Jacob G. McMillan dies of injuries from I.E.D.

In February 1999, as senior captain of the Lafayette High School wrestling team, Jacob McMillan already was rallying the troops.

It was one of the team's first practices heading into the state wrestling finals. Wrestlers are worn ragged by the end of a season, regardless of state finals excitement. But McMillan was their leader.

He'd left sweat and heart on that mat for months, and everyone knew it. So, when he called them to the center, his mates fell in line.

Staff Sgt. McMillan, 25, would join the Army after graduating that May, and died Thursday in Iraq.

Wrestling coach Glenn Bernard remembers McMillan on that day. He's proud to call himself a mentor to the boy who always led by example.

"He gave them this speech of motivation and determination," Bernard said. "He reminded them of the purpose of why they were here: To wrestle."

McMillan was "a hard-working kid," and a "great, great leader," according to Bernard. Wrestling at the 171-pound weight class, McMillan would finish fifth in the 1999 state tournament in his division.

"I'm real saddened by the whole thing," Bernard said. "I had an ex-wrestler call me (Monday) morning to tell me. I kind of went into shock, it's real hard to accept, though it is a part of life. ... I will remember him for all the good times that we shared."

McMillan's family still doesn't know how he died in Baghdad, said his mother, Kathryn McMillan. Details about the incident weren't released to the family as of Monday.

LHS Principal Patrick Leonard remembers meeting McMillan during a student trip to Europe in summer 2000. McMillan had been through basic training and was stationed in Italy.

McMillan had the reputation at school of someone with follow-through, Leonard said. But after seeing him in his true element, the military, Leonard was impressed.

"Students come back from the military and they're so proud. He was proud of what he did. He believed in it," Leonard said. "He was the epitome of what an American soldier looked like to me: Kinda tall, lean, clean-shaven, very respectful and proper."

His mother said the last time she saw him was in September, while McMillan was on leave from Fort Richardson, Alaska. He was deployed Oct. 6 to Iraq.

No details are available about the soldier's unit. Base personnel at Fort Richardson were unavailable during the holidays.

McMillan is survived by his parents and two sisters, Sarah Allison McMillan and Rebecca Lynn McMillan.

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