Spencer Rocho
United States Army
March 3, 1997 – February 10, 2020
Age – 22
Harrison Township, MI
Operation Enduring Freedom
75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, GA
Became “One of 22 A Day” on February 10, 2020
Spencer has been mobile from birth living in six places before he was six years old including his favorite, Kenya (yes, East Africa), where he was fond of wearing flip flops, chasing wizards (lizards), dodging mambas, and learning the fine art of swearing like a sailor (no offense to the Navy guys) from his 17 big brothers at Baraka School.
Spencer was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he worked hard to develop his leadership skills, was honored to be both assistant senior patrol leader and senior patrol leader, attended the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico and participated in many other camping weekends, completed his Eagle project, and attained the rank of Eagle Scout, the scouts’ highest honor – just under the wire of his 18th birthday.
He proclaimed, at six years old, that he wanted to join the Army; it was his sincere desire to protect his country (and shoot guns). His seemingly singular focus resulted in dedication to his studies at Grosse Pointe North High School and his fully qualified run up to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Not to be dissuaded by their foolish decision to invite only 1,000 cadets out of the over 30,000 applicants, Spencer enlisted in the US Army at 18 years old and continued his pursuit as a soldier in the 75th Ranger Regiment serving two tours in Afghanistan. He found it difficult to believe that he was jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. More. than. once.
Spencer played baseball through the lazy days of summer in the Harper Woods Little League and played Lacrosse as a Norseman at GPN to attain his varsity letter for West Point qualification. He was the leader of a small group of fourth and fifth grade young men at Grace Community Church and was passionate about serving faithfully as a reading mentor for Soar Detroit. Spencer was always an amazing giver of gifts, which you know if you were ever on the receiving end of his generosity. This young man would go to the ends of the earth for you (quite literally). Spencer was willing to give his life in the service of his country, its citizens, and you.
In his final days, living and working in Savannah, GA near Hunter Army Airfield where he was stationed, Spencer struggled to reconcile his service experiences – the things he saw, the things he heard, the things he did – with who he was as a leader and a great man of God, and like so many of his peers, ultimately bought into the lie that he had to figure things out on his own. The failure to do that resulted in a tragic conclusion to a life full of laughs, love, kindness, sacrifice and adventure. Bravely going “there” when lesser men did not is the legacy of his short life, well lived.
He had received the following awards – IT Svc Achievement Medal with Combat Device, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal.