KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsYankton, SD soldier prepares for deployment, remembers fallen brother

Yankton, SD soldier prepares for deployment, remembers fallen brother

YANKTON, South Dakota (KTIV) - It was six years ago when the U.S. went to war in Iraq.

Since then, some soldiers have served several tours, like Yankton, South Dakota's Charlie Battery of the 147th Field Artillery.

Among the ranks of the 147th, a soldier, who leaves this spring for his second tour of duty in the desert.

The first time, he lost his brother when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy.

Sergeant First Class Brooks Schild, 147th Field Artillery, said, "December 4th of 2005, there's that day that'll live in infamy."

It's the day Sergeant First Class Brooks Schild lost his brother and best friend, Rich.

"Him and the squad he was with were just going on patrol, checking Iraqi police and they were hit actually down the same road that I would've been going 10 minutes later," said Schild.

After hearing about the explosion over the radio, Brooks and his troop went to the rescue.

"I thought Rich was actually wounded and that's when they told me, when I got back to the Fort Operating Base that they said he was killed," said Schild.

Soon after, he got to see his brother one last time.

"They let me into the morgue and I got to go in a hug him," said Schild.

Even though his brother's death was one of the hardest things he's had to go through, Schild says there was a bright light at the end of the tunnel.

"In the end, it ended up being a blessing because our family got to know exactly what happened and I was with Rich. So, he wasn't alone when he died," said the Sergeant First Class.

Now almost three years later, Schild is preparing to go back again.

"Rich would say the same thing, if any soldier would say their not scared when they go, they're lying," said Schild.

He says it's not the fear of the war. 

"The worst part for the soldier is worrying about home," said Schild.

While his little brother, Rich won't be at side this time, his other brothers, all 142 of them, will help take his place.

"It's that camradarie and the friends and the soldier and that bond that they get that they miss the most. That's why I'm a soldier. In the end, I can be a soldier and serve my country, my state, my family, particularly my family, and still be a citizen and teach," said Schild.

Teaching lessons in the classroom now, but soon learning new ones overseas.

Schild says after this deployment to Iraq, he plans on signing up for another one if he's needed.

Online Reporter: Allissa Hopkins