PALMYRA, NJ, US
U. S. Army
SGT, HHC, 1ST BN, 21ST INF REGT, 2ND BCT, SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HI
08/15/2010, BA`QUBAH, IRAQ
Sergeant Rhett wanted to be a doctor and joined the Army after a year of college because he knew he’d get the training as a medic and the help to continue his education to become a doctor.
During Sergeant Jamal Rhett’s deployments in Iraq, the care packages from home came frequently and were full of Tastykakes and wet wipes.“The ones with the chocolate icing with vanilla stripes were his favorite,” said his aunt, Sonya Winters. The wipes were to keep clean in the desert.
“He was my knight in shining armor,” said his mother, Michelle Watson. “I not only loved him as a son, but I liked him.”
After news of the soldier’s death, the sidewalks in the courtyard at his condo community were lined with small American flags. He loved family and friends,” Watson said. “He enjoyed making people laugh. He was just a good man . . . well-mannered and very well-liked.”
“He wanted to know about everybody back home and talked a little about what he was doing,” Winters said. “If he was going to be out in the desert, he’d tell us he would be out a few days and would call when he got back.”
Noting his determination to achieve his goals, Jamal wrote on his Facebook wall:
I just passed the promotion board and Im so grateful and thank God. In a few months I’ll be Sergeant Rhett. All the studying, askin’ questions and prayer really helped me. God helps those who help themselves and if you have the will He will make the way. 04 August 2010.
Jamal posted these words eleven days before he was killed.