'He thought it was his duty to go'

Pvt. John Dion lived the life of an American teenager. He played football and baseball and liked flirting with girls, until he met someone special. Tonight, the Dion family is preparing to bury the 19-year-old soldier, who was killed on Sunday in Ashoque, Afghanistan, alongside Sgt. Josh Lengstorf and Spc. Brian Bowman.

The Oklahoman reports that Dion moved to Shattuck, Oklahoma, from the west coast during his sophomore year of high school. His family now lives in Georgia, where the young man will be buried on January 16. The article quotes his half-brother, Justin Werve, who served in Iraq with the U.S. Air Force. At the time of Dion's enlistment, Werve respectfully disagreed with his half-brother's decision to follow in his footsteps.

"Even though he disagreed with his family, he was always there for them,” Werve said. "He was very protective of his family and very committed to whatever he did.”

Then there are the words of his girlfriend, Adi Vielma, who lives near Fort Carson, where Dion was stationed before his deployment. She spoke to reporter Lindsay Watts at KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs, explaining that "he felt like it was his duty to go."



On a chilly night in Shattuck, Oklahoma, the stars and stripes fly at half-staff not far from the football field where Dion could frequently be spotted wearing a #27 Indians jersey, giving his all in both big games and hot summer practices. After just over a month in Afghanistan, Dion would give even more on the field of battle.

Image courtesy: Shattuck High School