Travis , I have needed your help so many times in these years that you have been dead ! I miss you so very much , son . I miss you going fishing with me more than anyone can realize . I loved sharing our time together and having you doing things with me . A large part of my life died with you as you should not have proceeded me in death . No person wants to out live their children and it happened to my father and then to me . You ended the family line as the last male that could past it on by having a son of your own . You had two wonderful daughters and loved them so very much . They were so young that they really don't remember you which is a shame . In a way I am just waiting to meet you in " The Garden " . The government allows a saved space next to you in the Ft Sill National Cemetery for this old soldier and your mother when the time comes . Always missing you !!!

You have been gone for ten years now . I think about you every day , son . I miss you so very much and wish you were still around . You would love spending time at your sister's ranch with all of her animals ! Horses you would be crazy about ! Oh , we have all missed your laughing and being a smart ass , I am tearing now , so I will just say I Love You , Travis .

It has been nine years that you have been gone , son . You are remembered by so very many people . I want to let people know that there is another page that I , his father , manages . There are many more comments and pictures on that page . Look under Travis Martin Tompkins 1979 - 2011 and please visit there also . That has many more visits from soldier's and people that knew him on it . I have many pictures of his family and his sister's family over the years posted there .

You would be 39 years old now . So much that you have missed and how much that changed when you were killed . Lord , Travis , I can't help but wonder how these lost years may have gone . I know that you would be one year and two months from reaching twenty years in the Army . I'm pretty sure that you would be planning to retire shortly after hitting that . I can only wonder if you would have come back to live in Oklahoma then . I love and miss you so very much son .

Travis had been back in Afghanistan less then a week having returned from leave. His unit deployed in Oct 2010. This was his second deployment since 9/11. He had spent three years in Armed Forces North supporting NATO Operation Enduring Freedom from 2003 until 2006 in the Neatherlands also. His MRAP was struck by two RPG's during a night movement near Pul-e-Alum. He was actually killed instantly. All of his team received non life threating wounds. They were attached to the 5th BN 25th FA at the time. Prior to this they had been attached to the 2d BN 30th Inf.