1 00:00:02,873 --> 00:00:12,280 [piano music] 2 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,560 (Trevor Oliver) I want him to be remembered as the best 3 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,480 father that anyone could ask for and 4 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:21,800 also at the same time being the best 5 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,120 soldier that anyone could ask for. 6 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:26,040 That's the main message. 7 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:31,240 (Jack Atkins) I think he was 8 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,480 somewhat fascinated with the military, 9 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:36,440 the infantry in particular. 10 00:00:38,620 --> 00:00:43,960 (Elaine Atkins) When Travis was at Fort Benning for basic training, we went down to see the 11 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:50,820 graduation and Travis said to me, "You know, this basic training was the best time I've had in 12 00:00:50,820 --> 00:00:56,440 my life." Now, a lot of people don't think that about basic training, but he thought it was more 13 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:58,760 fun than anything he had ever done. 14 00:01:01,180 --> 00:01:05,960 (Jack Atkins) When he was in the 101st, [his] enlistment was up. They wanted him to re-up and he 15 00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:15,840 said, "OK, but I wanted to go with the 501st in Alaska," OK? And they said, “There's no slots open, you 16 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:23,040 can't go." He said, "OK, I'm out of here." So he got out and, you know, did some 17 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:31,200 civilian jobs. He went to school over in Missoula for a short period of time, and the civilian life just didn't do it 18 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,240 for him. He had to get back in the Army 19 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:41,820 [piano music] 20 00:01:41,820 --> 00:01:47,040 Travis knew the reality of serving in Iraq. He knew the danger. 21 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:51,260 (Trevor Oliver) It was always the last thing he wanted to talk about 22 00:01:51,260 --> 00:01:56,280 There were, you know, the conversations you know, "I'm going, you know I gotta -- I got to do my job, 23 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:00,920 you know, there's bad guys that, you know, don't like me very much." He was very open about that. 24 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:09,360 (Elaine Atkins) We went to Fort Drum for the deployment ceremonies where they cased the flags, sitting in 25 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:21,760 the stands and looking at the troops on the field, you know, a parent always realizes that some of them 26 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,000 are not going to come back. 27 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:33,680 [somber horn music] 28 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:39,540 (Jack Atkins) They were searching for a soldier that had been captured. They came across four 29 00:02:39,540 --> 00:02:48,640 Iraqis who looked suspicious. Travis got out of his vehicle and was able to 30 00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:54,480 apprehend one of them, but when he grabbed ahold of him, he realized the guy was wearing a 31 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,660 suicide vest ... 32 00:02:59,700 --> 00:03:13,060 and he dropped the guy to the ground and the guy, the Iraqi, detonated the vest, and that was it. 33 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:26,480 [somber music] 34 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:31,660 (Elaine Atkins) There's always going to be a void and, you know, we accept that. 35 00:03:31,660 --> 00:03:38,660 (Trevor Oliver) I take anything I can and I try to turn it positive, so you know, I take, "Yes my dad's gone and 36 00:03:38,660 --> 00:03:45,060 that's hard, but you know it's the fact that what he did is so extreme and, you know, that just that 37 00:03:45,060 --> 00:03:47,060 just that moves me even more." 38 00:03:47,060 --> 00:03:49,040 He was my icon. 39 00:03:49,040 --> 00:04:03,340 (Elaine Atkins) He loved the army and he loved being with his troops and he did the very best he could. 40 00:04:13,940 --> 00:04:17,820 (Trevor Oliver) t means the world to me. The Medal of Honor is ... it's the biggest one, and I can't 41 00:04:17,820 --> 00:04:21,780 think, you know, everyone enough, you know, for the support and everything that they've done to give him 42 00:04:21,780 --> 00:04:25,160 him that, because he did truly deserve it. 43 00:04:26,540 --> 00:04:32,760 My ... my true treasure is what people say about him, and that's what that's what makes me the 44 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:37,440 most proud. He was a great soldier and a great father.