Army Pfc. Dewater was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He died of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device while on a dismounted patrol near Korengal Valley. The U.S. troops had arrived early for a meeting with the local elders in the village of Laneval when they were attacked during a complex Taliban ambush which had a reporter embedded with the unit at the time. Dewater had joined the platoon as a combat replacement. Rick was raised by his grandfather who lived in Grant's Pass, Oregon. He attended Grant's Pass High School in 2004 and 2005 before moving to Topeka, Kansas to live with his father. At the age of 20, he joined the Army and deployed to Afghanistan on July 27. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Valerie. Rick was a very humble man who had a positive attitude about everything in life. He loved fishing, camping, paint balling and playing his guitar. No one can possibly put into words better than Rick his dedication and love of country. Here they are: I AM THE INFANTRY, I AM MY COUNTRY'S STRENGTH IN WAR, HER DERRENT IN PEACE, I AM THE HEART OF THE FIGHT, WHEREVER, WHENEVER. I CARRY AMERICA'S FAITH AND HONOR AGAINST HER ENEMIES, I AM THE QUEEN OF BATTLE I AM WHAT MY COUNTRY EXPECTS ME TO BE, THE BEST TRAINED SOLDIER IN THE WORLD IN THE RACE FOR VICTORY, I AM SWIFT, DETERMINED, AND COURAGEOUS, ARMED WITH THE FIERCE WILL TO WIN. NEVER WILL I FAIL MY COUNTRY'S TRUST, ALWAYS I FIGHT ON, THROUGH THE FOE, TO THE OBJECTIVE, TO TRIUMPH OVER ALL. IF NECESSARY, I WILL FIGHT TO MY DEATH. BY MY STEADFAST COURAGE, I HAVE WON OVER 200 YEARS OF FREEDOM. I YIELD NOT TO WEAKNESS, TO HUNGER, TO COWARDICE, TO FATIGUE, TO SUPERIOR ODDS, FOR I AM MENTALLY TOUGH, PHYSICALLY STRONG, AND MORALLY STRAIGHT. I FORSAKE NOT MY COUNTRY, MY MISSION, MY COMRADES, MY SACRED DUTY. I AM RELENTLESS, I AM ALWAYS THERE, NOW AND FOREVER I AM THE INFANTRY.... FOLLOW ME
Army Pfc. Dewater was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He died of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device while on a dismounted patrol near Korengal Valley. The U.S. troops had arrived early for a meeting with the local elders in the village of Laneval when they were attacked during a complex Taliban ambush which had a reporter embedded with the unit at the time. Dewater had joined the platoon as a combat replacement. Rick was raised by his grandfather who lived in Grant's Pass, Oregon. He attended Grant's Pass High School in 2004 and 2005 before moving to Topeka, Kansas to live with his father. At the age of 20, he joined the Army and deployed to Afghanistan on July 27. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Valerie. Rick was a very humble man who had a positive attitude about everything in life. He loved fishing, camping, paint balling and playing his guitar. No one can possibly put into words better than Rick his dedication and love of country. Here they are: I AM THE INFANTRY, I AM MY COUNTRY'S STRENGTH IN WAR, HER DERRENT IN PEACE, I AM THE HEART OF THE FIGHT, WHEREVER, WHENEVER. I CARRY AMERICA'S FAITH AND HONOR AGAINST HER ENEMIES, I AM THE QUEEN OF BATTLE I AM WHAT MY COUNTRY EXPECTS ME TO BE, THE BEST TRAINED SOLDIER IN THE WORLD IN THE RACE FOR VICTORY, I AM SWIFT, DETERMINED, AND COURAGEOUS, ARMED WITH THE FIERCE WILL TO WIN. NEVER WILL I FAIL MY COUNTRY'S TRUST, ALWAYS I FIGHT ON, THROUGH THE FOE, TO THE OBJECTIVE, TO TRIUMPH OVER ALL. IF NECESSARY, I WILL FIGHT TO MY DEATH. BY MY STEADFAST COURAGE, I HAVE WON OVER 200 YEARS OF FREEDOM. I YIELD NOT TO WEAKNESS, TO HUNGER, TO COWARDICE, TO FATIGUE, TO SUPERIOR ODDS, FOR I AM MENTALLY TOUGH, PHYSICALLY STRONG, AND MORALLY STRAIGHT. I FORSAKE NOT MY COUNTRY, MY MISSION, MY COMRADES, MY SACRED DUTY. I AM RELENTLESS, I AM ALWAYS THERE, NOW AND FOREVER I AM THE INFANTRY.... FOLLOW ME
