LLANO, TX, USA U.S. Army MAJ, TROOP B, 1ST SQUADRON, 91ST CAVALRY, SCHWEINFURT, GERMANY FOB NARAY, AFGHANISTAN 07/27/2007
Major Thomas Gordon Bostick Jr. was born December 8, 1969 in San Diego, California. His family moved to Llano after his father, Thomas G. Bostick Sr., ended his career in the Marines.
A star on the basketball team at Llano High School, Tommy joined the Army Reserve as a senior and, upon graduating in 1988, went on active duty.
He is a graduate of Columbus State University with a degree in Criminal Justice. He is a distinguished military graduate from The U.S. Army Officer Candidate School.
Tommy served in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989: the U.S. mission to remove Gen. Manuel Noriega from power after his indictment in the United States on drug trafficking charges.
In 1992, he married Jennifer Dudley of Florida and had two daughters, Jessica and Ashlie.
In Afghanistan, he was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.
He was an experienced soldier who mentored his troops in the field and planned to continue a life of teaching back in Central Texas.
His younger brother, Sergeant First Class Bobby Bostick followed him into the Rangers and to Iraq. He said he called his older brother “Big Bubba” and looked to him for guidance and strength after he joined the military.
“He took care of his soldiers,” Bobby said. “He was definitely a good mentor and was one of the top captains in the Army.”
His mother said her son believed in the mission in Afghanistan and enjoyed teaching members of his three platoons. She said her son loved leading his troops and sharing insights he’d gained from his superiors and on previous combat deployments to Operation Desert Thunder, Operation Iraqi Freedom I, and Operations Enduring Freedom I and II.
His career included two tours in Afghanistan, deployment to Iraq and the U.S. mission to remove General Manuel Noriega in Panama in 1989. He was killed July 27, 2007 near Kamu, Afghanistan, when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations.
Tommy Bostick Jr. was promoted posthumously from the rank of captain and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
His many commendations include a Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf clusters, and he earned the Master Parachutist Badge.