Trooper Stephen G. Rouse

I first met Stephen Rouse as a Air Force Reservist serving in the 919th Special Operations Group at Duke Fld, Fla. Stephen was the first person I met in the unit after being recalled for the Libya situation in March of 86. I had just graduated the Security Police Academy and had not even reported into the unit for processing when I was recalled. I expedited to the base and Stephen was there, running the security control center. As no one had arrived yet, Stephen found a cot and had me rest, then started taking me under his wings as more troops showed for our assignments. Less then a year later he was gone. He was the first Brother in Arms that I experienced losing and will always hold a dear place in my heart for taking a young airman under his tutelage and keeping me on the straight and narrow. In his memory I present a poem I wrote called "Officer Down"... Officer Down
“Officer Down”, those chilling words
That strike a spouse to the core.
And a family waits, and prays upwards
For the news to tell them more.
Was it their Beloved Father, Son,
Mother, Daughter, Husband, Wife
That leaves the job this day undone
And gave it all, up to their life
For a shooter may have fired that gun
Or a car spun out of control
Or any reason under the sun
Whose actions took their toll
“Officer Down” repeated again
On the news, the web, in print
While frantic calls to next of kin
To find which home was sent
A patrol car with a team in blues
And black stripe upon their shield
To knock upon the door with news
That the loved one had been killed
“Officer Down”, those words strike fear
For another’s life was taken,
A life whose job they held so dear
To make our country safe in
A life that trained to keep the peace
And keep the bad at bay
But an “officer down” to all police
Means family died today

Tsgt Steven Bates
USAF (med ret)

September 16, 2017