Christopher Shays: “Sergeant Henry Ybarra was, I am told, a regular guy. On a typical weekend, he could be found relaxing at home with his…”

“Sergeant Henry Ybarra was, I am told, a regular guy. On a typical weekend, he could be found relaxing at home with his family, grilling outside with friends or watching his favorite NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys. At other times of the year he would tune into auto racing to watch his favorite NASCAR driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Sergeant Ybarra was a proud family man with everyday American values. At the age of 19, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. His military career took him to Virginia, Kansas, Texas, and on to Germany. It was in Germany, while assigned to Troop D, 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry that he fought in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His plans for the future were focused on his family and raising his three children; but as was pointed out, it all ended abruptly on September 11, 2003 in Balad, Iraq, when he was changing a tire on a heavy expanded mobility tactical truck when a tire suddenly exploded and killed him.”