I was going to write about Prison Break and the greatest invention EVER (the Sling Box) but, today is Veterans day and I want to write about my friend SSG John Linde.  I met SSG Linde in Fort Belvoir, VA when I was in the army.  He was an MP.  He was always so funny.  Later when I married my husband, Shaughn, we became better friends because he was Shaughn's squad leader.  Anyway, SSG Linde left Fort Belvoir in 2005.  He reenlisted to go to Fort Drum, NY.  He wanted to go to Iraq.  He was really excited about it and tried to get Shaughn to go too.  I checked out the website for the post and decided against it because it is SO COLD in that area.

Well, he left and deployed in late 2005.  He came back a year later.  At this point we're in Italy so the only contact we have with him is Myspace and the occasional phone call. About a year after he got back he deployed again. I remember as if it was yesterday, I'm on myspace and I see a bulletin from his wife saying that he had deployed. This was Nov 4th 2007. The next day I told my friend, Ashlie about him and that I couldn't believe that he was in Iraq again.  The next day on the 6th, I  saw another bulletin from his wife, saying that Linde had passed way in Iraq.He died of wounds suffered when and improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations. Three other Soldiers lost their lives that day. 

SSG John Linde was a great person, so full of life.  He was short for a guy and my husband is tall and goes to the gym, so SSG Linde would mess with him, hit him or pepper spray him and then run away so fast! He made me laugh all the time. He would tell stories about growing up in New Jersey.  He was survived by his wife Vilma and daughters Victoria and another daughter from a previous relationship.  

It's been a year since he died, and I still can't believe it.  Today on Veterans day he would have been 32.  I will ALWAYS remember him.

Some links about him:http://www.mem.com/Story.aspx?ID=2139248 ,http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/approved/20071123.html,http://www.legacy.com/BostonGlobe/GB/GuestBookView.aspx?PersonID=97565405