conctact with him was limited to Sundays, church related activities, and those all too few guys' nights out when everybody was in town. I envy your experience with him and encourage you to cherish it, as I'm sure you will.

I know what you mean about being there in hopes of having changed things but I know I can speak with full confidence for Josh in cautioning you not to beat yourself up about it. That's an unfair burden to place upon yourself, and I know for a fact he wouldn't want you do that. Hooah?

So, remember the good times and honor him by honoring the things he held dear. That's the legacy that will keep him with us until it's our time to close ranks with him.

He is the greatest Officer I have worked with or known. Always taking care of soldiers and truly dedicated to the Army... CPT JOSH BYERS means alot to us and to the Army. I will never forget him and his picture will always be on my wall.

That's the greatest honor a soldier can pay him, son. He knew that to be a leader was to be a servant first. The fact that it shown through is his true testament to the One he served and those he served in His name.

As for this weekend, I'm trying to work out the details to drive up Saturday. I'm trying to reschedule my drill hours through my XO so that I can be there. I hopefully will have the honor of meeting you face to face then.

[SSG Brown]

Sir, Thank you for the response
Actually He was a CPT the whole time I knew him and he
always had a smile on his face. We rock climbed together
with some others that are going with me to SC. I appreciate you starting this prayer request. I hope his family sees all the responses, it has helped alot to me.

[LTCJ]

It's helped me, too. Thanks.

I'm having trouble getting confirmed details on the arrangements for Saturday. Have you been able to determine what they are yet?

[Mick Leach]

I had the honor of working with CPT Joshua Byers for more than a year and a half at Fort Carson, CO. He was one of my closest friends and I have been simply devastated by his death.

To understand Josh best, you must understand his background and the way he was raised, thus the extended coverage in the article about his parents and brothers. While the Army says that leadership can be taught, Josh never needed the lesson - he was a born leader, imbued with the spiritual gift of teaching. It was clear that Josh was headed for the pulpit, I guess he never would have imagine that his pulpit would someday be the front slope of an M1 Abrahms tank and his congregation would be made up of grime-covered young men toting weapons of every size and shape who were looking for direction and found Josh.

Josh had a joy, for lack of a better word, that permeated his being and was ever-present in his eyes and his smile. His quiet confidence and steadfast faith enticed you to want whatever it was that he had that allowed him to be so calm and comfortable in very dangerous and unpleasant situations. With his hillbilly accent (as we always joked with him about) and coutry-boy charm, he was able connect and touch the hearts of everyone he encountered.

We used to go rock climbing whenever he could steal away from the CG and SSG Brown; those are the times that I'll remember and cherish most. I've included a picture from last summer after one of our great days of rock climbing (Pictured, from left to right, are: Josh, Matt, and myself).



I know Kim and his family will appreciate each thoughtful reply and all of the prayers offered by the people who have responded here. SSG Brown and I will be going to the funeral on Saturday to bid Josh farewell, and I will print off this story and all of the replies to show her how Josh has touched so many people and how many offer their prayers and support.

Thank you all. -----> Josh, I'll see you on the high ground. SCOUTS OUT!

Mick Leach

[Mick Leach]

I apologize for the picture not coming up in the above post, here it is: Mick

[Mick Leach]

I apologize for the picture not coming up in the above post, here it is:



Mick

[JustPiper]

May God's Angels watch over him!

[Redleg Duke]

"Many years have passed and those brave men are gone,And those cold, icy waters are still and they're calm.Many years have passed, and still I wonder why...The worst of men must fight...and the best of men must die!""The Sinking of the Reuben James" by Woodie Guthrie<l.Rest in Peace, Brave Rifle, Rest in Peace

[LTCJ]

Those word paint a very accurate picture of Josh. I'm sure they'll help those who didn't have the blessing of knowing him personally to realize how much of a loss this truly is.

It put a smile on my face to learn that Josh went rock climbing - it's not a subject that comes up too much around these parts. (They call it the Low Country for a reason.) I wish I'd known he'd had a interest at the time he was here. Of course, I'd have steered him away from something so crazy into a much saner hobby like vertical caving where all your climbing is done in the dark (so you can't be scared of how far you're gonna fall).

