Joey was a great kid: A Veterans Day reflection

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Joe Armas | American flags outside of the Airborne and Special Operations museum in Fayetteville, N.C., are placed there to honor the service and sacrifice that our veterans have given while wearing the uniform of the United States.  

FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

11.11.2013

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Joe Armas 

4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division Public Affairs

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Veterans Day is a time for all of us to reflect on and honor the service and sacrifice that many have given while wearing the uniform of the United States. I’ve had the pleasure of crossing paths with many of these great individuals, and like many of us, I’ve known a few of them who have given the ultimate sacrifice. As this weekend approached though, I found myself thinking about one man in particular who I had met back in 2012.

I had recently returned from Afghanistan and I was on my way back to Fort Hood, Texas following my block leave that I had spent in Delaware with my five children.

I pulled into a truck stop in eastern Tennessee. I was sporting a t-shirt with an ‘Enduring Freedom Afghanistan’ logo on it, and coupled with my clean-cut appearance, I’m assuming I stuck out like a sore thumb. This man took me aside and asked me where I had been stationed in Afghanistan. He too was on his way back to Texas with his wife after visiting their son who was a Navy seaman stationed in Virginia.

We began to talk and before long he told me about his other son who was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province earlier that year.

I knew exactly what incident he was talking about and I froze for a moment before mustering any response. After all, what do you say to someone who has had to deal with a tragic loss like that?
All I could come up with at the time was a generic ‘your son is a hero’ response.

“Yeah, Joey was a great kid,” he said. That comment took me back somewhat and when I told the man that my name was Joey all he could do was smile. I felt an instant connection and if time had permitted, we could have talked for hours. Time was of the essence for him and his wife so once our brief conversation ended, we both headed back onto the undulating interstate highway of the Tennessee Appalachians.

About two hours later I pulled over again to get something to eat. Sure enough, the man and has wife had taken the same exit and stopped at the same truck stop. We continued our conversation about all-things military for a brief moment before taking to the highway once again.

That would be the last time we would ever cross paths. Although my interaction with the man was minimal, our two brief encounters left a lasting impact on me. I spent the rest of the day thinking about how hard it must have been for him and his wife to deal with the abrupt and tragic loss of their son.

Unfortunately, they're not the only ones who know what it feels like to lose a loved one in uniform. Many of my fellow Service members from this generation and past, have given the ultimate sacrifice, leaving behind friends and family members who mourn with sadness but who are also filled with pride.

I didn’t know Joey personally but I’ll take his dad’s word that he was a great kid. What I do know is that Cpl. Joseph "Joey" Logan was a proud Marine who selflessly gave his life while wearing the uniform of the United States. For that reason alone, he, and all of our nation’s Veterans who have served this country with honor, will always have my respect and gratitude.

• Date Taken: 11.11.2013
• Date Posted: 11.11.2013 11:18
• Story ID: 116549
• Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US
• Hometown: WILLIS, TX, US