WELCOME TO SIMPLY DEBBIE. IT IS MY DESIRE THAT
YOU WILL FEEL AND SEE THE HAND OF GOD THROUGH
ARTWORK, CRAFT PROJECTS, RECIPES, AND THE SHEER
LAUGHTER OF ME LEARNING TO SEW ON MY NEW
SEWING MACHINE. THIS IS A PRAYING BLOG AND
A BLOG THAT LOVES TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS.
WON'T YOU JOIN ME AS WE GREET 2011 AND ITS'
BLESSINGS, CHALLENGES, AND SMELLING THE ROSES
EVERY DAY. I'LL BE YOUR UMBRELLA WHEN STORM
CLOUDS COME YOUR WAY AND ASSURE YOU THERE
WILL BE A RAINBOW COME AGAIN.










Wednesday, March 23, 2011

FULL MILITARY HONORS

Staff  Sgt.  Travis  Tompkins,

31  years  old  of  Lawton,  Oklahoma.

Died  Wednesday  March  16,  2011  in

Logar  Province,  Afghanistan.

++++++++++++++

He  was  serving  as  a  military  policeman

with  the  Brigade  Special  Troops  Battalion,

4th  Brigade  Combat  Team,  10th  Mountain

Division in  Afghanistan.

++++++++++++++

He  is  survived  by  his  wife,  Candice,

and  his  two  children  Madison  and

Gianna,  of  the  home.

His  mother  and  father,  Leland  and

Vickie  Tompkins,  of  Lawton,  Oklahoma.

His  Sister,  Jenny  Meek  and  her  husband

Troy  and  his  niece  and  nephew, Megan  and

Dillion  Meek,  all  from  Fletcher,  Oklahoma

His  mother  and  father-in-law,  Tim  and  Wendy

Brown  of  Lawton,  Oklahoma.

++++++++++++++

Oklahoma  is  proud  of   

Staff  Sgt.  Travis  Tompkins.

I  did  not  know  him  personally  but

he  was  friends  with  a  dear  young  man

that  I  love...Brandon,  and  his  mother,

Tawna  and  his  grandmother  Doris  Bjork.

Doris  told  me  of  the  times  he  came  to  her

house  with  Brandon  and  what  a  wonderful

man  he  was.

He  enjoyed  being  a  Boy  Scout.

The  community  is  so  saddened. 






Burial  with  Full  Military  Honors  will  be  in

Fort  Sill  National  Cemetery,  Elgin,  Oklahoma.

This  is  not  a  picture  from  his  funeral  but  a

picture  that  was  sent  to  me  by  e  mail  on  the

4th  of  July.


His  awards  and  decorations  include:

the  Bronze  Star  Medal

the  Purple  Heart

the  Joint  Service  Commendation  Medal

the  Army  Commendation  Medal

the  Army  Achievement  Medal  (20LC)

the  Army  Good  Conduct  Medal (3rd award)

the  National  Defense  Service  Medal

Armed  Forces  Expeditionary  Medal

the  Afghanistan  Campaign  Medal  with
Bronze  Star

Global  War  on  Terrorism  Service  Medal

Noncommissioned  Officer  Professional
Development  Ribbon

Army  Service  Ribbon

Nate  Medal  and  the  Combat  Action  Badge

++++++++++++++

He  was  A  faithful  husband

Devoted  Father

Loving  Son

A Loyal  Friend  to  whom  they  called

"Tiny"

A  Trustworthy  and  Humble  Soldier  who

took  the  new  soldiers  under  his  wing  and

taught  them,  by  example,  how  to  become

  the  best  soldier...

++++++++++++++


But  the  award  or  reward  was  that  he  had  his

ETERNAL  LIFE  SECURE...he  knew  if  it  came

  his  time  to  go  home  he  would  be  in  the

loving  arms  of  the  "TRUE  GENERAL...JESUS"

++++++++++++++

Staff  Sgt.  Travis  Tompkins,

We  saluate  you  and 

whisper  to  the  heavens  above,

THANK  YOU  SOLDIER,

for  helping  to  keep  this  country  free.

++++++++++++++

I  truly  wish  I  would  have  met  you  because

you  are  loved  by  many  and  so  many  soldiers

have  nothing  but  the  highest  regard  for  you.

Good  night  my  friend.  Rest  in  Jesus.




