thedrifter
01-18-03, 08:23 AM
I wanted to share with all........
10-Year-Old Sergeant Loses Battle, Wins Hearts
by Spc. Chuck Wagner
Army News Service
January 15, 2003
Sgt. Justin Bryce made the most of his time as a soldier during his visit to the Pentagon and Fort Belvoir, Va., in October. (photo by Peter Cihelka)
FORT MYER, Va. -- The headstone will be inscribed "Sgt. Justin Bryce," even though the dates will show he was much too young to enlist.
His teary-eyed mother's description of him explains how a 10-year-old deserved every chevron.
"He was a brave little boy. It didn't matter what struggle he had to go through, he just faced them. I think the way he used to look at it was that no matter how tough life seems, you can still overcome everything. And he always had a smile," said Mary Bryce from the family's Grene, N.Y. home.
Justin knew something about struggles. He spent months battling liver cancer, which spread and wracked his small body.
Justin's request to the Make-A-Wish foundation was to outrank his brother, Pvt. Raymond Bryce of 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told the Army to make it happen.
Over a few blustery November days, Justin enlisted and was promoted at the Pentagon, climbed around inside an opulent limousine on his way to Fort Belvoir where he shot an M-16 with night-vision goggles and commanded an M-111 personnel carrier. Near day's end, the Army whisked him over Washington aboard a Blackhawk in a last-minute, unscheduled flight because soldiers heard him ask, "Can I fly in a helicopter?"
He rested that evening looking out over Baltimore Harbor aboard a Coast Guard ship. Ships, you see, were another of Justin's passions.
"Even up to a couple of days before, he was still calling himself sergeant," his mother said.
Justin, unresponsive over Christmas Eve, died at home Christmas day surrounded by the entire extended family.
Scores of friends visited him during calling hours on Dec. 28. Six National Guard soldiers from a local armory took turns standing vigil for four hours. The family dressed Justin in the battle dress uniform issued to him and hung his ID tags around his neck. His mother shined his boots.
Services were held for the family the next day. Justin's formal burial is planned in spring.
Instead of seeing Disney World, Justin had asked to join the Army family. His mother says he quickly realized how the Army takes care of its own.
More than 40,000 people have logged on the Web site http://caringbridge.org/ny/justinbryce/ to read about Justin and leave messages for him and his family. Many of the messages, as well as hundreds of e-mails to his mother, are from service members. More arrive every day.
"Sgt. Justin, keep fighting and it was my honor to get to know you and my pleasure to serve with you in the Army," wrote 1st Sgt. Lee Branham before Christmas.
"May God give you strength to carry on each passing day. God Bless You," Staff Sgt. Gerald Canada wrote to the family after Justin's funeral.
His mother prints out e-mailed letters from service members to put in Justin's keepsake book, which is bulging with notes, autographs, and pictures of a proud, bald, freckled sergeant surrounded by his Army buddies.
"It touches my heart. You guys are very, very caring. Justin picked the right group of people," Mary said.
(Spc. Chuck Wagner is a staff writer for the Pentagram newspaper at Fort Myer.)
Sempers,
Roger
10-Year-Old Sergeant Loses Battle, Wins Hearts
by Spc. Chuck Wagner
Army News Service
January 15, 2003
Sgt. Justin Bryce made the most of his time as a soldier during his visit to the Pentagon and Fort Belvoir, Va., in October. (photo by Peter Cihelka)
FORT MYER, Va. -- The headstone will be inscribed "Sgt. Justin Bryce," even though the dates will show he was much too young to enlist.
His teary-eyed mother's description of him explains how a 10-year-old deserved every chevron.
"He was a brave little boy. It didn't matter what struggle he had to go through, he just faced them. I think the way he used to look at it was that no matter how tough life seems, you can still overcome everything. And he always had a smile," said Mary Bryce from the family's Grene, N.Y. home.
Justin knew something about struggles. He spent months battling liver cancer, which spread and wracked his small body.
Justin's request to the Make-A-Wish foundation was to outrank his brother, Pvt. Raymond Bryce of 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told the Army to make it happen.
Over a few blustery November days, Justin enlisted and was promoted at the Pentagon, climbed around inside an opulent limousine on his way to Fort Belvoir where he shot an M-16 with night-vision goggles and commanded an M-111 personnel carrier. Near day's end, the Army whisked him over Washington aboard a Blackhawk in a last-minute, unscheduled flight because soldiers heard him ask, "Can I fly in a helicopter?"
He rested that evening looking out over Baltimore Harbor aboard a Coast Guard ship. Ships, you see, were another of Justin's passions.
"Even up to a couple of days before, he was still calling himself sergeant," his mother said.
Justin, unresponsive over Christmas Eve, died at home Christmas day surrounded by the entire extended family.
Scores of friends visited him during calling hours on Dec. 28. Six National Guard soldiers from a local armory took turns standing vigil for four hours. The family dressed Justin in the battle dress uniform issued to him and hung his ID tags around his neck. His mother shined his boots.
Services were held for the family the next day. Justin's formal burial is planned in spring.
Instead of seeing Disney World, Justin had asked to join the Army family. His mother says he quickly realized how the Army takes care of its own.
More than 40,000 people have logged on the Web site http://caringbridge.org/ny/justinbryce/ to read about Justin and leave messages for him and his family. Many of the messages, as well as hundreds of e-mails to his mother, are from service members. More arrive every day.
"Sgt. Justin, keep fighting and it was my honor to get to know you and my pleasure to serve with you in the Army," wrote 1st Sgt. Lee Branham before Christmas.
"May God give you strength to carry on each passing day. God Bless You," Staff Sgt. Gerald Canada wrote to the family after Justin's funeral.
His mother prints out e-mailed letters from service members to put in Justin's keepsake book, which is bulging with notes, autographs, and pictures of a proud, bald, freckled sergeant surrounded by his Army buddies.
"It touches my heart. You guys are very, very caring. Justin picked the right group of people," Mary said.
(Spc. Chuck Wagner is a staff writer for the Pentagram newspaper at Fort Myer.)
Sempers,
Roger