I first met Bobby in August 2003, right as I'd moved to Korea to teach English. This is a picture of him with then-interest, later-girlfriend, and even later-wife, in October of that year. We were on a day trip with some other friends from church to the Yellow Sea coastline.
Bobby was also the best man at my wedding (the Korea ceremony) in December 2005.
Later, he and I joined the Army together. He commissioned six weeks before me, and chose to branch Quartermaster. I chose Transportation. This picture is from October 2008.
In January 2009, I left for Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for BOLC II. During the six weeks I was there, my wife and son stayed with his family in Virginia.
When I was assigned to Korea in 2013, Bobby and his family were already there, but his marriage was not doing well. Although they came together for my father-in-law's funeral in December, they ended up getting divorced. I feel a lot of guilt about Bobby. I feel that I should have been a better friend to him during those times when he needed me most. For all the times that he helped my family and me, I feel that I should have made more time for him, especially in those early days of 2013.
I've spoken to him about this; he has said that there's no reason to feel bad, that there were a lot of things going on in his marriage. Still, I can't help but feel that -- if I ever get the chance to repay him for all the kindness he has shown -- I should take it. I'm very grateful to him.
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