More on Brad
From the Richmond, VA, Times Dispatch:
Virginia Marine is killed in Iraq
The Charlottesville man is remembered as a natural leader
BY JULIE STAVITSKI
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
Monday, November 22, 2004
CHARLOTTESVILLE - Cpl. Bradley Thomas Arms, a member of the Marine Reserves and a Charlottesville native, died in Fallujah, Iraq, from small arms fire on Friday.
Arms, 20, a 2002 graduate of the Covenant School, was described by community members as the boy next door who loved University of Georgia football and brought enthusiasm to any task he tackled.
“He was the finest kid you could ever love,” Covenant Headmaster Ronald Sykes said.
Arms, who attended the University of Georgia, graduated from Covenant as an honors student who assumed leadership roles in community service projects. “It seemed every time I turned around, he just seemed to be a leader in that regard,” Sykes said.
Arms’ mother, Betty Arms, said service projects were a large part of his life, as the family sometimes participated in projects together through their church, Trinity Presbyterian.
He played lacrosse and soccer while at Covenant, his parents said, but soccer was his favorite sport. His father, Bob Arms, said his son was “tremendous” on defense, which helped earn him the nickname “The Rock.”
The Rev. Thomas Foley, who taught Brad Arms in a Bible class during his senior year, said his desire to serve in the military had blossomed late in his high school career.
“He cared very much about the people around him,” said Foley, Covenant’s chaplain. “He was quick to defend someone - that’s what you’d want in someone serving our country.”
Bob Arms said that the derivation of his son’s caring and devoted nature was from the Christian faith. “He loved the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “He’s the reason for [Brad's] loyalty, sensitivity and love of country.”
Betty Arms said that her son’s interest in the Marines was piqued after visiting the area recruitment center his junior year. He was supposed to sign his commitment papers in September 2001, the fall of his senior year, when the terrorist attacks occurred.
Bob Arms asked his son to rethink his decision to join.
“I told him, [these attacks] mean war is imminent,” he said.
Brad Arms told his father that he would be glad to wait, but that it would make no difference.
“He said, ‘I’m still signing up,’” Bob Arms said.
Brad Arms was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.
He started his freshman year at the University of Georgia in January 2003, and began training to go to Iraq in California in July. His unit left for Iraq in August.
His family received an e-mail from him once a week while he was in Iraq, and received two phone calls while he was there, Betty Arms said.
His platoon was sent to Fallujah for the first assault, and he was able to speak to his family for 10 minutes last Tuesday.
During that phone call, he said he felt God’s presence and God’s peace and knew that was where he wanted to be, his family said.
Covenant officials said the school would hold a memorial chapel service after the Thanksgiving holiday. No formal services have been set.
In addition to his mother and father, he is also survived by his brother, Doug Arms, and his grandfather, Robert Bradley.
Julie Stavitski is a staff writer at The Daily Progress in Charlottesville.
This story can be found at: http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/Page/RTD_FrontPage
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