PRAYER

Candice  Tompkins  and  her  two  children,

Madison  and  Gianna  of  the  home

Leland  and  Vickie  Tompkins

Jenny  and  Troy  Meek  and  their  two  children,

Megan  and  Dillon  of  the  home

Tim  and  Wendy  Brown

Richard  and  Doris  Bjork

Tawna  and  her  son  Brandon

The  Wild  Raspberry  Sisters  which  includes

Shauna's  devoted  husband  and  her  two  children

Chasity  and  Debbie

Bernie,  who  was  very  close  to  Shauna's

family  and  is  justly  so,  broken  hearted

our  MILITARY...I  always  pray  for  them  and

it  is  on  my  side  bar  but  I  don't  list  them

every  time  and  I  should

JAPAN...it  is  so  critical  now  but  there  is

so  much  to  learn  from  them:

Humility

Order

Love

Patience

Kindness

Hope

I  have  witnessed  a  stampede  here

in  my  own  town  just  to  get  the  "new,

must-have"  toy....

can  you  imagine  just  standing  in  line,

patiently,  no  murmuring  or  complaining

for  4  hours  and  be  told  to  go  home,  there

is  no  water  for  you  or  your  babies...would  we

turn  and  walk  quietly  home  or  tackle  some  one

and  fight  them  for  their  water

and  keep  you  safely  in  His  arms  as  you

go  through  out   your  day.  May  we  each

find  one  person  in  need  and  help  them  in

any  way  we  are  capable.


                                                      

15 comments:

BucksCountyFolkArt said...

God bless "Tiny" and his family. So sad. So very sad.

Edie Marie's Attic said...

May the good Lord above embrace our men & women of our country's service who lost their lives for our freedom. Mercy and peace to their families & loved ones.

God protect our Service Men & Women day and night. May God's blessings overflow them with peace.

In His Love, sherry

Becca's Dirt said...

Thank you soldier for your fight for our freedom and our country. I hate that all this terrible stuff has happened in Japan so quickly but the stories of survival are miraculous and brings tears to my eyes. Hope you have a great day Debbie.

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Good Morning Debbie, my grandson is also there and I pray for his safe return each and every day..My heart and prayers go out to this family for there lost..Gl♥ria

Unknown said...

My prayers for his family and the entire world. God is truly busy these days watching as we just destroy ourselves. I pray we will see the light before it is too late. That was a beautiful tribute to that young man. You are so compassionate to all those in pain dear Debbie, a true nursing spirit. Dear Shauna too
I join in prayer for her family. Blessings
QMM

Linda M. said...

Good morning Debbie, Thank you for sharing the story of this young hero. I will pray for his family for the strength to bare his loss in their lives. I do ask God's blessing on our military men and women and for the people of Japan. Hugs, Linda

DeeDee said...

keeping my prayers with him and his family.... and thank him daily for his service...

Heidi Pocketbook said...

Thanks for posting this, Debbie. He sounded like such a wonderful guy, and I can't imagine how his family must be grieving. I don't think some people fully realize the sacrifices soldiers make--and I am sure I would be among those--as we don't have a loved one enlisted.

Tete said...

Thank you for your service, Staff Sgt. Travis Tompkins. May you rest in peace. God bless your family.

NanaDiana said...

God bless Tiny and his family...and all the servicemen and their families who have given their all to protect US..US, who sometimes fail to appreciate the freedom that allows us to live as we do. God bless you, too, for this wonderful post to remind us of those who pave our way. xxoo Diana

Anonymous said...

Hi Debbie!
So nice of you to share this post so that we can remember, as we carry on with our everyday lives, that there are so many out there risking their own so that we may enjoy our freedom ~ have sent up a prayer.
Thank you for the visit and your words of encouragement. It was great hearing from you. Hope you are doing well and yes, all here is pretty good. It's a busy time of year, but really nothing to complain about (although I do from time to time) lol
Hugs,
Sabre'

Beansieleigh said...

If only what's in my heart could be heard, then... Thank you, Sgt. Travis Tomkins.

PAINTORDIG.blogspot.com said...

Thank you for sharing this with us. We should not forget him or the others who have given their lives for us. As Debbie said, God is truly busy these daysbut he still has time to listen to our prayers.

Mya said...

So much sadness, so much loss. We are a world in grief. But for some that know Christ, there is joy later if not now.

Tracy Huffman said...

Thank you Travis for giving us the gift of freedom by giving your life in service to our country! I pray your family finds comfort in knowing what a wonderful, selfless man you were. My prayer is for peace and love for them in their time of sorrow. God bless them and God bless America.