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AFGHANISTAN NEWSLINE

Southside grad serves
 tour of duty in Afghanistan

BY COY O'NEAL THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

   A Selma man serving in the U.S.. Army is missed by his family as the war on terror wears on in the Middle East.
   Chris Marshall is an active duty soldier with the Army. He is stationed in Afghanistan with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, listed as 4th BCT 2-508th Fury from the Sky, out of Fort Bragg, N.C.
   Marshall was born in Selma. His grandmother, Ruth Hackett, and aunt, Cassandra Page, live in Selma, as well as a host of other family members. His mother, Emma Cobbs, lives in Birmingham with Marshalls siblings, an older sister and brother and a younger sister.
   He was a sweet baby, Cobbs said of her grandson. He always wanted to do good for people. He was very mannerable [sic], always did good in school. He loves sports.
   Marshall played basketball at the junior varsity and varsity levels at Erwin High School in Birmingham before coming to Southside, where he played varsity until he sustained a knee injury.
   Cobbs said her children pray for their brother. They worry about him, she said. But we've put it in Gods hands. Cobbs said they regularly send him gift boxes.

 We try to keep him encouraged. I hate that he joined in wartime, but I support him 100 percent. I'm very proud of him.
   Cobbs said Marshall once expressed a desire to become a computer scientist She believes he would be successful. He always does the best at what he wants to do, she said.
   Marshall said that he is currently working on an associate degree in public administration. "When I am not on patrols and the day is over, I stay up an extra two or three hours a day doing my classes online," he said in an email to the Times-Journal.
   When he returns in May, Marshall plans to re-enlist and hopes to be stationed in either Germany or Texas. Hackett said its hard on the family.
   Sometimes he sounds so sad, she said. But he always calls in good spirits. He tells me what's going on and I really don't want to know sometimes, its so sad. Some of the guys he's worked with have been killed. But he's really keeping it together.
   Hackett said that sometimes, he says that he is ready to come home, but he is determined to do good for his fellow man. I hope this war ends and nobody has to go back, Hackett said.
   I pray for him every night and he tells me, I'll be alright. Grandma.

[The Selma Times-Journal, Selma, AL, 04 Sep 2007, Tue, Page 3]

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