You're spot-on about his joy. That confidence you describe came from the same source and it was infectious by Design. It still is and, as long as the story of his faith is told, the banner he held most dear will continue to advance - carried forward in his strong hands.

I'm still trying to work out details for this weekend. I hope to see you there.

[SSG Brown]

SIR,
This is what we have and are going by.
Hope to see you there. I can be reached at
brownc@erec.army.mil for about 2 to 3 more hours
today then I am off to SC

The current plan for the interment is as follows:

01 AUG 03 1700hrs
Viewing
Gray Funeral Home
500 West Main St.
Laurens, SC 29360
864-984-2200

02 AUG 03 1400
Funeral Ceremony
New Prospect Baptist Church
4996 Hwy 221 S.
Laurens, SC 29360
864-682-3949

02 AUG 03
Immediately after Ceremony (Rendering of Military Honors)
Lisbon Presbyterian Church Cemetary
1257 Roper Road
Mountville, SC 29370

[bccantrell]

Mick, I work with Kristi and want to express my deepest condolences to your family along with the other freinds and family memebers of Joshua Byers. Thank you for allowing me to share a brief picture of a man who meant so much to so many. I will pray for you and the family as you travel through these coming days. I cannot express the gratitude I feel for the selfless act of LOVE and dedication to the service men and women who are fighting for our country. Please let the family know they are Loved and will see Josh very soon in Glory!!!

[Mick Leach]

Thank you all for your kind words. I printed off this article and your thoughtful replies. They have given me strength in this time of loss in knowing that others appreciate Josh's supreme sacrifice for freedom. I gave his family a chance to read them, hoping it might ease their pain, as it did mine - they are eternally grateful for your touching remarks. I have just returned from his funeral and had some final thoughts. The service was both a celebration of Josh's life, and mourning of our loss, that is Heaven's gain. The military honors were impeccably executed by an honor guard from Fort Gordon, Georgia, and I thank them for their professionalism, Josh would have been proud.

I am strengthened most knowing two things:

1. Josh believed in God Almighty and worshiped His Son, Jesus Christ, for the sacrifice of His perfect life to cleanse our sins, that we may have life eternal through Him. He sought to serve God in humility and sing His praises, that others may know, and receive, His Love. Josh's diligent servitude to God and faith in Jesus Christ has been rewarded with everlasting life at the right hand of God - and while I will miss him desperately and grieve his loss, I celebrate his life and the fact that he is reunited with the Father.

2. Josh believed in his mission and went willingly, knowing the inherent dangers associated with battle. Josh cared nothing for the politics and controversy that surrounded this war - to him the mission was clear - "Bring liberty to the people of Iraq". He believed in this cause so deeply, that he volunteered for every mission that came available while in Iraq - he was going to free the people of Iraq from their oppression, single-handedly if need be. That's how Josh handled everything in his life; there was no half-way - if you believed in doing something, then do it to the best of your ability. And his attitude and work ethic were infectious, his men (including me) respected him to the "Nth" degree and would have gladly laid down our lives for him.

At the funeral, I had the opportunity to speak to a friend of Josh's that was in Iraq with him. He was able to share some stories of Josh's heroic deeds while deployed there. Drawing strength from his faith in God and knowing that he was fighting for a just cause, Josh disregarded his personal safety and delicately stepped his way through a minefield to save the lives of two children that had mistakenly wandered in - carrying them to safety and surely saving their lives; as explosions surrounded him and his unit from an ammo cache that had been ignited, Josh saved the life of a fellow Captain by tackling him to the ground moments before a sheet of shrapnel rained down where the man had just been standing. In classic Josh fashion, he refused to acknowledge these acts as heroic; but humbly said that anyone else would have done the same. These stories and many more like them did not surprise those of us who served with him, but served only to reiterate Josh's selfless love for others.

Throughout his life, Josh sought to serve God and our country - he has accomplished them both admirably and served as an example to us all. I pray that I may emulate Josh's relationship with God and profound love for others. I will see you again someday in Heaven, my friend. "Fox 6" - I'll see you on the high ground, Sir - Scouts Out!

Mick Leach