Soldier mourns the loss of a comrade
By Staff
After years of being "raised" as enlisted troops in Philadelphia's Guard unit, both Matt and Mark earned commissions as Reserve officers in our nation's army. With an education and a few years of professional experience behind them, they settled into the rhythm of a steady job, as each prepared to continue life's journey with a family of his own.
Although Matt was the youngest of three children, he was the first brother to have the experience of fatherhood. A spitting image of his dad, at 2 years of age, Walker's smile fills every room he enters. The simple pleasures of nurturing this small life filled Matt's family with gracious bliss.
Rumblings of war
Then, over the course of this past year, Reserve forces from around the country began to hear the rumblings of extended deployments overseas. Late last summer, rumors surfaced that the maintenance company from Philadelphia would be supporting one of the army's new concept units in Iraq.
As word passed through our battalion for the need of additional soldiers to outfit this unit, a call for volunteers was subtly announced around the state. Being commander of a sister company within the same battalion, I held a formation and asked for volunteers to mobilize with the unit going to Iraq.
In other units around the state, the same type of formation was being held. Matt Stovall was in one of those formations. Being that his older brother's wife was pregnant with their first child at the time, Matt volunteered for duty in hopes of keeping his brother out of the conflict. That example describes the essence of Matt Stovall.
A few weeks later, the 367th Maintenance Company from Philadelphia, Miss., packed its bags and prepared for duty in Iraq. In mid-September, as family and friends gathered at the armory for a mobilization sendoff, Matt Stovall proudly stood at attention in front of the company's ground support platoon.
In a few months, his older brother would also stand at attention, on that same armory floor, in a farewell sendoff of the Maintenance Company's higher headquarters. Sitting in the audience, along with my parents and the families of unit members from around the state, Mark Stovall's wife was still carrying an unborn child.
No higher service
With the highest sense of honor and patriotism, Matt, Mark, and my many brothers and sisters joined this conflict, and each of us resolved to perform our duty in the best tradition of Mississippi's finest soldiers.
Slightly above the actions of these other Mississippi heroes stands the example provided by both of the Stovall brothers. It is to their example that my comrades continuously strive.
Therefore, it is especially sad for me to say goodbye to one of my brothers in arms. Even more so, it is almost unthinkable that my comrade sacrificed his life for the freedoms of his country on the very anniversary of his wife's birth.
For the family of Matthew Ryan Stovall, words cannot express the profound sense of sorrow that I currently carry in my heart. He selflessly gave his life to honor the deepest traditions of our country, and I will never witness another cloudless sunrise without seeing the outline of his smiling face on the horizon.
