MORROW, GA -- One of three Georgia soldiers killed in Afghanistan Thursday was born and raised in Riverdale. Staff Sgt. John Beale's father, who lives in Morrow, says his son was born to be a soldier.William Beale, who worked for 31 years for Delta Air Lines, says his son played with army men as a child. "He liked for me to bring home magazines from Delta's cabin service and he would clip out the military stuff in there," Beale said.Staff Sgt. Beale graduated from Riverdale High School where he was on the drill team and in ROTC. He served in Desert Storm and then left the Army to raise a family. His father says as his children grew, his son got the itch to go back into the Army.Last month, the Georgia Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 108th Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron left for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.William Beale says he noticed something different in his son this time. "He seemed like a little bit hesitant about going over there as he got closer to it," he said. This time his son was leaving a family behind. Staff Sgt. Beale lives in McDonough with his wife Crystal, his son Christopher, 13, and daughter Calye, 8.Beale remembers telling his son something a marine once told him, "Do what you're told and your chances of coming back are real good." "John was not the type to not do what he was told, so I guess he just got unlucky," Beale said.Staff Sgt. Beale, Maj. Kevin Jenrette of Lula and Specialist Jeffrey Jordan of Rome were killed according to the Georgia National Guard. "They died June 4 near Kapisa, Afghanistan of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device and small arms fire," said a press release from the Georgia National Guard.William Beale's first wife, who helped him raise three boys, died. He remarried nine years ago. Dolly Beale is the boy's step-mother. "I got very close to him the last nine years," she said. "It fells like my kid, it hurts as much as if he was."Beale says he has good moments and bad moments after an officer and chaplain came to his home. His son's wife and their two children flew to Dover, Delaware to meet his son's body when it arrives in the states. A full military funeral will be held in McDonough but arrangements haven't been made yet.William Beale says he has one wish. "I hope he didn't die in vain," he said. "I think that's the main thing any father or a mother wants is to know that their son didn't die in vain."What he wants people to know about his son is much simpler. "That he was just and all American boy," he said. "John was just a normal kid." What more can any parent ask of their son.Honor SSG Beale and watch this video for a few moments.http://blip.tv/play/AYGJ5h6YgmE

My fellow Army Wife friend Crystal has a darling neighbor she's been bugging me to meet because we are both pregnant and both having boys. We also have little girls. Heather's daughters name is Maggie and she is four and a half or five. Heather's husband is deployed at hte moment and we all know what I think of Pregnant Army Wives while their husband's are gone. Crystal's husband is doing a hardship tour in Korea as well. She has a teenage son and two teenage  and preteen age step daughters. Crystal being the sweetheart she is threw me my baby shower. Both ladies have had a tough time recently with medical problems too. So we planned a lunch. Crystals like yeah come over but I need to go grocery shopping lol. I was like oh well we can order a pizza?  Then I went to the commissary and I am like wait I can just bring lunch so I made Chicken Salad and took stuff my family would never eat. So I had fun preparing and serving lunch and Skylar loved Maggie. I heard this morning of Farrah Fawcett had passed away and I quickly asked did she get a chance to marry her long time love? The answer was no. Rick dropped me off at Crystal's for lunch and went to take his mid term. Then he came back to get me. I needed to go home and get some clothes out of the garage I knew Maggie could wear or would wear I wanted to get rid of anyways. I had Crystal's card for the digital camera. I took Rick back to work and then went back to Crystals to watch the girls and giggle. It was a good time and I miss time with friends at times. I had to leave nearly at  four to pick up James at work but he walked home early. So I went by ACS for Heather and then I dropped by Rick's work to just say hello but ended up staying until he locked up the office. We came home started dinner and the Microwave blew. So I went to my neighbor to finish microwaving my dinner and they were all gathered around the TV freaking out. It was CNN and TMZ talking about Michael Jackson's death. The legend is still true they die in three's.