Brett Petriken
Staff Sergeant, United States Army
May 27, 1972 – May 26, 2003
Age – 30
Flint, MI
Operation Iraqi Freedom
501st Military Police Division, 1st Armored Division, Wiesbaden Germany
Died leading a convoy in As Samawah after a heavy equipment operator crossed the median and struck the front of Petriken’s Humvee
SSG Petriken of Flint died in a traffic accident in As Samawah, Iraq, weeks after his 501st Military Police Unit of the 1st Armored Division arrived in the country. His Humvee was escorting a convoy when it was struck by a heavy-equipment transporter that crossed a median. Despite a nomadic career that included stops in Cuba, Panama and Germany, Petriken made time for friends, with whom he liked to reminisce, drink beer and watch sports.
Brett was a loyal Detroit Lions football fan who had game tapes sent to him overseas. He also loved a good joke and knew how to make people feel at ease. Nobody had a bad word to say about him. Just before he left for Iraq, he told his mother not to worry. “He said ‘I have a bulletproof vest and a bulletproof Humvee. Mom, I’m trained for this.”
Brett’s friends razzed him about being colorblind. They invented drinking games based on his inability to distinguish colors and he usually lost. The burly football player once wore pink jeans to school – a blissfully unaware victim of a laundry mishap with a red sweatshirt. The colorblindness also squelched a childhood dream of becoming a police officer in civilian life. Brett liked to reminisce with his friends, drink beer and watch sports.
He was remembered by fellow soldiers as follows:
Staff Sgt. Byron Lewis, Petriken’s best friend, said the last time he saw his friend, they had made a vow that they would meet again at Drill Sergeant School in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. His dream will continue on through all of us; Lewis said, whose only wish from the family was to have a set of Petriken’s dog tags to wear. I never had a friend like him, I probably never will. He’s gone; but not forgotten.
To the Petriken Family:
I know it’s late, but I’m so sorry for your loss, I’ve been wearing Brett’s memorial band since 2005 and I think of his memory almost daily. He and I were stationed together in Augsburg, Germany in the mid 90’s.. He was a great soldier, but a better man.
I know you must miss him terribly, and I knew he was going to make the Army his career because he was so good at soldiering. I see that he touched many people during his too brief of a stay on Earth, it says a lot about the Husband, Father, Friend, NCO and MP he was..
God Bless
Stephen Thayer
DACP- Ft Benning, Ga”
“SSG Petriken was my squad leader in the 293rd MP co. at FT. Stewart in ’00-’01. I left the service shortly thereafter and can say that many years later he was the most fun-loving, patient, and respectful leader I ever had in the military. I learned of his death while watching Fahrenheit/911 in ’04. I was shaken and immediately went home and found the cause of his death online. This site has allowed me to find the good memories I had of him again and give my thanks to his family. I remember meeting his daughter many years ago. I hope she is doing well and want her to know I thought very highly of her Dad and considered him a great leader and friend.”
Tyler Horseman of Blacksburg, VA
“Brett, I remember the day that you and several other MP’s arrived at the 65th MP Co at Ft Bragg right after Airborne school. You always had a smile and a laugh that could make others at ease. I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t know of your passing in Iraq until several years later. However, losing a friend is never easy. My condolences to your family and may your memory live forever with those of us that had the pleasure of knowing you.”
MSG (R) Michael Guetzke of San Antonio, Texas