By Ward Peck

Editor

    Sgt. Jason W. Swiger, 25, a self-described “punk” in
high school who credited the Army and its storied 82nd Airborne
Division for turning his life around, died from wounds sustained when
his patrol was attacked with a bomb in Diyala Province, Iraq on Sunday,
March 25.

    It was the second time in two weeks and the second
time since the war began that South Portland has learned it lost a son
in the conflict. Private Angel Rosa, serving with the Marines in Al
Anbar Province was killed on March 13.

    Swiger was killed almost three years after a
triumphant homecoming in April 2004 following his second deployment to
Iraq. During that time, Swiger became something of a local celebrity,
speaking at his former schools and sitting down to several interviews.
Swiger was killed during his third deployment.

 “It is a tremendous honor and a privilege to have served
alongside Sergeant Swiger,” said Army Captain John Carson. “On a daily
basis he displayed courage, honor and selfless service, in the struggle
to keep America safe and improve the nation of Iraq.”

    Swiger joined the Army in May 2000. In his six years
of service and three tours, he received the Bronze Star Medal, the
Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal
with one clasp, the Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster,
the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on
Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Presidential Unit
Citation, the Combat Action Badge, the Parachutist’s Badge, and the
Driver/Mechanic’s Badge.

    Swiger’s service in Iraq became the embodiment of
the public’s attitudes about the war in the first years of the
conflict, with his mother, Valorie acting as a spokesperson for
soldiers and their families in the city.

    In 2003, Valorie Swiger led an effort to decorate
utility poles in the city with yellow ribbons, only to see the effort
spiral into a controversy over whether the ribbons implied official
support for the war by the city.

    Valorie lent her voice to several efforts in the
city for council members to craft a resolution expressing support for
servicemen and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those attempts
ended in frustration for Valorie.

    On Monday night, six councilors unanimously passed a
resolution honoring the two fallen sons and ordered yellow ribbons be
hung on all city property for a period of one month and encouraged
residents and business owners to do the same.

Swiger is survived by his wife, Allana Swiger of Fayetteville, NC; and
his mother, Valorie Swiger. A memorial service will be held for him by
his unit in Iraq. Family funeral arrangements are incomplete as of
press time.

    “He was a loving and dedicated husband. He joined to
fight for God and his country. He wanted to be in the 82nd since he was
young. His uncle was in the 82nd. He loved kids and the Army,” Allana
Swiger said in a statement released by the Army. “He loved to hand out
candy to the Iraqi children. His mom was his hero and he always wanted
to make her proud. He joined the Army at 17, right out of high school
and planned on staying in for a career. His mother bought him a cross
and asked him to be baptized. He was always full of light and laughs
and always tried to make light of bad situations. He didn’t like
serious moments. My parents, Alice and Michael, were honored to have
him as a son-in-law.”

    Also killed in the bomb attack were: Private Orlando
E. Gonzalez, 21, of New Freedom, Penn., Corporal Jason Nunez, 22, of
Naranjito, Puerto Rico, and Private Anthony J. White, 21, of Columbia,
S.C.

(Editor’s note: selected stories and letters about Jason and Valorie
Swiger from the Sentry archive are posed under the category "Jason
Swiger"