Brian A. Browning

Brian Browning first tried to join the military soon after he quit Astoria High School but was rejected. Recruiters told him he needed to earn a diploma and lose weight.

He didn’t give up.

He joined a job corps program doing masonry work, earning credit toward a GED. At 18, he joined the Army.

"He had a goal for the first time in his life,” said his aunt, Robyn Carson of Portland. “The Army helped him find focus."

Browning was killed Feb. 6 south of Baghdad when a guard tower he was in came under fire. Since August, he had been serving in Iraq as an infantryman with the 10th Mountain Division.

It's especially hard to believe he was killed, his mother Paula said, because her son seemed to find something he was good at doing.

"When he came home from boot camp, he was telling us stuff about guys in his unit -- why are they going out drinking, why are they doing stuff they're not supposed to?" she said. "Six or eight weeks before, that would have been Brian. He really grew up."

Remembrances

Mitch wrote:
Brian,
You will never be forgotten.
Thank You for your service.
I admire your courage. Many Oregonians are very proud of you.
Mitch of KevinsDriftboat.com
Date Posted: February 17, 2007

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Editor's Note: The Oregonian wanted to offer an opportunity for those who knew the service member or those who wanted to comment on their sacrifice to add to this tribute. As this is a memorial site, we will review all comments for appropriateness before publication.

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