Kyle Comfort, American Hero Lost in Afghanistan

We laid an American Soldier to rest today. Another American hero lost in Afghanistan. This one was someone I knew and too close to home, once again. Read about him and see photos and videos below.

Kyle Comfort had just recently been promoted to Captain and been assigned to a Ranger Regiment in the Army. His accomplishments as a Soldier, in such a short time, were a testament to the fact that he was an excellent Soldier. Unfortunately, in this war, it doesn’t make a lot of difference how good you are at your job. The difference seems to be left to chance. Where you are sitting in your vehicle or which vehicle you are sitting in when you hit an IED or where you are standing on your FOB when the mortars come in. All chance and circumstance.

It has to be that way. The enemy that is fighting us now could never win a legitimate war with our Soldiers. So they fight as insurgents and use tactics that they know make our Soldiers vulnerable.

That is how they got CAPT Kyle Comfort. With an IED just a month into his tour of duty in Afghanistan. If they had fought him face-to-face, they never would have gotten him.

When I first heard this news my heart broke. This wasn’t a name in the paper or that I read on the internet. This was someone I knew. He was one of my son’s best friends from college. A kid who had come to my house, hung out with my son and been one of the regular American boys that we all know. He liked the things all of our sons like, girls, pizza, burgers, cars, hunting …. the list goes on as we all know. An all-American boy and more. He had been raised with a sense of honor, integrity and duty to family, community and country. He was one of us. He was one of our best and our brightest.

Kyle Aaron Comfort was killed in the line of duty on May 8, 2010 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. A hot-bed of al-Qaeda and Taliban activity. Our casualties there have been rising at an alarming rate, even as our media neglects to bring the casualties to the attention of the public anymore. His remains were brought back to his home of Jacksonville, Alabama on May 15, 2010. A memorial service and family visitation was held on May 16, 2010 and he was laid to rest, among family and friends in the red clay of Calhoun County, Alabama, on May 17, 2010. His service included full military honors and was befitting his service and sacrifice to our country.

A large group of friends, acquaintances and relatives flew in from all corners of the earth for his funeral. He was truly loved and will be truly missed. He was gregarious, fun-loving, full of life and personality. He enjoyed a good party and a gathering of his friends. Throughout the events of the last few days, I couldn’t help but think how much he would have enjoyed everyone being together again. He would have been planning events and shaken the hand of everyone there. I heard over and over that there is nothing bad you can say about Kyle Comfort, and that is true. Everyone liked him and he liked everyone.

CPT Comfort is survived by his young wife, Brooke Clopton Comfort, and 6-month-old daughter Kinleigh. He is also survived by his mother Ellen Comfort and his sister and brothers, Karena Comfort Sayers, MAJ Kevin Comfort and Kenny Comfort.

His military awards include the Bronze Star Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with combat star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Medal. He also earned the Ranger Tab, Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge. CPT Comfort has been awarded posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Combat Action Badge.

Kyle Comfort was just 27-years-old when he was killed in action. His daughter Kinleigh will not remember her father, but his friends made a videotape for her to let her know what a special man he was and how much he loved her mother and her.

In the week since he was killed, I have thought of him and his mother, siblings, young wife and infant daughter often. Often with tears of real grief for their loss, and with tears of real fear that one so close, from our own tribe, has been lost in such a cruel and tragic manner. Its too close to home, I’ve thought repeatedly. Just too close to home.

As is the way of our country now, protest groups came to town to use the funeral of an American hero to garner publicity for themselves. They were enormously outnumbered by Patriots who surrounded them and kept them from view of the family and friends of this Soldier. The community would not allow their fallen son to be disrespected in this way.

The community rose up and honored him. All flags in town were at half-mast. Every business honored him in one way or the other. His name and memory were on the lips and in the hearts of the entire community. The local fire department brought out fire engines to wave huge flags in his honor high above the crowded streets. The local college displayed his photo and expressed their support on the signs around campus. When his body was finally brought home, the streets were lined with supporters as far as the eye could see. And when his remains were finally taken to their final resting place, there wasn’t a spot on the street that wasn’t lined with Patriots, saluting one of our own who had fallen. Hundreds of Patriot Guard Motorcycles escorted him. A Ranger Squadron guarded him and provided the military honors that were due him. Thousands came out to show their respect. It was an overwhelming and emotional time.

Later today, the guests, friends, out-of-town family, spectators, rubberneckers, protesters, counter-protesters, Patriot Guards, Rangers and towns people dispersed and started back to their lives. Which left me to wonder, ‘What now?’. What happens now to the family that has been surrounded with this overwhelming show of support since they first received the news he had died of the wounds he had received in battle.

While those of us who knew him can go back to our lives, those to whom he was an integral and daily part of their lives will never be the same. He’s left a 26-year-old widow with a 6-month old daughter. A young woman who has been with him since they first went to college. My heart breaks for them and the hole his absence has made in their lives.

We laid an American Soldier to rest today. One of our own. At the young age of 27-years, his work is done, he’s done his part. As Abraham Lincoln said, he has given ‘the last full measure of devotion’. Now it’s up to us to pick up the baton and do our part. What is left is for us to follow Lincoln’s advice.

‘… that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’

My prayer for the United States is that we never run out of this kind of young men and women.

Rest in Peace CPT Kyle Aaron Comfort.

More pictures and videos of Kyle Comfort can be seen below. Another American hero lost in Afghanistan.