Landis W Garrison

A part-time police officer and a volunteer firefighter, Landis Garrison was planning on pursuing a law enforcement career. He had joined the Illinois National Guard at age 17 while in high school because he wanted to help others. "He was always out to help somebody," said his father, Randy Garrison. Sgt. Garrison, 23, of Rapids City, Ill., died April 29 of non-combat injuries in Iraq. He was a member of a military police company based in Freeport, Ill. Steve Sallows, who served with Garrison as a volunteer firefighter, said his longtime friend had a playful sense of humor and often referred to his tour of duty as "vacation." Garrison told Sallows in an e-mail he was looking forward to coming home. "He was talking about having a big bonfire when he...