I guess I've known this kid since he was seven years old. He wore glasses, had an easy smile on his face, was a skinny lad, and seemed to be liked by everyone.

Nothing about that picture changed much as he got older. He finished middle school, was part of the youth group at church, graduated from high school, and went off to college. And then he joined the United States Marine Corps.

I was as surprised as anybody. Kyle was not the macho, testosterone-filled, "I gotta prove how tough I am" kind of braggart that one sometimes expects to go off to Parris Island, that dreaded place known for making or breaking young men and women. Kyle was one of those young Americans who, in the period following Sept. 11, quietly stepped up to the plate and decided to give something