Words can not describe the sense of pride and duty a soldier has when serving our country and no words can express the sense of loss when a brave hero is killed in action.

31-year old Sergeant Joe Padula of Yonkers, New York, who is assigned to Fort Campbell’s 2^nd brigade combat team is celebrating the holidays with his family and for the first time, he is celebrating Christmas without his closest comrade, 25- year old staff sergeant James Hunter, who was killed in action last year.

According to Padula, it’s devastating and everyone at the shop was upset about it, he was a great soldier and I looked up to him even though he was younger than me and I considered him a brother.

According to Sergeant Padula, not a single day goes by that he doesn’t think about his friends who were killed in action, but he says he is proud to serve our country.

The New York native is on leave from the army to enjoy well deserved time with family and friends since he returned from his deployment from Afghanistan last year.

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