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Soldiers, Civilians, and Families from the Kaiserslautern Military Community and across Germany filed into the Vogelweh Chapel here Sept. 9 with heavy hearts to pay their final respects to a military policeman and dog handler assigned to the 230th Military Police Company in Sembach, Germany.
Staff Sgt. James R. Ide V, a native of Festus, Mo., died of wounds sustained Aug. 29 when his unit was attacked with small arms fire near Hyderabad, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to the 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s 230th MP. Co., 95th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade.
Sergeant Ide was a specialized search dog handler who served as a mentor for many of the military working dog handlers who traveled to the memorial from throughout Germany to pay their respects to this noncommissioned officer who worked at the military working dog kennel at Miesau Army Depot.
Capt. Joshua Larson, the company commander for 230th MP Co., wiped away tears at Sergeant Ide’s memorial service as he described the kind of person Sergeant Ide was to the hundreds of people in attendance.
“Every person who Staff Sergeant Ide interacted with took away a sense of friendship and trust. He was a great American and an outstanding Soldier. He was a loving husband and father to his wife and two kids.
I can tell that his duty to his country and protecting the freedoms of all Americans were at the forefront of his service,” said Captain Larson.
Sergeant Ide’s military service included a tour of duty in South Korea and two tours in Iraq. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart.
Sergeant Ide is survived by his wife, Mandy, their 7-year-old daughter, Trinity, and their 1-year-old son, James.
