Christopher W. Dickison |
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Christopher W. Dickison had matured since joining the military and couldn't wait to get home and marry the love of his life, Magdalene Hasenkamp. "He found himself. He was happy with Christopher. He grew up. He became a man," said his mother, Leanna. "He was so looking forward to getting out of the military, getting married and just settling down." Dickison, 26, of Seattle, was killed July 5 in Baqubah when an explosive detonated near his patrol. He was based at Fort Riley. Dickison, a twin and one of six children, spent much of his childhood playing baseball, soccer and practicing tae kwon do, his mother said. After getting his GED, he went to work for a trucking company, then as a mechanic at Sears. He joined the Army in 2002 because he "wanted to get out on his own. He wanted to get away from his older brothers and sisters to test the water," his mother said. He was to be discharged from the military next year and wanted to go to school and become an engineer because of what he had seen them do in the Army, said his father, Rodney.