Kenneth Stepp Salutes Michael Metcalf!

Palm Beach County News By Cathleen O'Toole Army solider Michael Metcalf killed in Afghanistan Boynton Beach man killed less than 2 weeks after arriving for first tour of duty UPDATED 5:20 PM EDT Apr 24, 2012 Michael Metcalf, soldier killed in Afghanistan BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - A Boynton Beach soldier was killed less than two weeks after arriving in Afghanistan for his first tour of duty, his mother told WPBF 25 News. "Kim Metcalf said Tuesday her 22-year-old son, Michael Metcalf, was fatally wounded while at the wheel of an armored vehicle that was going to help another crew struck by a roadside bomb. "He had a picture of me in his helmet, and he said he carried me every day," she said. "Kim Metcalf said her son died during surgery. "I told him don't leave me because you're the only thing that I have in the world," she said. "So I know he was fighting 'til the very end to say, 'I have to come back to my mother.'" "Kim Metcalf said she plans to travel to Dover, Del., early Wednesday morning for the arrival of her son's body." I was shocked to see the headline about Michael Metcalf. When I was in the Navy, my wife and I lived in a duplex apartment, and in the other end of the apartment building was Michael Metcalf and his wife Pat Metcalf. I was working as an Assistant Underwater Range Officer at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range, and the other Assistant Underwater Range Officer was Michael Metcalf from Ohio. Of course, the Michael Metcalf that I had known was a different man from the Michael Metcalf recently killed in Afghanistan. Kenneth Stepp salutes the Michael Metcalf who recently gave his life for the United States in Afghanistan, and I give my condolences to his mother. It is time to bring all of the American troops home from Afghanistan and the Middle East. We have made our point that we were making by sending troops over there. It is time to bring the troops home and concentrate on building our own country up, rather than "nationbuilding" in the Middle East. Kenneth Stepp.