I knew her

This email just came in and all of us are just stunned.

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Maj. Megan M. McClung, 34, of Coupeville, Wash., died Dec. 6 while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. McClung was assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, I MEF, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
For further information in regard to this release the media can contact the Camp Pendleton public affairs office at (760) 725-5044.

I'm still kind of shocked. She and I used to stand out on the steps of an unfinished building with other Left Coasters' and talk PAC10 football. She went to the Naval Academy but she was still a West Coast girl at heart. The world is a more empty place because she is gone.

She is not the first I have know to die over here but she is the first female I knew. War becomes a personal thing when people you know die in it. People I know have died in it. People I know will never be the same because of it. I won't be the same either.

I grieve for her family especially since it is the holiday season. This time of year is hard on all soldier's families but more so on those who have suffered casualties. If I were at home I would be inviting some folks from Ft. Hood over for Christmas Day. This year though I will go with two of my LNOs and make the rounds of personnel who are on 24/7 rotations. I will have over 150 of my charges on duty that day and it is my duty to make sure that some one gets out to them to wish them a Merry Christmas. This is the kind of thing Megan would have done. She really cared about people and most importantly, she cared about the truth.

She was about the best PAO I have ever seen. Even Talking Salmons has a way to go to meet her skill level. Losing Megan is a loss to OIF, the Marines, her faimily and the world at large. Rest In Peace Megan, you have earned it.