Naseman, Brian

Brian Naseman

Breman, Ohio

Feather Location: Row J, #25

The Associated Press

Brian Naseman never explained to his wife exactly why he wanted to join the military. He just did. He was a born leader, Peggy Naseman said. When he moved from Ohio to Wisconsin, he transferred from the Ohio National Guard to the Wisconsin National Guard, with which he served two tours of duty, once in Kuwait and most recently in Iraq. Brian would help a friend or neighbor at any time, day or night. “I can’t even tell you how many lives Brian has changed. If you needed something, he was there,” she said.

Naseman, 36, of Racine, Wis., died May 22 in a noncombat-related incident in a rural region about 20 miles north of Baghdad. He also is survived by two sons, Cole, 9, and Carter, 7.

Naseman grew up in Ohio and met his future wife at a barn dance, where he taught her to line dance. The Naseman family was last together in April when Peggy and the boys traveled to Albuquerque, N.M., to say goodbye to Brian before he shipped off to Iraq. They spent one of their final days together on a hot air balloon.  “We got as close to heaven as we wanted to be at the time,” Peggy Naseman said.

Carver:  Dick & Annis Strine are decade long carvers and live in Ashland Ohio.

Wood:  Basswood