Army Specialist Tyler L. Creamean will be remembered by his family and friends as a loving soul who lived his life with energy and passion. He will also be remembered by his country as a dedicated soldier who bravely answered his nation’s call to service and gave his life in the defense of our freedom. Despite being born in Texas, Tyler Creamean spent most of his childhood in Jacksonville. Known for his energy and his light-hearted nature, he had a personality that allowed him to make friends with nearly everyone he encountered. He was also known for playing pranks and causing mischief but did not have a mean bone in his body. Instead, he had a gift for lightening dark moods and bringing a quick smile to the faces of those around him when they needed it most.

Spc. Creamean attended Jacksonville High School but left after his sophomore year to join the Youth ChalleNGe Program, a 22-week program sponsored by the Arkansas National Guard to help young adults develop as leaders, earn their G.E.D. and acquire the skills necessary to succeed in life. It was an opportunity for Spc. Creamean to learn more about himself and what he wanted in life, and he did just that. He went on to earn the program’s spirit award and shortly after his graduation, he joined the Army in April of 2003. Spc. Creamean was a part of the Army’s 25th Infantry Division and spent time at Fort Lewis in Washington prior to his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

While in Iraq, Spc. Creamean served with the 73rd Engineer Company and conducted more than 600 patrols, sweeping roads for explosive devices and clearing the way so that fellow soldiers as well as Iraqi civilians could pass through safely. In late February, he returned home on leave and on February 24th, his 21st birthday, he married the love of his life, his girlfriend KaMisha. KaMisha, also a soldier, was stationed at Fort Still, Oklahoma, and had begun preparations for her deployment to Iraq. As a result, Spc. Creamean now set his sights on reenlistment, so that his new wife would not have to serve in Iraq without him neraby.

Tragically, early on May 22, while routinely sweeping a stretch of the main highway south of Mosul, Spc. Creamean’s military vehicle hit a roadside bomb that killed him and a fellow soldier. Words can not adequately express the sorrow felt in the hearts of the family and loved ones of Tyler Creamean, but I pray they can find solace in the courageous way he lived his life. Although he may no longer be with us, his spirit will forever live on in the examples he set and the many lives he touched. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his friends, and to all those who knew and loved him.