Kevin Joseph Smith

West Point, 2002

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Lawrence M. Friedman on August 26, 2007:

I had the honor of meeting some members of Capt. Smith's family in North Carolina very recently. On their car they had what seemed to be the yellow magnetic ribbon one sees nowadays, usually touting the car owner's support for the troops. But this one was different. It had on it Capt. Smith's name and the date of his loss. This got my attention, and I asked about it. Without a trace of self-pity and with obvious (and very deserved) pride, the family members told me of Capt. Smith and what he had meant to them. While speaking to them it occurred to me that as we lead our day-to-day lives only vaguely aware of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, we in the non-military have no concept of the trials of our servicemen and servicewomen and their families. In short, we don't get it. And we need to get it. So while I can never match the sacrifice he and his family have made, I'm trying to pay some tribute to Capt. Smith and his family in a tangible way. I have made a contribution in his memory to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. I encourage all who come upon these words to do something like this. Capt. Smith and other heroes "gave the last full measure of devotion," and we owe them our undying gratitude.

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