The story of Sgt. 1st Class Jason Hickman's life and death is important.The 35-year-old soldier was killed on Thursday in Afghanistan when the paratrooper's unit was attacked at Combat Outpost Bowri Tana. Hickman had already served in Iraq before his tour in Afghanistan, which began in February, and was scheduled to end next month.
The Times-News in Hickman's hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee, has an emotional interview with the fallen soldier's father, who is a Vietnam veteran.
[J.D.] Hickman last spoke to his son about two weeks before Christmas. Hickman was sharing plans of traveling in April to Alaska, where he would reunite with his son, daughter-in-law Tiffany and three grandchildren; all boys, ages 6, 4 and 2.
They also acknowledged the perils at hand.
“Let me put it this way: It was two military guys talking,” said Hickman of his final conversation with Jason. “A lot of things were discussed that I really wouldn’t want in the newspaper. Going into a war zone, we both understood what the possibilities were.”
Kingsport is about 100 miles from Knoxville, Tennessee. The Knoxville News Sentinel picked up the well-written Times-News story about Hickman's death. Yet above it sits a "Breaking News" banner that says "Lane Kiffin stuns UT by taking USC job." The site's homepage has the sports story as its lead, with another can't-miss item about what will happen to t-shirts featuring the former Volunteers coach. The story of Hickman's nine years in the military and sacrifice in Afghanistan is nowhere to be found on the front page, apparently not nearly as important as a college football coach breaking a multi-million dollar contract to sign another multi-million dollar contract somewhere else.
It's a real shame many good people in Knoxville won't see this story, especially since three young children are now without a loving father who died for their freedom. Rain Smith's article features this moving passage at its conclusion:
When asked if there’s anything else he’d like to share regarding his son, Hickman is quiet for a moment. Then his voice cracks, “John 15:13.”
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Image courtesy: U.S. Army
I love you blog. I lost my best frien/uncle in Iraq. He also died saving the lives of two of his fellow comrads. Thanks for the beautiful reflection and memorial to our American Heroes
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