MAJ Thomas G. Bostick Memorial

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Letter from Tommy's Mom
So if you are looking at this site you can see from the “few” pictures I sent that I am so very proud of Tommy.
Just know who ever is missing him, had admiration for him, love for him and respect for him just multiply your feelings by infinity and those feelings are mine.
I feel like I know most of Tommy’s friends, those he led and those that led him. Because of he and Jennifer’s stories I have lived vicariously with all of you.
I appreciate all of you being his friend, civilians and military. I will keep all of you in my prayers….especially his Soldiers he had to leave behind in Afghanistan in someone else’s care.
Please know, all of you, Tommy had true compassion for all whom he served with from Privates to Generals.
The Army was Tommy’s life and I am so very proud of it.
Brenda Richardson (Tommy’s mom)



















posted by The Bostick Family @ 9:28 PM  

5 Comments:

  • At August 6, 2007 at 7:36 PM , Blogger Bob Moody said...

    Dear Bostick Family,
    I had the honor (as did many others) to serve with Tom in the same shop on his last joint assignment at MacDill AFB before he received his commission. Word of his death has left his old comrades deeply saddened.
    Many of us lost touch with him over the years but Tom was remembered always with a smile or laugh. We really enjoyed his friendship and camaraderie on our deployments.
    We knew he was special and possessed leadership qualities for which only a handful can claim. We were in awe of his knowledge as well as his physical and mental toughness. He truly was the picture of a RANGER and he "always led the way!!"

    May the Good Lord Comfort and Keep you all.

     

  • At August 6, 2007 at 11:06 PM , Blogger owens said...

    I first served with Tom 15 years ago. He was a sergeant and I a captain in 2nd Ranger Battalion. There was absolutely no change in Tom from those days to the present other than his leave and earnings statement.

    Later when he was commissioned, I watched with pride and admiration as he led a Ranger Rifle Platoon from 3rd Ranger Battalion in their airborne assault in Afghanistan. The BEGINNING of our nation's fight against terrorism.

    A fight that didn't end for Tom until he deployed three more times to Afghanistan and once to Iraq. Remember that when you think you got it bad.

    I was again honored to serve with Tom in Vicenza, Italy. Tom was my G3 Air Officer in SETAF, then a battle captain in the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and finally, Commander Legion Company, 1-508th (ABN), Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. No one did (or could) do it better.

    Tom's sacrifice reminds me of an old fable by Leslie D. Weatherhead called "On Comradeship". It goes like this:

    When a Soldier was injured and could not get back to safety, his buddy went out to get him, against his officer's orders. He returned mortally wounded and his friend, whom he had carried back, was dead.

    The officer was angry. "I told you not to go," he said. "Now I've lost both of you. It was not worth it."

    The dying man replied, "But it was, Sir, because when I got to him he said, 'Jim, I knew you would come'."

    That's how Tom lived and that's how he died.

    RLTW, Sky Soldiers! owens

     

  • At August 7, 2007 at 9:33 AM , Blogger Joy and Mark Rowan said...

    Brenda,

    Many of us, Tom and Jenn's friends, also feel like we have gotten to know you and Jim through Tom and Jenn's stories. I was lucky enough to be neighbors with Tom and Jenn and the girls at Ft. Benning (starting in 2002) and I always remember them fondly talking about sitting on your porch drinking wine and all the wonderful meals you cooked for them. Jenn always commented how lucky she felt to have such a wonderful friend in her mother-in-law.

    I am truly sorry for your family's loss. Tom was an amazing person, who is already missed by so many. Tom was just such an inherently decent guy. What you saw was what you got with Tom. He was humble and always treated everyone the same. And you could always count on him to be smiling or joking around. He just had such a genuinely happy and good personality that made people want to be around him.

    Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.

    Joy Rowan

     

  • At August 7, 2007 at 2:24 PM , Blogger Disney Dad said...

