Private First Class Charles C. Persing of Albany, LA graduated from Albany High School in 2002 and enlisted in the Army soon after. Early on in his Army days, Charles "C.C." Persing talked about making the military his career. Then, he toyed with the idea of becoming a police officer. He settled on going to college after his contract was up. "He was going to buy some land and take care of his mama and his brother," said Persing's aunt, Lena Bouley. PFC Persing was stationed at Fort Drum, NY and served with the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry, 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) on his final deployment. PFC Persing died at age 20 on July 19, 2004, when multiple mortar rounds hit his forward operating base in Iskandariyah, Iraq.