Today Fort Stewart near Savannah unveiled a granite marker to honor a soldier who died of an illness contracted more than two years ago in Iraq. Private First Class Ryan D. Christensen on New Jersey died in November 2005. He was initially denied a memorial tree at Warriors Walk, where the Army's 3rd Infantry Division has honored its dead from Iraq since 2003. The Army at first denied him entry because the 24-year-old died from an infection rather than in combat. His mother lobbied the Army for nearly a year until Fort Stewart commanders changed their minds. Since the first trees were planted at Warriors Walk in April 2003, the memorial grove has grown to include 381 trees -- one for each soldier from the 3rd Infantry and affiliated units killed in Iraq.
