IGTNT: "He was always there for the right reasons"

Tonight we honor the bravery, loyalty and dedication of Minnesota Army National Guard Specialist George W. Cauley, 24 of Walker (and Remer) Minnesota, who lost his life over the weekend while serving in Afghanistan.

Let them in, Peter, they are very tired Give them couches where the angels sleep and light those fires

Let them wake whole again to brand new dawns Fired with the sun not wartime's bloody guns

May their peace be deep, Remember where the broken bodies lie God knows how young they were to have to die God knows how young they were to have to die

Give them things they like, Let them make some noise Give roadhouse bands, not golden harps to these our boys

And let them love, Peter 'cause they've had no time They should have trees and bird songs and hills to climb

The taste of summer in a ripened pear and girls sweet as meadow winds With flowing hair

Tell them how they are missed and say not to fear It's gonna be alright with us down here

Let them in, Peter...

Please join me below the fold to honor the service and sacrifice of this remarkable young man and his family.

"Let Them in, Peter" - The music was written by John Gorka, the lyrics are by an unknown author and were discovered in a hospital in the Philippines when American and Australian troops liberated the islands from the Japanese during WWII.

********************************************************* Specialist George W. Cauley, 24, Walker, MN ********************************************************* From the DoD:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. SPC. George W. Cauley, 24, of Walker, Minn., died Oct. 10 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device on Oct. 7 in Helmand province. He was assigned to the 114th Truck Company of the Minnesota Army National Guard in Duluth, Minn.

SPC. Cauley was a member of the 114th Transportation Company (114th TC), a Minnesota Army National Guard Company headquartered in Duluth. The 114th TC (known as "The Wolfpack") is responsible to line haul, local haul, and re-supply mobile combat units. ~Source. After serving a tour in Iraq, SPC. Cauley was serving in Afghanistan's Helmand Province with the 114th TC, moving supplies by ground throughout Afghanistan and providing convoy security. He was injured by an IED last Wednesday and succumbed to his wounds three days later. SPC. Cauley was a 2003 graduate of Northland High and a proud member of the school's football team.

Cauley got along with everybody and always had a smile on his face, Principal Joe Akre said Tuesday. Standing about 5 feet 3 inches tall, Cauley "wasn't exactly the biggest guy out there," football coach Shem Daugherty said. "But he had heart. He wasn't afraid to go out and try to hit," Daugherty said. "He was one of those likable young men you enjoyed having around because he was always there for the right reasons." Daugherty said that after graduation, Cauley came back in uniform and "was pretty darn proud. You could see it in his face." Daugherty said Cauley also had served in Iraq.~Source.

According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, SPC. Cauley signed up for the National Guard immediately after high school with a couple of his best friends.

"All enlisted together. It was one of those groups of patriotic people that wanted to go out and do something like that," said Shem Daugherty, who taught social studies and coached Cauley on the high school football team. "He was just one of those guys that was just fun to be around," he said. "The type of guy who would give you the shirt off his back, always with a smile on his face, always would say 'hi,' always would have a good spirit about him."

His high school principal summed up SPC. Cauley with these words: "He was a good kid. I don't believe he had an enemy in the world..." In the coming days, the Patriot Guard Riders will be standing by the Cauley family during visitation, funeral and interment services at the State Military Cemetary at Camp Ripley. In memory and in honor of Specialist George W. Cauley. May you rest in peace. Your mission is complete.REMEMBER THEM WELL Remember our troops- those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, those who are still in harm’s way and those who have returned home:

In Remembrance Please take a moment to honor the memories of our fallen service men and women who have passed through this world much too quickly. You can view the stories and remembrances of these heroes at sites such as Iraq Veterans Memorial and Honor the Fallen.

Supporting the Troops If you haven’t had a chance to put together a care package for a unit in Iraq or Afghanistan - it’s such a good feeling to know you are sending our troops things they really need. I’m not talking about the comforts of home – it’s necessities like socks and underwear and soup packets and feminine hygiene products and paper and pens...and school supplies, treats and trinkets they can pass out to the Iraqi and Afghan children. Basic things that they are so thrilled to receive. You can do this at anysoldier.com. Click on WhereToSend for a searchable database. For example if you search "By Latest Email" you’ll see the troops who most recently have submitted a request for specific items. You then request their mailing address. Operation Helmet is another great organization whose mission is to provide helmet upgrades.

Supporting Our Veterans We have a solemn duty to ensure that our veterans are properly cared for. Consider visiting sites such as  StandUp4Vets.org, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America,  Welcome Back Veterans.org and Fisher House to see where your help is needed.

The Department of Defense has confirmed 4,349 deaths while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. 873 American troops have died in Afghanistan since 2001.

Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.