In Memory of Scott Bradley Stream

Sgt. Scott Bradley Stream
March 4, 1969 - February 24, 2009

"No greater Love hath any man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Though I didn't yet have a chance to know him, many of my friends on Facebook were saddened and shocked to hear of the death of their friend Sgt. Scott Stream. Learning more about him I too am saddened that I never had a chance to become friends with a kindred spirit such as he, but we are most certainly brothers. Brothers in arms and more importantly brothers in Christ.

Here is an excerpt from a poignant letter that Scott wrote home to his mother on New Year's Eve 2008. I believe every American and everyone who loves freedom should read this so they will understand the price of freedom that some of us willingly accept. Freedom cannot be bought, it cannot be contracted, it cannot be sold and it cannot be bailed-out. It must be fought for daily and paid for with the blood of both tyrants and patriots. Scott was a patriot.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 9:30am

A strange thing...

When I think about what surrounds me, the institutional corruption, the random violence, the fear and desperation. I feel the reasons why I am here more and more sharply. As we grow in our soldiers skills, surviving by finding the hidden dangers, seeing the secret motives and the shifting politics... we grow a set of skills that is unique and powerful in this situation.

We also see what you cannot see in the States, you are surrounded by the love of Christ and faith in freedom and humanity, like a fish you think water is 'a puff of air' because it is always there, you do not notice it... we who are out of the water look back and see the world we love surrounded by enemies, poison and envy that wants to fall on you like a storm of ruin.

We who joined with vague notions of protecting our country see how desperate the peril, how hungry the enemy and how frail the security we have is. So the more I love you all the more I feel I must keep fighting for you. The more I love and long for home the more right I feel here on the front line standing between you and the seething madness that wants to suck the life and love out of our land.

Does that mean I cannot go home? I hope not, because I want this just to be the postponement of the joy of life, not the sacrifice of mine. If it costs me my life to protect our land and people then that is a small thing, I just hope that fate lets me return to the promise land and remind people just how great our land is.

War is a young mans game, and I am getting an old mans head... it is a strange thing. I just hope that I am not changed so that I cannot take joy in the land inside the wire when I make it home. I want to be with you all again and let my gun sit in the rack and float on my back in a tube down a lazy river...

In a time when there seems to be little hope left for what our nation is becoming, his letter reveals what truly lies inside the heart of an American Warrior. It is not not the hatred, anger, and lies of our enemies who would destroy us and our way of life or those with political agendas that would hope to further their cause. Rest assured they are as much the enemy as those with weapons. But what you find is an overwhelming sense of duty to protect one's family, home and country; full of Love of his home, his fellow man and full of Love of Christ.

I salute you Scott and I will continue to pray for your soul, for the comfort and peace of your family and for all those who have given that last full measure of devotion and to those still fighting to keep us safe and free like my nephew Zachary Faist. Know that your job here is finished and the task you started will be continued by all those who Love our nation, our families and our God as you did.

May we Americans be worthy of your sacrifice Scott. Requiescit in Pace.

FACEBOOK Memorial Page

God Bless,
Bob Cavalcante