    Dear Bostick Family,

    I was lucky enough to have served with Tom in 1999 at the Infantry Officer Basic Course and again years later in Italy and Afghanistan.

    Back in 1999 Tom was one of the "Old Men", a former NCO who helped the newly minted LTs wrap their brains around what was coming, Ranger School, but more importantly a platoon of soldiers. Tom loves soldiers and because of it he poured himself into his classmates and into every single thing that could make a soldier stronger, smarter, or improve their quality of life. A lot of soldiers got a quality crop of platoon leaders in the winter of 1999 in no small part to Tom’s efforts.

    When Tom showed up in Italy, and then by a stroke of good fortune became a Red Devil, his fellow Captains where excited. He came to the 508th with a wealth of experience and combat savvy. He also came with a rock-solid sense of humor and perspective. The soldiers, NCOs, and junior officer of Legion Company loved him. Tom had the respect and friendship of every one of his Captain peers. Yet with all that he was a humble, kind and generous man whom I admired.

    I believe G-d gives the world people who carry themselves like Tom so that others may benefit from his presence. Sadly for us, He calls them home when we aren’t ready to say goodbye to them. I imagine G-d needed someone to rally a group of Angels together, turn them into a family, make them top-notch in their field, and care for them, as our Father cares for us. If so Tom would have been on His short list, and when G-d called Tom wouldn’t have blinked.

    Thank You Tom, for being the man you are, and Thank You to his family for letting us share in his life.

    G-d bless you Tom. Soft Landings


    Johnny P.

     

  • At August 8, 2007 at 7:35 PM , Blogger Butler said...

    I had the good fortune of meeting 2LT Bostick when he was searching for a “blackbird” job at the Ranger Regiment HQs before he finished his school requirements at Fort Benning and signed in to his first unit. He ended up working for the Regimental Assistant S3 and did a phenomenal job, even though he was a no time in grade 2LT. About two years later Tom showed back up in 3/75 to be a PL in the company that I recently gave up. All reports then were that Tom was a great Ranger platoon leader.

    We again crossed paths in Italy when Tom was hired to be the SETAF G3 Air, but I still didn’t get to work with him. It wasn’t until when Tom and I worked on the 173d BDE staff together that I truly understood what all of this talk about Tom Bostick was about. He was the BDE S3 Air responsible for the jumpmaster refresher and basic airborne refresher training for our BDE after over a year of not conducting airborne operations. This also included supervising the training for our new Forward Support Battalion that was forming up in Italy, after a move down from Germany.

    Those of you who have served in Italy understand the complexity of jumping in Italy or Germany, given the distance from Vicenza to the departure airfields. Tom did a phenomenal job ensuring that all individuals, jumpmasters, and units were trained and able to safely conduct airborne operations, which was no small feat and directly attributable to Tom.

    In Afghanistan Tom was the BDE Battle Captain in our TOC and was the calm voice on the other end of the radio when our units got into fire fights immediately after assuming responsibility for Regional Command South. He was one of those captains who understood mission and intent and was able to make things happen for the units in the field.

    Tom was one of those leaders of character who not only inspire their subordinates through their actions, but also inspire their peers and superiors. He was a man beyond reproach, whose word was his bond, and whose actions spoke much louder than if he was shouting.

    The truly inspirational thing about Tom was the relationship that he had with his girls (Jen, Jess, and Ashlie). He placed all of them on a pedestal and you could just tell that the four of them were extremely close and had a very special relationship with one another. As good an officer, Ranger, and Sky Soldier that Tom was his relationship with Jenn, Jess, and Ashlie was something to behold. Tom was one of those guys whose family came first in all things, but was able to perform his job as an Army officer to the highest of standards.

    Two things will always be seared in my mind about Tom: his wonderful sense of humor and seeing him tool around w/ his girls in that black Jeep all over Italy. I admire Tom as much for his abilities as a husband and a father as I admire him for his abilities as a proven combat leader in our Army.

    RLTW! Sky Soldiers!

    Bill Butler

     

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