Brian D. Allgood

West Point, 1982

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by BG Steven M. Anderson on February 1, 2007:

A TRIBUTE TO COLONEL BRIAN ALLGOOD: ALL SOLDIER - ALL FRIEND - ALL GOOD BY BG STEVEN M. ANDERSON, 25 JAN 07 "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Psalms 116 verse 15 A great man was killed last Saturday. Brian Allgood was an incredible husband, father, doctor, soldier, and leader - and our great friend and teammate. I had the honor to serve with Brian closely these past three years, both in Korea and here in Baghdad. And during that time, and the week since his death in talking and hearing from those most close to Brian, I have come to understand that there is so much to learn from the incredibly rich, important and productive life of Colonel Brian Allgood. He demonstated commitment to excellence. The son of an Army Colonel, he spent 46 years achieving success after success. He graduated at the top of his West Point class, did well enough in medical school to be selected for the orthopedic surgery program and became board certified. Brian jumped into Panama in combat as a Ranger battalion surgeon. He commanded at multiple levels, to include the medical commands and hospitals at West Point and Yongson, Korea. And I can assure you that I'm not the only one who thought he would one day serve as the Surgeon General of the Army - he was really that good. Totally committed to excellence. Brian showed us the value of humility. Despite the fact that this wonderful man finished in the top 1% of EVERYTHING that he did in his entire life, you'd never know it talking to Brian. There was simply not the slightest element of conceit or self-promotion. From the general to the driver, from the top physician to the hospital janitor, he went out of his way to show kindness. He treated all with dignity and respect. Brian was a selfless servant that cared little about rank, neither his nor yours - his innate humility enabled him to connect with all people. Brian demonstrated the importance of persistence. This man was tenacious - he was in it for the long haul. He pursued his lovely wife Jane for four years until she realized her great friend Brian would make an even better husband. He devoted 8 years of his life towards being the best orthopedic surgeon he could possibly be. As course director, he worked round the clock to redesign the Army Combat Medic program. And he relentlessly worked with his Iraqi and coalition partners to improve medical capability, empowering enhancements to the Baghdad city morgue, the prosthetics clinic, the burn unit, and the Iraqi medical logistics system. Indeed, it was this persistence that took him to Taji National Depot this past Saturday. And finally, Brian taught us the power of teamwork. From the operating room to the ops center, the flight line to the foxhole, the strength of his character got everyone moving on the same azimuth. He would joke with those around him to ease tensions; he knew stress was not a combat multiplier. He sought input from all elements, getting subordinates to invest in the effort. And no team gave him more satisfaction than his family - wife Jane, 11 year old son Wyatt, his parents, sister Becky, brother Bradley and many others in the large and loving Allgood clan. Indeed, there are thousands of people that called Brian their friend and teammate. I am but one. Like I said, there is much to be learned from our friend Brian Allgood - a shining example of excellence, humility, persistence and teamwork that we can never, ever forget. And it's my profound hope that the following words do him some tribute: THE SETTING SUN HIT HARD LAST SATURDAY A TRAGIC HARVEST WAS THEN GIVEN BIRTH FOR TWELVE CAME THE MASTER'S CALL FOREVER GONE THEIR GRIP ON EARTH ONE HEAVENSENT SOUL WAS THIS ALLGOOD ARMY-BORNE AND BLUE HIS FORTY-SIX YEARS HE SEIZED ROCKY HIGHLANDS ON HUDSON AND SCALED MOUNTAINS WITH NARY A PEER SOLDIER HEALTH WAS HIS GREAT CALLING LEARNING RIGHTOUS THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH TO WOUNDED BONES AND SPIRITS HE GAVE HOPE ORTHOPEDIC SKILL THAT FOSTERED NEW GROWTH MANY TIMES HIS NATION SENT HIM AFAR A NEW DEMOCRACY HE SOUGHT IN IRAQ FIRM HIS CONVICTION OUR CAUSE WAS A JUST ONE HIS RUDDER STEADY, NO THOUGHT TO TURN BACK WHEN CONVERSING ON HIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY A RADIANT GLOW SOON INVADED HIS FACE A HOME SHARED WITH THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE THIS PROUD HUSBAND'S MOST FAVORED PLACE AND JOY IT TOOK HIM TO THE HEAVENS WHEN ENGAGED IN PATERNAL DISCOURSE A CHERISHED SON HIS PROUDEST CREATION WAR'S SEPARATION THEIR PAINFUL REMORSE FOR JANE AND WYATT, FIRM WAS HIS STANCE KNOWING WELL DEVOTIONS FINE GLORY BLESSED IS THIS FAMILY THAT SHARED LOVE BONDED ALWAYS IN GOD'S ENDLESS STORY BRIAN'S COMPASS ALWAYS FOUND TRUE NORTH AND HARDER RIGHT TRIUMPHED EASIER WRONG OPTIMISM AND KINDNESS HIS HALLMARK WHILE RANGER TOUGH AND ARMY STRONG WORK COMPLETE, HE'LL FINALLY TAKE RESPITE AMONG SAINTS KNOWING FEARLESS HE STOOD THE EPITOMY OF ALL THAT IS NOBLE ALL SOLDIER -- ALL FRIEND -- ALL GOOD

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