A Hero's Hero.

Son of Milton police officer serving in Afghanistan.

By Jonathan Copsey / Appen Newspapers

Milton - It's 3:30 a.m. on Monday morning when his shift ends. Wearily heading home to his family, memories of the past 45 hours of service come to mind as his cruiser's lights chase the darkness away.

Lt. John Borsey, a Milton police officer, helped remove a drug dealer from the city streets. The following night, he helped a teenager who was found unconscious at a high school party.

Then there was that guy breaking into houses. Next he rushed to help a man experiencing chest pains. EMS arrived and stabilized him.

Borsey's job is to keep the people of Milton safe. That was the pledge he took when he was sworn in as an officer. Some say that his kind offer great sacrifice. He scoffs at the notion when he considers another, who sacrifices much more.

On the other side of the world, Borsey's son, Army Private Steve "Rusty" Moss, 21, beds down for another night on the front lines of Kunar. This southern province of Afghanistan is one of the most dangerous in the war.

Moss knew the dangers when he enlisted for three years in January of 2009. All the training, medals and sharpshooter certifications he earned had helped prepare him for his time in Afghanistan. Every day, with a 70-pound backpack in tow amidst the searing heat, his company braves danger, aiding and fighting when necessary.

"Everybody knew there was a pretty good chance he would be going over there," Borsey said, thinking of when Moss enlisted. Borsey and his wife, Kim, chat with Moss through Facebook at least once a week and sometimes by phone.

Moss is aware of the risks. He knew that danger could be around the corner. It is worth it though. He is serving his country, and has pledged to keep it safe, just as his father, Borsey, keeps the streets of sleepy Milton safe.

"I'm proud of him and that he's doing what he's doing," said Borsey. "But you've got the uneasy feeling that you think something bad is going to happen."

In December, Moss and his company will be transferred back to Italy, where they are based.

Borsey does not know if his son will return to the warzone or stay in Italy.

To help Moss and his company, residents can send supplies to a local group, Alpharetta American Legion Post 201.

Post 201 has an ongoing program to help local soldiers who are serving overseas. To date, over 2,200 boxes of goods have been shipped from the post.

According to Steve Olesnevich, who has organized the effort, the list for goods to send overseas contains some surprising items one might not think about.

"Anything non-perishable is a no-brainer," said Olesnevich, "but also anything with sugar. Brain games and magazines are good. Oreos and Cracker Jacks are especially perfect for shipping."

He added that, since Halloween is just around the corner, candy and sugar items can be found aplenty, and for good prices.

American Legion Post 201 is at 201 Wills Road, Alpharetta. To send items to Moss, Milton city hall has set aside space to collect goods.

Tim Enloe contributed to this article.