This weekend, the war in Iraq jumped out of the headlines and into my heart (and Karyn’s).

Corporal Bradley Thomas Arms, USMC, one of my first sixth grade students in Charlottesville and also one of Karyn’s students a few years later, was killed in action this past Friday.

Brad volunteered for the Marines while he was a student at the University of Georgia. I remember vividly the morning when his mother broke down in faculty prayer meeting trying to struggle with a son enlisting in the post 9/11 military. She came to a place of faith that God was leading her son, and that that was more important than her fears. I remember Brad as a committed Christian even in sixth grade, a young man of striking character. That he would sign up for the Marines in a time of peril for his country did not surprise me.

Brad’s unit was called into active service in July and by the end of August he was in Iraq. Two weeks ago on the eve of the battle he called his family to let them know that they wouldn’t hear from him until the battle was over. He told them that he felt very close to the Lord.

That would’ve been the last word from Brad, except for a strange mercy. Two days before he was killed, his unit was pulled back from Fallujah for a short rest. Brad was informed that he was getting a battlefield promotion to corporal and that he would be able to make a quick call home to tell his family. His Dad answered the phone and recorded the message…so now they will always have his last call home.

On Friday, Brad’s unit came under attack as they reentered Fallujah. He was struck down by small arms fire.

May God grant strength and faith to Bob, Betty, and younger brother Doug in these coming days.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 21st, 2004 at 10:51 pm and is filed under It`s All About Me. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.