Chris- I’m so grateful you were in my life. You were always my morale compass. Even though you are not here physically, you’re never gone from my world while I have the memories of our friendship. Damn, we laughed hard together no matter our ups or downs...and Lord knows we had plenty of both. Whether sharing an MRE, soaked to the bone, on a rainy, Thanksgiving day, while deployed in the dirt or drinking a Corona under the SoCal sun while chillin’ in the rear with the gear, we always managed to have a blast. Besides how many people can say they managed to back down a whole gaggle of lieutenants with a staunch war-face and command voice or kidnapped a Corporal for an afternoon of day-drinking or stayed out past eleven on a school night and burned through six weeks of per diem in one outing…oh and who can forget the red popcorn incident! Yessir, the stories we created. Well here we are, parting ways until we meet again at the Warrior’s Table on the other side. Don’t forget to look in on me from time to time ‘cause I still need that. I won’t forget your last words to me…”’Til Valhalla”. Semper Fi, Pally. I love and miss you already. Your friend, Darren.
