GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - Members of the Grafenwoehr community gathered in somber silence on May 21 at the Grafenwoehr Post Chapel to remember the lives of Staff Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, and Spc. Michael E. Yates, 19, of Headquarters and Headquarters company, Task Force 3-66 Armor, 172nd In. Bde. Both Soldiers lost their lives at the hands of a fellow servicemenber, at a shooting at Camp Liberty, Iraq May 11. The unusual circumstances of the deaths added a sense of gravity to the ceremony.
1st Lt. William Archer, commander of 3-66 Armor rear detachment, read the words spoken by Capt. Kevin Bukowski at the memorial ceremony at Forward Operating Base Hammer, who spoke positively of both Soldiers.
He remembered Buenos saying, "With a smile that was too big for his head," Bukowski joked, "and that ugly pink shoulder strap holster that was too big for his body, Sgt. Buenos was one of my go-to guys in the company whenever I needed something done and done right."
"One of the things that we loved about Staff Sgt. Bueno was the way he treated everyone like a human being," said Staff Sgt. Maurice Thompson, 3-66 rear detachment, reading the words spoken by Sgt. Joel Celona during the service at FOB Hammer. "His infectious personality made it impossible for him to have enemies and was the glue that kept Headquarters platoon functioning like a family."
Yates was also well-liked within the company. Staff Sgt. Yager, 3-66 rear detachment, read the words of Spc. Johnathan Roman, saying, "I loved Yates like a brother. He was my driver, and you really get to know a person being stuck in a vehicle together for hours at a time day after day ... he had many friends in the platoon and was well-liked throughout the task force.
"He was never without a wise crack to make us laugh, whether it be to an Noncommissioned Officer or to one of his peers, it didn't matter to him. It was just Yates being Yates."
In his closing thoughts, Roman wrote, "I would like to thank God for the time we got to share with Yates. I know that being around him for the time we had enriched our lives and his presence will be sorely missed. We'll see you again at Fiddler's Green, Yates. Keep a place for your platoon."
Lt. Col. Eric Stetson, rear detachment commander of 172nd In. Bde., read the words spoken by Lt. Col. Louis Rago II, commander of 3-66 Armor at the memorial ceremony May 16 at FOB Hammer, Iraq.
"The sorrow and pain we share with their families is real and made even more acute by the tragic circumstances of their death. Losing soldiers in battle is ... difficult and painful ... but, losing comrades in a manner in which we have lost Christian and Michael is far more difficult to understand. Many of us are filled with anger ... it is confusing and very hard to accept, but accept it we must," read Stetson.
All of the speakers encouraged listeners to remember both men as the warriors they were. "We cherish the memories of the son, the brother, the father, and the friend," Rago wrote.
"It's back to doing what we do best. And Sgt. Buenos and Spc. Yates wouldn't have it any other way," read Archer.
Bueno, born in Arrequipa, Peru and raised in Paterson, N.J., joined the U.S. Army Reserves in 2002 and entered active duty in 2004.
He is survived by his wife, Greisyn Bueno, his mother Candy and his father, Carlos.
Yates, of Baltimore, Md., joined the U.S. Army in 2007.
He is survived by his son Kamren, his mother Shawna and his father Richard.
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