In the Line of Fire
U.S. Army captain Joshua Byers was Bleach's biggest fan before he was killed recently in Iraq. His younger brothers, Bleach's Milam and Jared Byers, say Josh was their hero—and they've dedicated their new album in his memory.
by Ben Forrest | posted 9/15/2003
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U.S. Army captain Joshua Byers was Bleach's biggest fan before he was killed recently in Iraq. His younger brothers, Bleach's Milam and Jared Byers, say Josh was their hero—and they've dedicated their new album in his memory
From the left: Sam Barnhart (guitar, vocals), Jared Byers (drums), Jerry Morrison (bass), Dave Baysinger(vocals), Milam Byers (guitar)
Hardly a day goes by that we don't hear of another U.S. soldier killed in Iraq—including one as recently as today. Since the war officially "ended" on May 1, 156 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq. One of them, U.S. Army Captain Joshua T. Byers, was the brother of Milam and Jared Byers, members of the Christian rock band Bleach. Captain Byers, 29, killed in action July 23, was Bleach's biggest fan. He is survived by his wife of five years, Kim, and his brothers Milam and Jared.
We recently caught up with Milam, Bleach's guitarist, and Jared, its drummer, to talk about their brother, their grieving process, and their new album.
Losing Josh must be very difficult for you both. How are you doing with it?
Milam: It's the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. The only way I'm getting through is just by God's grace, because none of it makes sense. I just wake up every day and say, "God, get me through today." That's really how my family and I are trying to live right now-fully dependent on God.
Jared: It put my world upside down. I'm still in shock. The funeral and memorial services were good for closure, but there's always going to be a soft spot. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my brother.
Do you know how Josh died?
Milam: He was in the front Humvee of a convoy when a remote-controlled bomb blew up by the road. A large piece of shrapnel went straight through Josh's heart. It killed him instantly, which is a blessing to us, because he didn't suffer. People who were with him said he probably never even heard a sound. Josh was the only one killed in that attack.
How did you find out about Josh's death?
Milam: Jared and I were at a hotel in Atlanta to pick up our parents at the airport. They're missionaries in Guam, and they were en route from Tokyo. I got a call that morning from Josh's wife, Kim, who was obviously hysterical. I knew exactly what happened just after answering the phone. Since my parents were in the air, the Army couldn't track them down. So Jared and I had to live with that news for about four hours before we could tell our parents after they landed. That was one of the worst parts of this whole thing—telling my parents what happened.
Jared: In the hotel, Milam was crying on the phone, just bawling. I was like, "What's up, what's up?" He said, "It's Josh." And that's all he needed to say.
Captain Joshua Byers
You guys have mentioned that Josh was your hero. What did you admire so much?
Jared: He lived every day to the fullest. You never saw Josh without a smile on his face. He never met a stranger. He was just an incredible guy. I didn't know the "Captain Joshua Byers." I knew my big brother Josh. He had an amazing way of balancing work, military, and family. He was just a great, great man of God.
Milam: He had a joy that you don't see in a lot of people. The army told us that right before he was killed, he was laughing. Even in Iraq, he loved to make jokes. He was that way with everybody. Also, he fervently sought after God every day, and it was really apparent to his soldiers. We even heard that his chaplain in Iraq actually went to Josh for his counsel, because he respected Josh that much. We've also heard stories about how Josh had tip-toed through mine fields to save two kids, and in the process saved probably 150 of our American soldiers. He did things like that not because he was trying to be a hero, but because that's the way his heart really beat.
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