Heroic nurse had served a decade in the fifth military service

Honoring heroic N.C. nurse
Originally uploaded by uscgd5publicaffairs

Somehow, I missed this...

Cutline with the photograph:

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. – Petty Officer 3rd Class Oscar Rodriguez presents the national ensign to the father of Jerry Y. Avant, during memorial services at Richmond Memorial Park, Thursday, April 2, 2009. Avant, who served in the ... as an Aviation Electronics Technician for 10 years, sacrificed his life, protecting patients from a gunman Sunday, March 29, 2009, while working as a nurse at the Pinelake Health and Rehab Center in Carthage, N.C. (Official photo/Petty Officer 1st Class Kip Wadlow)

A true Guardian... and here's a case where I like the use of the term... I'm also impressed that the Service was involved in the funeral; he hadn't retired from the Service and he was fairly junior (all things considered) when he left.

Anyway, a true Guardian. May he have eternal fair winds and ever following seas...