John Ogburn III was born July 19, 1958, in Ontario, Oregon. He was an athletic young man who participated in a number of sports in high school including football, wrestling, and track.

After his graduation, John pursued a two-year Social Sciences degree at Treasure Valley Community College, before taking a one-year break to do geological field work at Delmar Silver Mine in Idaho’s Owyhee Mountains. He returned to college the following year, transferring to the University of Oregon. He spent two years at U of O majoring in Social Science and with a minor in geology.

Ogburn enlisted in the Oregon Army National Guard as an Artillery Surveyor in 1989, and transferred to the Idaho Army National Guard in 1996, where he worked as a member of the fire support echelon and in S3, then transferred back to the Oregon Army National Guard in 2001.

He died on May 22, 2005, in northern Iraq when his Humvee was involved in a rollover accident.

Carrie was born on Feb. 28, 1986, in Caldwell, Idaho. She went all the way through high school with the same friends she grew up with and some that she enlisted with as well.

She had a zest for learning and during her formative years took dance and music lessons, karate, softball, volleyball and was finally a cheerleader in her senior year.

She joined the Idaho Army National Guard while a junior in high school to start saving money for college. She wanted to be a lawyer. She graduated high school, went to boot camp, on to military occupational training and then headed for Iraq, all in six months. She celebrated her 19th birthday in Kirkuk, Iraq, with her soldier friends.

On June 6, 2005, she was on the return trip of the seventh convoy she had volunteered for when her vehicle carrying an improvised explosive detonated on Carrie’s side. She was the only fatality that day, but the mental and emotional wounds felt by the members of her company were also devastating.

Carrie always had a smile on her face. We miss her every day.

Dustin Birch, assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division out of Boise, Idaho was killed in Haqlaniyah, Iraq, June 9, 2005, when the tank he was traveling in was damaged by a mine blast.

Uninjured, Birch and others from the tank crew were picked up by a military Humvee, which was hit by a second mine explosion. Birch and four others died in that explosion.

Dustin Birch joined the Marine Corps Reserves after graduating from high school and received permission to take a two-year leave to serve a full-time mission. He was called to serve at the California Santa Rosa Mission, where he labored hard and honorably.

Returning from missionary service, Birch continued his military training and began a deployment to Iraq in 2005. Military service and duty suited the young man.

Dustin is survived by his parents, Paul and Deborah Birch, and three siblings: Dallen, 21, Terik, 18, and JJ, 15. He was engaged to be married to Melissa Taylor when he returned from Iraq.

Staff Sergeant Ivan Alarcon, assigned to the 473^rd Quartermaster Company, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia was killed November 17, 2005 in Tal Afar, Iraq, when his Humvee rolled over during combat operations.

Ivan had two sides, the bookworm who got good grades in high school and the guy who tinkered under the hood of cars. Ivan was a very outgoing person, very active, very hardworking. He wanted to be a mechanic and enjoyed coming home and working on his dad’s car.

Ivan joined the Army in 1999 after graduating from Jerome High School and when his four years of service were up, he signed up for a few more.

He was looking forward to opening up his own business, a car repair and audio shop with his younger brother, when his term of service was up in January, 2007.

He is remembered by friends as a hero and an ‘awesome kid’. Ivan is survived by his parents, two sisters and four brothers.

Private First Class Jacob Allcott was born on July 26, 1984, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Bruce and Maureen Allcott.  He was killed along with three other soldiers by an IED along the road near Baghdad, Iraq, April 22, 2006.

Jacob graduated from Caldwell High School in 2002 and attended Utah State University and Boise State University prior to joining the Army on May 10, 2004. He attended basic and advanced individual training as an infantryman at Fort Benning, Georgia, and after completion of training, he was assigned to B/1-67, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.

Jacob was a great guy who had a great sense of humor. He always had a soft smile about him and his easy going manner just put people at ease. Music was a big part of his life, and he spent many hours playing the guitar with his friends.  He could always be found with a set of headphones and a guitar in arms reach.

PFC Allcott’s awards include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

Jeremy King was born November 29, 1982, and joined his brothers Billy and Bobby in keeping parents Bob and Judy very busy for the next 20 years. For what one didn’t think of, the other did.

When he was only 16, he met the love of his life, Yulonda Crawford, and predicted to his buddies “That’s the girl I’m going to marry!”

