major jay alban, captain ryan bopray, corporal brian kennedy and staff sergeant kendall waters bay.families and friends ba barely had time to register the beginning of the conflict before being forced to confront its awesome costs. eight years, seven months and 25 days later, army specialist david hickman was on patrol in baghdad. that's when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb. he became the last of nearly 4,500 american patriots to give their lives in iraq. a month after david's death, the days before the last american troops including david were scheduled to come home, i met with the hickman family at ft. bragg. right now, the hickmans are beginning a very difficult journey that so many of your families have traveled before. a journey that even more families will take in the months and years ahead. to the families here today, i repeat what i said to the hickmans. i cannot begin to fully understand your loss. as a father, i cannot begin to imagine what it's like to hear that knock on the door and learn that your worst fears have come true. but as commander in chief, i can tell you