Rest in Peace,Paula Loyd

Michael Yon had a post on Jan. 8th Godspeed to Paula Lloyd

and Wired.com Danger Room's Noah Shachtman had a post with more on the same day

Third 'Human Terrain' Researcher Dead

(and the correct spelling of Paula's last name is 'Loyd',with one "L")

I remembered the news story of the attack on Paula Loyd

In early November, while on patrol in an Afghan village, Paula Loyd was doused with a flammable liquid, and set on fire. She suffered second- and third-degree burns over 60 percent of her body. Loyd was rushed to a nearby medical center, where she was treated by a burn specialist. Shortly thereafter, Loyd was evacuated to the military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, and then to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

and judging by blog posts and news stories I saw around the net, there is a lot of controversy about the Human Terrain System program, and also a lot of controversial commenting back and forth between liberals and conservatives because one of Loyd's fellow contractor's shot and killed Paula's attacker shortly after the attack on Paula Loyd.

However, I do not wish to get into all those issues.

In researching a little more about Paula Loyd, I think the main thing to remember about her is that her's was a life very well lived, in service to others.

On mySALife from San Antonio,TX, there was an article about Paula Loyd written in December, that gives you a glimpse of how special she was

Cary Clack: Hate brings her back to loving town

and in Paula Loyd's obituary HERE , you truly get a sense of what a great loss her death was to not only her family and friends, but to our country,and the world.

Paula Loyd was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and lived in Alamo Heights. She attended Cambridge Elementary, where her father attended elementary school, junior high, and started high school in Alamo Heights before moving to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.

She attended Antilles High School for two years and graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut. Paula holds a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology and Spanish from Wellesley College. She received a Master of Science in Foreign Service degree in Foreign Policy and International Security from Georgetown University, as well as a Certificate in Refugee and Humanitarian Studies.

Following college, she served a four year term in the US Army and a four year term in the US Army Reserve Program.

While serving in the Reserve Program she became involved with humanitarian work programs in Afghanistan, and for several years after with the United States Agency for International Development, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations. Paula served as a Field Program Officer for USAID in Zabul Province, where she worked closely with the United Nations, U.S. military, local Government officials and tribal elders on a number of humanitarian and development projects.

Paula passed away in the Brook Army Medical Center. Her death occurred as result of the injuries sustained while serving humanitarian causes in Afghanistan.

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In her years on this earth, Paula Loyd touched many lives.

An organization assisted Paula's family during the several months Paula fought for her life at Brooke Army Medical Center, and the family has asked that donations be made in her memory to The Moonlight Fund

Please, in her memory, take the time to check out the link to their website and learn more about them.

And please hold Paula's family and friends in your prayers this Saturday, as they lay her to rest.

Rest in peace, Paula Loyd. You served honorably and well with your talents in the too-short years you were given to be on this Earth.

My condolences, to the family and friends of Paula Loyd.