The soldier spoke daily of how much he missed his wife and two boys. He never would have left, his mother said, if he had not felt strongly that he needed to serve his country.

A former elementary school teacher, Micheal Alleman loved children. He would often speak of the children in Iraq and Afghanistan, his mother said.

"He was a very strong man, with a strong sense of purpose and equality," Susan Alleman said. "He wanted everyone to have the same opportunities, and he had a difficult time understanding why certain things could happen, especially to children."

His family wholeheartedly supported Michael Alleman's vision.

Despite everything, Amy Alleman said she wouldn't change the decision she and her husband made to contribute to the war effort.

"He was doing what he needed to be doing," she said. "He went down taking down the bad guys, and he wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

E-mail: estuart@desnews.com