Uncle Dave

Uncle Dave in Afganistan with

General Peter J. Schoomaker, U.S. Army Chief of Staff

Dad passed along this photo of my Uncle David who is serving this year in Afganistan. (My sis Jen has another photo on her blog.) I referenced a fascinating anecdote from him in a previous post.

Uncle David was always one of my childhood heros, in large part because he once told me when I was about 5 or 6 (he was in High School) that he "could pick up the whole house" and would if not for the fact that he would be in trouble my Grandpa (his dad.) Also, he was the youngest of my Dad's 9 younger brothers and sisters and so while most of the rest were gone with their own families and lives, Dave was often there to take us hiking or on other adventures.

When I was probably in junior high, Dave gave me a real patrol cap with my name on it. Chandler (age 6) has now claimed the patrol cap and has incorporated it into his own composite Soldier-Fireman-Paramedic-Doctor uniform.

Chandler - age 6