before this american hero's name is forever tarnished by the outcries of his heartbroken mother, here's a part of the story that's not given enough light:

...First, Casey initially signed up in May 2000 and voluntarily re-enlisted in the service in August 2003, knowing he would likely be called into active duty in Iraq. Secondly, as a mechanic in the 1st battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, Casey did not have to go into the battle that claimed his life. When some of his fellow soldiers encountered resistance, he and others in his unit chose to go into combat to save his friends. Cindy Sheehan herself recounted it this way:


[T]he sergeant said, “Sheehan, you don't have to go,” because my son was a mechanic. And Casey said, “Where my chief goes, I go.”


Where this young man went, tragically, was to an early grave. But his death was an act of patriotism and human compassion...

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