West Milford His name was Jason Butkus. He was a true son of West Milford and he was an American soldier. Born in 1973, Butkus grew up on Wooley Road in the home that has been in the family for over 100 years. He was raised in a house of love, honor and respect. Butkus’ mother, Cheryl Bohn, now of Old Bridge, N.J., spoke of his early years. Her description of him speaks to the man that he would become. “He never crawled, but dragged himself around by using his arms - an Army crawl,” she said. He wasn’t very vocal but when he did start to talk it was in sentences. It was as if he gave it a lot of thought, she said. Butkus was an outdoors kind of kid who loved playing in the woods near his home. He favored being the knight in shining armor and there were many stick “sword” fights with his sister, Tonya Butkus. They were close in age and she was his true pal. It was his adventurous and take-charge personality that most closely defined Butkus. Bohn told of Jason, Tonya, and youngest sister, Vanessa, exploring caves in the mountains near their home. Although strictly off-limits, the temptation of such high adventure drew the knight and his army there often. Butkus was a natural-born cub scout and received media attention when he won the “Very Special Boy Award.” A year later he was back in the newspaper for winning a contest to name two New Jersey bald eagles - calling them Stars and Stripes. He graduated from West Milford High School in 1991. He had been on the track and wrestling teams, did well academically, worked a part-time job in town and, at that time, was characterized by his black leather jacket. He had the manners of an old-world gentleman and the sensitivity of a poet. Felt like a soldier In 1995 Butkus did what he always wanted to do - he enlisted in the Army. According to family, it was the closest thing he knew of to being a defender of truth and justice, a gallant knight. Early in his military career he wrote to a friend about wearing his dress uniform for the first time and feeling good about himself. A stranger had stopped to greet him and he said he felt like a soldier for the first time. He was part of the 82 Airborne in the Parachute Infantry Regiment, becoming a jump master, somewhat of a stretch for him since he had a fear of heights. “That was him, he had to conquer the fear,” Bohn said. Over the years, Butkus served in infantry and airborne divisions and was stationed at many bases across the United States. While at Fort Bragg, Butkus married and had a son. He was serving in South Korea but made it home in time to see his son born. “That was the first time I ever saw him cry,” his mother said. In Oct. 2006 he joined the outfit that would take him to Iraq - the 1 Battalion, 28 Infantry Regiment, 4 Brigade Combat Team from Fort Riley Kansas. By this time he was Staff Sergeant Butkus, a top marksman and a highly decorated soldier, having earned more than a dozen medals, and numerous badges and ribbons. And he was ready to go to war. The soldier goes to Iraq In February 2007 Butkus’ unit was deployed to Iraq. As members of the Black Lion Attack Company, he and his fellow soldiers were working toward dismantling the terror network in Aamel, helping to bring stability to the war-torn nation. On Aug. 30, 2007, while providing security for one of Baghdad’s main roads, Butkus’ Humvee was attacked by a rocket-propelled grenade. Butkus was the sole casualty. Shortly after Butkus’ death, fellow soldier, 1 Lt. Mike Sheer, wrote a letter to Tonya, expressing his admiration for her brother. He died quickly and doing what he loved, he said. “I honestly believed that one second he was talking or thinking about something and the next second he was in heaven wondering how he got there,” Sheer wrote. Forever changed At home, Butkus’ mother answered the knock on the door that would change her life forever. “I don’t believe it,” was all she could utter at the time. “Jason was such a good soldier, such a good head on his shoulders. To be shot like that on the side of the road ....” She couldn’t finish the sentence. A memorial service was held at the West Milford Elk’s Club for Butkus on Sept. 7, 2007. Two weeks later, on Sept. 24, under a beautiful blue sky, Butkus, the warrior and knight, was blessed, honored, and laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. He was 34. Butkus was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge. When his personal effects were returned to his mother she found his cub scout shirt and black leather jacket. The morning that Cheryl Bohn learned of the death of her son, she went outside to sit down. She said that she occasionally called Jason “Jay Bird” and as she was trying to absorb the news, a blue jay came and rested near her, looking at her for a long time. She looks for that bird now. She said he came back this year and has a family in a tree near her home. It makes her smile. Memorial Day Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance of those who have died in service to our nation. Originally proclaimed on May 5, 1868, it was first observed on May 30, 1868 when flowers were placed at the gravesites of Union and Confederate soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery. Join West Milford in honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice with a parade and services on Monday, May 25, at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, next to Town Hall.