Army Sgt. Timothy D. Sayne, 31, of Reno, Nev.
Sgt Sayne was assigned to 5th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; died Sept. 18, 2011 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
Sgt Sayne was killed by an improvised explosive device while on a dismounted patrol in the district of Shah Wali in Afghanistan, where he had been deployed since April to train Afghanistan Army personnel and police.
Sgt Sayne was born in Kentucky. At some point, family moved to Illinois where he graduated from Effingham High School. He joined the Army in February 2008, reporting to Fort Wainwright six months later in August.
This was Sgt Sayne's second deployment, having previously been deployed to Iraq for 12 months in September 2008.
“It’s the kind of thing you see on TV around the country. You don’t think of it happening to someone you know so close to home,” said friend, Todd Cisna. "We had supper three or four weeks ago to get caught up on the kids. She (his mother) was so proud of him,” he recalled. “He was a good kid. It’s a shame something like this had to happen.”
Linda Matte, a Captain with the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders said, "Because he gave the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, this is the least we could do for his family. I know Timothy's family, not well, but I knew them and it really hits home when you lose one of your own but they’re all our brothers, our soldiers whether we knew them or not."
Major Gen. Gregory Couch, who spoke at the eulogy, said officers and fellow soldiers remembered Sayne during a memorial service in Afghanistan as someone who always looked at the positive side of life and always accomplished the mission.
In a message from Sayne's squadron commander, Couch read, “He is strong, brave, always tries his hardest. He is the eternal optimist. I have watched Sayne mature into an effective, charismatic and determined young leader. The type of leader who walks in the front to clear the way.”
From Sayne’s platoon leader, Couch read, “What I learned through knowing Sgt. Sayne is what makes a hero is the way they lived their life leading up to those fateful moments. I am truly indebted to Sgt. Sayne because he will always be a hero of mine. He was a person with a presence and personality that left an indelible mark on those he met and especially those with whom he served. His devotion to his family was unmistakable and only strengthened the deep sense of respect that those who knew him will share.”
According to both officers, Sayne embodied the Army’s core values of courage, selfless service, loyalty, respect, honor, integrity and duty.
“His integrity was of utmost importance as he always chose the hard right over the easy wrong,” Couch read.
Sgt Sayne is survived by his mother, Kathy; wife, Thania, 1-year-old son, Timothy with another child due in January; siblings, Cory, Joey and Paige.
Army Sgt. Timothy D. Sayne was killed in action on 9/18/11.
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