Fallen Friend, Fallen Hero: Matt Kuglics

Being in the military, you tend to meet a lot of people. Some are good and some are bad. However, during rare exceptions you meet a person that truly special. I have lived in a lot of places during my time serving in the Air Force and one of those places was Osan AB, South Korea. These places changed my life in many ways but one of those profound changes was meeting Matt Kuglics. Here was one of the smartest, outgoing, shy, positive, and extremely friendly guys you could ever meet. For a boss he was the epitome of an Airman, as a friend he was dependable and one of the best guys to be around, and as a stranger he was someone to lift you up with his smile even on your worst day.

I first meet SSgt Kuglics (then SrA) in August 2003 when I arrived on the peninsula in South Korea. He showed me the ropes on the equipment and gave me tips and tricks on how everything worked. He was one of those guys that didn't go out every night party it up. In fact he was wholesome almost (for a lack of better words). I think in the 8 months I was with Matt I truly only seen him upset once. He was the best SATCOM (Satellite, Wideband, and Telemetry System) Technician I had to depend on. I would try to take him on road trips with me to different antenna sites just to have him around for the day. I guess I am just trying to sum him up as one of the best damn guys you could ever meet and I was a bit saddened to see him apply and be accepted into AFOSI (Air Force Office of Special Investigations). I knew once he left the possibility of working with him again was slim to none.

Matt finally left Korea to go straight into field training for AFOSI and I had never seen him again. This morning when I woke up a mutual friend had told me that Matt was killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb on June 5th, 2007. I didn't look around on the net till 8 hours later because I just didn't want to think about it. I finally came home from work and typed Matt Kuglics in Google and found his guestbook. I read only a line before my first tear dropped. All I could think about was laughing with Matt and enjoying a beer with Enzo, Sean, Holbert, and the other guys over some Russian soup and food after a long day at work. I started going through some old photos with Matt in them. I posted a couple of him out of uniform and just spending time with me and our friends.

I felt compelled to write something for him and share my experience with him to the world. Matt is my first friend that I have lost in this war so I guess it just never hit home till today. I can only hope that his family is coping with the huge loss. Our condolences go out to them along with our prayers. Matt was truly an amazing person and he died serving his country whether people agree with the war or not he still was willing to do something many people can't. He will always be a hero in my eyes for giving the ultimate sacrifice to his country.

This was the last send off we had. Regardless of the taste of the picture this was one fine memory for all friends with Matt.