Emily Jazmin Tatum Perez

West Point, 2005

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by 1LT Saibatu Mansaray on September 21, 2006:

I was afforded the opportunity to meet Emily the day we arrived to OBC last July. She was on the phone with her mother as she stood behind me in line while we checked into the hotel. She had this air about her that exumed confidence, beauty, strength and excellence. I thought to myself, for a girl out of college and new to the army she is very impressive, especially after comparing myself who at that point had just switched over to the officer corps and had already served 9 years as enlisted. Less than a week later she and I somehow became friends. It is one of those unspoken "let's be friends" things. Throughout our field training exercise while in OBC, she and I would sing the 12 chapters of the R.Kelly song "Trapped in the Closet." It was our way of passing the time while sitting in the bleachers waiting for the next "easy" task while out there. I only knew the 1st chapter when we started, but by the end of our 3 week exercise she had literally taught me the entire song. Emily and I were like "two peas in a pod." I got to know her very well throughout those 3 weeks of field training, and our friendship continued on as we resumed classes back at Ft. Sam Houston. We both lived on the same floor in the Guest Housing and would run down to each other's room for any and everything. She talked a great deal about her nephews, brother and wife in NC, her parents, and a MAJ who's at West Point who was her mentor and how both he and his wife both took care of her while she was there. She also shared stories about her track team, one of her girlfriend's in San Antonio, her cousin that worked at a prison in Texas, her grandmother (God bless her) in Belton, the girlfriend she stayed with for a short while before deploying, Sharen (her awesome PA as she would put it) who was her roommate and battle buddy, Greg from West Point, and LT Muniz a PL that was in OBC with us, who was at her camp and lost soldiers to this war. She would also talk about all the many people that touched her life everyday. Emily was, and continues to be, someone I admire and have a great deal of respect for. As everyone can attest, she wasn't the typical 23 year old, or the typical new officer. Better yet, she wasn't the average young woman. She had goals, aspirations, dreams and was determined to accomplish each and everyone of them. After OBC, I was once again afforded time with Emily as we both ended up at Ft. Hood. Our friendship continued and grew strong having lunch together almost everyday until deploying. I remember her calling me one day and saying she was heading up to DC to be a bone marrow donor to someone she had never met or knew. My clinical judgement kicked in and I found myself discouraging her about the painful process ahead of her.... She insisted and said she will call when she returns. I thought to myself "what a brave young woman and that the world needs more people like that." At that point, I began reevaluate my personality, and the little-to-nothing that I had given to the world. She returned from DC in good health commenting on how she wasn't allowed to take part in physical training for about a week due to the recovery process, but nothing about how painful it was. A couple of days before she deployed, Emily and I went to Texas Road House for dinner. The wait was long and every 5 mins she would say "jeez, I'm starving." While waiting, she called a few of her friends to tell them goodbye and also to give them her email address. As we were eating she asked me "are you going to stay in touch while we're in Iraq? or are you going to be one of those people?" I responded by asking "what people? aliens?". We both laughed. Afterwards, I made it a point to write my family and Emily when I arrived in Iraq December 2005 in order not to be one of "those people." For the past 10 months of deployment, Emily and I have emailed back and forth regularly. I remember her not wanting to take leave because the unit wasn't going to give it to her until very late in the deployment. I told her no matter how late it is you need to take it as it is a break from all this madness. She ended up getting it earlier than expected. Once she got back she wrote me telling me how much worth it was to go on leave. To this day I have that email and have read it everyday since her passing. I found out about the loss of such a wonderful young woman the day I returned from my leave. I was looking forward to writing her and telling her all about mine, but didn't have the opportunity to do so. I could not to tell her throughout my 15 months of knowing her, how much of a great friend she was to me, or how much she inspired me. I also never had the chance to tell her how much I loved her, how much I wanted our friendship to never change or go away, how much I looked forward to us getting back and hanging out. Finally, just what an awesome person she was... I cry everyday for her loss not only because I miss her or because I knew she had a bright future, but also because the army has lost a born leader. The world will suffer the loss of a true angel. You will forever be missed Em and even though it's so late I want you to know that I love you very much. Everyday of my life I will try to give as much as you gave to this world in your honor. "Other people have seen angels. But I have seen thee Emily and thou art enough." Saibatu Mansaray 1LT,SP Physician Assistant C Med 4SB, 1BCT, 4ID Camp Taji, Iraq

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