The Surge Hits Kentucky in the Gut

57. Specialist William G. Bowling, 24, of Beattyville, Kentucky. He died 1 APR 07 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near hisvehicle during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion,2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York.

There it is. The latest entry - posted just about an hour ago - in the list of Kentucky's sons and daughters killed while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Kentucky's 57th casualty since the first, in November 2003. It's been 10 weeks since the 56th, on January 17.

Specialist William G. Bowling. Twenty-four years old. From Beattyville, Kentucky, where he was no doubt born and raised.

Beattyville is the county seat of Lee County, in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky.

This week, the mountain forests are sprinkled with the purple of flowering Redbud trees, set off by surrounding white blooms of Dogwoods. When the wind blows, the Dogwood blooms swirl and fall like snowflakes.

Lee County nestles on the western edge of one of the poorest regions in the country, and consistently scores in the lowest 10 of Kentucky's 120 counties on just about every measure - employment, education, economic opportunity.

For all I know, Specialist Bowling comes from a well-off family. For all I know, he chose the Army out of a sense of duty and patriotism, rather than lack of alternatives. For all I know, he was following in the footsteps of his father and grandfathers.

But whether Specialist Bowling was rich or poor, blessed with alternatives or seeking an escape, I know this much:

Kentucky has lost 57 William Bowlings too many.

Beattyville couldn't afford to lose him.

He didn't deserve to die.

Do me a favor. Take a few minutes to find the web page of your state's Department of Veterans Affairs. It probably has a link to the list of your neighbors who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read it. Slowly.

Whatever is the last number on the list, write your Congressional Representatives and Senators and demand they make sure that that entry is the last.