And he did, four years later, shortly after enlisting in the Army.

Jeremy was on his second tour in Iraq at the time of his death. Jeremy was home in May for the birth of his daughter, Kaidyn. When she was only a week old, he returned to Iraq, and was due home again the first of December.

His mother’s description of “Tall, slender, clean cut, handsome; a clown,” fits him perfectly. He lived life to the fullest and approached everything with vigor, zest and a big smile of anticipation.

In addition to his loving wife and daughter, he is survived by his parents, brothers, and other extended family, as well as countless friends who love and will miss him deeply.

Specialist James Bridges of Buhl, Idaho, was assigned to the 2^nd Battalion, 1^st Infantry Regiment, 172^nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

He was killed on November 4, 2006, in Baghdad by small-arms fire.

Bridges was a hero to his hometown of Buhl long before he enlisted in 2003 at the dawn of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Known as Doug to his family and friends, he was involved in FFA and earned the respect and friendship of many students and teachers. That respect multiplied when he chose to join the military ranks after earning his diploma.

Sergeant James Close served with Doug for four years and said that Doug made everyone in the company laugh at some point or another, and that not a single one could hold back their tears when they heard the news.

“Looking back, it was a testimony to how great a man Doug was,” he said. “I had seen others fall before, but never had I seen so many people so devastated.”

His father, Matthew Bridges, told of how other military parents have contacted his family following Doug’s death.

“His biggest gift was love,” he said. “He excelled at love.”

Specialist James D. Riekena was born February 27, 1984, in Missoula, Montana. He was the second of five children. He moved to Redmond, Washington, with his family in 1993, where he attended and graduated from Redmond High School. He was very active in scouting and attained the rank of Eagle Scout with Redmond Boy Scout Troop 591.

After graduation, James moved to Post Falls, where he joined the National Guard and became a combat engineer specializing in finding and disarming land mines and bombs. James served his first tour in Iraq with the 145^th Brigade Support Battalion and upon his return, volunteered for a second assignment in Iraq. James was killed January 14, 2007, when a roadside bomb exploded near his Humvee in Baghdad Iraq.

James cared deeply about his family and friends, and if you needed his help he was there for you 100%. He had dreams and schemes that made your head spin. He loved the outdoors, his dogs and he liked to fish. He loved literature and writing and he hoped to go to college to be an English teacher.

He is loved and missed everyday by both family and friends.

Sergeant James Holtom served with the 321^st Combat Engineer Battalion, Alpha Company, out of Boise. He was killed in action February 8, 2007, in Iraq while conducting a rescue mission for other fallen soldiers. He was born in Waupaca, Wisconsin, to David and Reyne and was the oldest of eight children.

The family moved to Idaho in 1995, where they live today.

Jim was a sophomore at Boise State University, studying Engineering, when he joined the Army reserves. He was a happy, bright, determined and confident young man who loved his family, his friends, his country, and most of all, his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

His family is confident thathe is with the Lord now. He will never be forgotten. He truly is a hero and is missed more every day.

Jim is survived by his parents, his brothers Ben, Lee, Jake, Calvin and John, and his sisters Anna and Laura as well as extended family and close friends. He was buried at Idaho State Veterans Cemetery with full military honors.

PFC Raymond M. Werner died on February 8, 2007 while fighting for our country in Iraq. Ray was born in Long Beach, Ca on November 14, 1985, and moved to Idaho at a young age. Raymond graduated high school in 2004 and attended Boise State University for one year.

Ray loved fishing, camping, skiing, hunting, golfing, making people laugh, hanging out with friends and family, and most of all working hard for our country. Ray was very athletic and participated in football and wrestling while in high school. He was also the class clown and mascot at Cole Valley Christian High.

Ray was a Christian and attended church at Eagle Heights Baptist and also Calvary Chapel. He went to many church camps when he was young and became a strong role model and leader to everyone around him.

Ray had a special talent with people, it seemed like he actually made you a better person when you hung out with him. His fun-loving attitude was contagious to everyone around.

Ray was a wonderful son and brother, a great friend, and the best husband a wife could ask for. Raymond Mitchell Werner will be greatly missed by all, but a part of him will always be in our hearts. He is deeply missed by all that knew him.