Sergeant Yarbrough’s deep sense of unity and teamwork led him to honorably serve his country as a United States Marine. Having completed two tours of duty, Sergeant Yarbrough volunteered to return to Iraq in place of a soldier whose wife was pregnant. This gesture of selflessness encapsulated the spirit of this young man as he was always thinking of others before himself.

  Sergeant Yarbrough joined the Marines in January of 2002, and his proud service will continue to live on and serve as an inspiration to the many soldiers who knew him and fought alongside him in combat. He was a Marine in the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1^st Marine Division, 1^st Marine Expeditionary Force. His bravery and courage as a Marine was exemplified by his numerous awards and military decorations, including the Purple Heart Medal.

  Sergeant Michael Yarbrough gave his life to serve our country and he will forever be remembered as a hero, a husband, a son and a friend. My deepest condolences go out to his wife Mary Ann Yarbrough; his mother, Rhonda Kidder and his father Jerry Yarbrough; his two sisters Misty Hutcheson and Christy Smith; and to his numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. He will be missed by his family, his community, his country and all those who knew him. On this 17^th day of September, which would have been Sergeant Yarbrough’s 25^th birthday, I honor him for his service and will continue to keep his family in my deepest thoughts and prayers.