2006.09.12: September 12, 2006: Headlines: COS - Kenya: COS - Afghanistan: Obituaries: Military: Oregon Live: Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) killed in car bombing in Kabul

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In Memorium - Kenya RPCV Robert Paul

He served with Honor.


 In Memorium - Colombia RPCV Richard Starr




By Admin1 (admin) (adsl-70-240-139-98.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 70.240.139.98) on Tuesday, September 12, 2006 - 10:47 am: Edit Post

Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) killed in car bombing in Kabul

Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) killed in car bombing in Kabul

Paul was a native of Hammond, Ind., and joined the Army Reserve in April 1997, two years after earning a master's degree in urban planning and economic development at the University of Maryland. In his civilian life, he was a senior land-use planner for Wasco County. The Army said Paul, a veteran of the Peace Corps, had received numerous military awards and served a tour in Iraq in 2003 as a civil affairs sergeant focusing on urban planning. Paul and other members of the 364th Civil Affairs Brigade were deployed last spring to Afghanistan.

PCOL Comment: One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received this report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.


Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) killed in car bombing in Kabul

Vehicle bombing in Kabul takes life of Army reservist from The Dalles
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
EDWARD WALSH

An Army Reserve soldier from The Dalles was killed Friday in Afghanistan when a bomb-laden vehicle exploded near his armored Humvee during a patrol, the U.S. Army announced Monday.

Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul, 43, was a member of the 364th Civil Affairs Brigade, based in Portland.

Paul was the third military man from Oregon announced slain since Sept. 3. He was the 73rd member of the military with ties to Oregon or Southwest Washington to die in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Military officials provided no other details about the incident, which happened in the Afghan capital of Kabul. Another soldier assigned to the same unit, Sgt. 1st Class Merideth L. Howard, 52, of Waukesha, Wis., also died in the explosion.

Civil affairs units serve as the main link between the U.S. military and the civilian populations of countries where the military is operating, said Tina Beller, a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.

According to a biography released by the Army, Paul was a native of Hammond, Ind., and joined the Army Reserve in April 1997, two years after earning a master's degree in urban planning and economic development at the University of Maryland. In his civilian life, he was a senior land-use planner for Wasco County.

The Army said Paul, a veteran of the Peace Corps, had received numerous military awards and served a tour in Iraq in 2003 as a civil affairs sergeant focusing on urban planning. Paul and other members of the 364th Civil Affairs Brigade were deployed last spring to Afghanistan.

In a statement also released by the Army, Paul's family said he was "the kind of guy who, if called for duty, would serve. He never turned down an opportunity because he always wanted to make a difference in everything he did -- the Peace Corps, the Army, his civilian job and, most importantly, his friends and family."

His family noted how Paul, an avid kayaker, loved the wilderness and enjoyed his travels.

Paul's survivors include his daughter, Ilena; mother and father, Esther and Sheldon; and sisters, Monica and Debra. Paul and his wife, Bonnie, were divorced in 2004.






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Story Source: Oregon Live

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Kenya; COS - Afghanistan; Obituaries; Military

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By Colin G. Gallagher, RPCV (70.134.86.230) on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 12:42 pm: Edit Post

I had long PCOL post discussions with Bob (and Joanne Roll) on the issues surrounding Peace Corps and the NCS program. Bob was one of the key participants in this discussion and was a great human being. I think it is important that we remember him for that.

I think I should also say that I recall that Bob had family, a daughter if I am not mistaken. Perhaps there is someone reading this who knows how to get a hold of Bob's surviving family, and as such, perhaps we as the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer community who knew Bob could give the gifts of kind words to his surviving family, and any financial assistance for his daughter / wife that may be needed or welcomed. Does anyone know who the right person would be to contact regarding these matters? If so please post here.

I also think that in order to remember Bob properly (and to honor him and do justice by what we do in remembrance of Bob) we would do well to remember what he did in the CAT teams and perhaps we could get some money raised to have copies of "Waging Peace –A special Operations Team’s Battle to Rebuild Iraq" provided to Congresspersons such as Sam Farr who might then be able to raise the importance of continuing the CAT team work in the halls of Congress.

A description in that book of the work of the CAT teams read, "it may not look like much: green grass and benches around a couple of traffic circles, clearing of trash, a few hardscrabble playgrounds and soccer fields, a half dozen committees of earnest Iraqi citizens trying to cobble together a freer, sweeter future for themselves.” But as we all know, this is exactly what people want and need and this is the rewarding result of the long weeks, months, and years (which after all passed so quickly) of what we did (or rather, what many host country nationals did) during our Peace Corps service. The CAT teams' work in the military such as those teams described in the book, should be the regular style of work of many of our military people abroad who are currently in regular combat units in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and if it were perhaps the perception of Americans and relations with other countries would be different (and better) today.

I think it was Bob's dream to make a difference in the world and I think he died doing that. You can see if you read his posts and if you read that book mentioned above, about who he was and the work he did. Also like me, Bob was a planner, a senior planner in Wasco County, Oregon (perhaps some of his former co-workers would know how to get in touch with his family or would contribute to an effort to get that book described above sent to Congresspersons).

This is turning into a rambling post but some of you RPCVs and others who are reading this I'm sure can understand what I am trying to say, can you respond to this post with one of your own below, and comment on these thoughts I have, and maybe we can make something positive out of this.

My love and peace go to Bob wherever he is

-Colin

By Anonymous (cache-rtc-aa07.proxy.aol.com - 152.163.100.11) on Wednesday, November 08, 2006 - 12:30 am: Edit Post

Bob's daughter,Ilena ,and her mom Bonnie are now living in Northeastern Pa.There was a service honoring Bob this past weekend-Held in a high school in the Dalles,Or.His mom,2 sisters,and Ilena and her mom,plus a lot of their old Oregon friends and a contingency from the Patriot Guard were in attendance.

By Colin G. Gallagher, RPCV (70.134.84.202) on Friday, November 24, 2006 - 4:24 am: Edit Post

Hello to whoever made the last post,

If you see this please pass my thoughts (which I previously posted on this page above) on to Bonnie and also to Bob's mom.

By Joanne Marie Roll (joey) (acc15059.ipt.aol.com - 172.193.80.89) on Saturday, December 30, 2006 - 8:19 pm: Edit Post

I would like to offer my condolences to those already here, to the family of Sgt. Bob Paul, RPCV. May his sacrifice and that of his family help to bring about the better world for he fought, with such talent and integrity, in both war and peace.


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