SKIATOOK, Okla. — U.S. Army soldier Justin Lambillotte, 26, was honored on Monday by about 100 members of his family, friends and the military for his life, his humor, and his military service.
Lambillotte was found dead in his barrack room on Fort Hood on Dec. 23, 2022.
At the funeral on Monday, Lambillotte’s pastor, Mitch Leonard, talked about his faith.
“I know that he would tell you to choose Jesus,” he said.
His family and commander shared stories of his famous cowboy boots that he turned into roller skates.
Pastor Jamie Reeves of the Avant House of Prayer read a statement from Lambillotte’s family about his roller skates.
“We had to ship them one at a time because they were too heavy to put in a box,” she said.
Lambillotte’s commander, Capt. Tyler Stankye talked about meeting him for the first time.
”There’s this guy standing there, wild shirt, cowboy hat, big old Pit Viper sunglasses and the boots,” he said.
Stankye conducted the military portion of the service and entered Lambillotte into the Order of the Spur, a cavalry tradition in the U.S. Army.
Atkins said Lambillotte was unhappy at Fort Hood for about the last six months, but he said he wanted to re-enlist.
“He was looking forward to February, because he would be eligible for early re-enlistment and he wanted to re-enlist and move on up the rank and move on up to, maybe a different post,” he said.
Lambillotte’s death is just one of more than 3 dozen in the last two years of soldiers enlisted at Fort Hood.
The Army base has come under increased scrutiny over why so many soldiers have died there recently.
Atkins said he talked to Lambillotte’s battalion commander and those in his chain of command about his stepson’s death.
“I’m pleased with the answers they’ve given us,” he said, “I’m quite sure they’re in the same boat we’re in. Loss. They don’t know,” Atkins said.
He said Lambillotte was beloved in his cavalry troop.
“Justin was a hard worker,” Atkins said, “He was a good kid, and he was their ‘go-to’ guy. When they needed something done, they would just holler out, ‘Lambo, get it done,’ and he’d go get it done.”
On Monday, Lambillotte’s family and friends were at a loss for answers about how and why his life ended alone in his barrack room.
Those answers will take another six to 12 weeks to come when his family has the results of the autopsy.
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