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I first met Sgt. Reynoso when he came to my platoon on ship prior to reaching Kuwait. He was an experienced mortar man and I was glad that he had been assigned to me. Initially, he was put as a squad member. I had never worked with him and I was hesitant to put him in a leadership position until I had observed his leadership ability. I immediately noticed that he was smart, aggressive, and that he took the time to accomplish tasks the correct way. After observing him for several weeks, I decided to put Sgt. Reynoso as the squad leader for third squad. The previous squad leader was performing adequately, but I felt the squad would benefit even greater from the example that Sgt. Reynoso was setting. The decision to make him a squad leader was one of the best moves I have ever made. There was an immediate improvement in his squad's performance and in the way they conducted themselves. Under Sgt. Reynoso's leadership, the squad displayed more discipline, aggressiveness, and were more efficient in the way they operated.

I also respected Sgt. Reynoso as a person. He was easy to talk to, had a great sense of humor and was very laid back. He had one of those unique personalities where he was carefree and happy when we had free time, but was a strict professional when it was time to work. He knew when it was time to be serious, and he knew how to break the tension in stressful situations with a well-timed joke. He had a great taste in music and we always asked him to play his CDs whenever we were hanging out in our sleeping tents. We shared the common bond of being from Washington. I'm from Woodinville, WA [where Breshears' family moved after Renton] and I've gone camping and hiking many times in the Yakima Valley area. We often talked about home, the common places that we both knew, and how we missed being in Washington. I miss having him around. He was a great leader for the men that he was in charge of and exemplified the values and standards of Honor, Courage, and Commitment that Marines are known for. He fought like a true warrior and he will always have a place in my heart. Semper Fidelis

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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