On the brink of something…

I just found out as I was trying to get in contact with some of my Army buddies that a close friend of mine and former roommate Chris “Ski”  Rudzinski died this past October in Afghanistan as a result of an IED blast. We served closely together in Iraq from March 2003 until January 2004 when we were MEDIVAC’d together to Walter Reed Army Hospital to be treated for Leichmeniesis. We served in Charlie troop, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. He was a good friend who always had my back (as I his) whether in the field, deployed, or just having a good time down in Austin.

It pains me that I lost touch with him, and only just found out about the incident this morning.

RANTOUL – Christopher Michael Rudzinski, age 28 of Rantoul, died Friday (Oct. 16, 2009) near Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered while conducting military operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was a staff sergeant in the United States Army Military Police Corps.

Christopher was born in Augsburg, Germany, on Aug. 29, 1981, a son of Michael Charles Rudzinski and Bonita Kay (Jackson) Rudzinski.

In addition to his wife Caroline and son Ryan, Christopher is survived by his parents, Michael and Natalie Rudzinski of Rantoul; his sister, Annette Dalton of Fisher; three brothers, Private First Class Jordan Rudzinski, Germany, and Christian and Alexander Rudzinski of Rantoul; nephews Ian and Sean Dalton of Fisher; his paternal grandmother, Janet Rudzinski of Canton, Mich.; maternal grandparents David and Valerie Grindley of Urbana; a great-grandmother, Nadine Legue of Urbana; and several aunts and uncles and their families, Eric and Judy Rudzinski of Chicago, David and Gwen Rudzinski of Port Angeles, Wash., Oliver and Martina Hemming of Atlanta, Ga., Erick and Sonya Grindley of St. Joseph and James and Martha Jackson of San Antonio, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Bonita, and his beloved sister, Jacqueline Rudzinski.

Christopher was a 1999 graduate of Rantoul Township High School, where he was active in the marching band, madrigal and Help Peers.

Prior to coming to Rantoul, he lived in Germany, Arizona and Washington.

Growing up a military brat and being part of a family with a tradition of military service in the U.S. armed forces dating back to the Second World War, he enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 17 and was sworn into service by his father, Michael.

He was an M1 Abrams tank armor crewman and attended basic training and the armor school at Fort Knox, Ky., where he was subsequently assigned to Germany and deployed on his first tour to support the peacekeeping operations in Kosovo. Christopher was later transferred to Fort Hood, Texas, and assigned to the 4th Infantry Division and subsequently deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Toward the end of this deployment, he became ill with leishmaniasis and was medically evacuated to Walter Reed Army Hospital for treatment.

Christopher re-enlisted for service as a military police officer and graduated from MP training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., in 2004. He was again assigned to Germany where he met Caroline and later deployed to Iraq on his third tour, this time training and mentoring Iraqi policemen. While home on leave during the tour, he married the love of his life, Caroline.

Upon returning to Germany, Christopher resumed his police duties and later became an investigator and MP desk sergeant. In September 2008, Caroline gave birth to Ryan, and Christopher added “devoted dad” to his responsibilities. His last military assignment was to Fort Stewart, Ga., where he deployed to Afghanistan with the 293rd MP Company on his last tour and subsequently died in the service of his country.

His military awards included the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, four Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Driver’s Badge, and the German Schutzenschnur Badge in Gold.

I will be adding more photos of Ski as I dig them out. He was one of over a dozen brothers in arms I lost while I served, and after I got out. He will never be forgotten.