It was late October and the wind soughed with cold despair. I pulled my coat tighter around my shoulders. I was a part of a large group of people. Most of them were dressed in black. Before us, on a platform, a wooden box lay. Beyond it were flowers for the memory of what was and beyond them were seven men. They held long, ornate rifles. As a trumpeter finished one last silvery blast the wind gusted again and the gunman raised their guns. They were aiming it above the crowd around me. In unison they fired. In a haze of gunpowder they reloaded. Twice more the gunman fired. Twenty-one shots rang out for the memory of what he did and who and what he was.

He was 1^st Lieutenant Kenneth Ballard. He was a soldier. He was a patriot and he was so much more. He was a real person with a real life and story that is so much more real than some dusty bust who no one alive really knows. He was a leader, a friend, a boyfriend, a son, a nephew, a cousin. He was brave, kind, fun, and real. He is my hero.

Kenneth Ballard was a leader. His leadership is what put him in danger because he was a tank commander in the army and the tank drivers are protected within the tank, the commanders sit above, vulnerable. Had he not been a first lieutenant he would not have been vulnerable to the sniper who got a lucky shot. Had he not been the leader, however, many others would have died. Kenneth Ballard saved, in the line of duty, many people.

Lt. Ballard was kind and fun. One of the clearest memories I have of him is when, at one Christmas, he visited. His visits were always special since he was busy with school and army training. I remember how we had been in awe of him. The younger relatives would sit on his back as he did push-ups for us. He always had a moment for his Mom's huge family and especially for his numerous adoring cousins.

One of the reasons Ken Ballard is my hero is that I know that he really is a hero. I've seen and heard him. I have seen, first hand, his affect on others' lives. When I feel scared or things seem like they've gotten too complicated or overwhelming I think of Ken and things don't seem quite as bad. 1^st Lieutenant Ballard, Kenneth, Ken, Kenny-Bob. My cousin and my hero.