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<p><em>David Edward Rylander</em> garnered a reputation for being an incredibly genuine and caring person. He had an ability to connect with those who struggled to find their place and then create a space where they could thrive. He found a way to make people laugh and showed them that he cared. </p>
<p>During his summer detail as a Cadet Basic Training platoon sergeant, David earned the nickname of “Lord Rylander” both for his uncommonly positive outlook on life and because everyone knew how much he cared. Conducting “grass drills” during physical training were particularly memorable moments with David. Near the end of each session, he would start to speed up the commands in an attempt to trip up the new cadets. It became a contest to see who could go the longest without making a mistake and something the new cadets laughed at by the end of the summer. David took every moment during the detail to create the best environment he knew how. </p>
<p>David was from Stow, OH, where he was homeschooled for 12 years. He loved playing piano, was on the Cuyahoga Falls Tigersharks swim team, and earned the rank of Eagle Scout in his local troop. David was also a man of deep faith and was active in various ministry and service programs at Victory Life Church.</p>
<p>After completing a year of college at the University of Akron, David achieved his childhood dream of attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. David was a member of B-4 his plebe year and then was scrambled into E-4, “Go Elvis!” While David loved people, he also loved to tackle challenging problems, which led him to major in engineering management. David completed Airborne School during summer training. As his new cadets could attest, David was fond of and incredibly proficient at calling Airborne cadences that summer.</p>
<p>David was known for his involvement in the Chapel Choir, willing to give anyone a free concert if they asked…and sometimes even if they didn’t ask. He was also an active chapel bell ringer because he said it “brought joy to people each day by giving them a little music.” David invited close friends to join him in the bell tower to try their own hand at ringing the bells. He escorted them through a “secret” spiral staircase that led above the false ceiling in the Cadet Chapel where they then had to navigate a series of platforms before reaching the inner workings of the belltower. Whether musically inclined or tone deaf, David found a way to get them involved, encouraging those who were a little shy. What so many left with was an appreciation for what it takes to produce the music people hear every day. It’s a lot more physically demanding than one might imagine. </p>
<p>David graduated on May 21, 2011 and commissioned as an Engineer officer. David went to Fort Leonard Wood, MO, where he graduated from the Engineer Basic Officer Leaders Course. David was then assigned to 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, NY. David deployed only about a month after arriving at Fort Drum. One of David’s fears was that was he would not get to his unit in time to deploy. He wanted to go because he felt a deep calling to serve and make a difference in the lives of others. While he prayed for peace, he was ready to answer the call to service and often quoted Isaiah 6:8 “’Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!’”</p>
<p>David and his team deployed to Afghanistan in December 2011. A few months into his deployment, David became the platoon leader for Route Clearance Patrol 44, 630th Route Clearance Company. It was a job he loved, posting on Facebook “Being a Platoon leader is awesome.” He was proud of the work his unit accomplished. </p>
<p>On May 2, 2012, David was killed in action with one of his soldiers when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations. </p>
<p>He is survived by his parents, Jackie and John Rylander; his brothers Daniel Rylander and Stephen Rylander (USMA ’20); his sister, Emma Rylander; grandparents Margot Bennett and Ed and May Rylander; aunts and uncles Germaine and Tom Siebert, Leslie Rylander and Dennis Bacon, and Karen and Richard Davis; and cousins Laura and Paul Siebert and Cassie and Adrian Bacon.</p>
<p>David’s awards include the Purple Heart, the NATO Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Action Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.</p>
<p>David put the needs and welfare of others above his own. Ask his friends, his family members, or those who’ve worked with him, and they will have a story of David striving to make an impact. When in Afghanistan, a classmate asked him what he wanted in a care package; David said: “The things I would ask for most right now is continued communication and prayer for the safety of my soldiers. If I am able to return every one of my soldiers alive to their families, then I will consider this deployment a success.” David died trying to fulfill that wish and make the lives around him just a little bit better. </p>
<p>Grip Hands.</p>
<p><em>— Chad Plenge ’11</em></p>
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