3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company B, 3rd Battalion
ODA:
18 B
Date KIA: 29 May 2011 OEF
Location: Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Sgt. 1st Class Martin R. Apolinar died May 29 while on a mounted patrol when the vehicle he and his Special Forces team were traveling in struck an IED in the Wardak Province, Afghanistan. He was born Dec. 31, 1982 and grew up in Phoenix, Ariz. He graduated from the Trevor Browne High School in 2001
Apolinar enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2004 and served as an infantryman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. He served as a rifleman, machine gunner and team leader.
He successfully completed the Special Forces Assessment and Selections course and entered the Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, N.C. Upon completion of the SFQC, he was assigned to Co., 3rd Bn., 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) in 2008 where he served as the senior Special Forces weapons sergeant for an Operational Detachment - Alpha.
Apolinar deployed twice, first in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq, and now this deployment to Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) with Company C.
His military education includes: Warrior Leader's Course, U.S. Army Combatives Course Level 1 and 2, Combat Life Savers Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Analysis and Exploitation Techniques Course, Joint Fires Observer Course, Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape Course, and Advance Leader's Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal; Purple Heart; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Overseas Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; NATO Medal; Combat Infantryman Badge and Parachutists Badge. He earned the Special Forces Tab and Ranger Tab.
Apolinar is survived by his wife Elisa; his son Martin, and his parents Gene and Susan Apolinar of Prescott, Ariz.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 3rd Battalion
ODA:
18 Z
Date KIA: 20 August 2013 OEF
Location: Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Action: Small Arms Fire
Master Sgt. George A. Bannar Jr., 37, of Orange, Va., died Aug. 20 of wounds received from small-arms fire in Wardak Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This was Bannar's fifth deployment to Afghanistan.
Bannar enlisted as a medical specialist in the U.S. Army in October 1996, completing his medical training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and then attending the U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga. Upon completion of his initial training, he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. While serving in the 82nd he volunteered for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection and began his Special Forces training in 2001.
In July 2003, he graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course as a Special Forces Medical Sergeant, and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd SFG (A). Bannar served in the 1st Bn. for five years, deploying with the unit to Afghanistan four times. In August 2008, he was assigned to the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) and stationed in Yuma, Ariz., where he worked at the Military Free Fall School as an instructor. In October 2012, Bannar returned to the 3rd SFG (A) and was assigned to the 3rd Bn.
Bannar earned an Associate's Degree from Fayetteville Technical Community College and a Bachelor's Degree from Campbell University. His military education includes Airborne School, Warrior Leaders Course, Jumpmaster School, Air Assault School, Advanced Leaders Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Senior Leaders Course, Advanced Special Operations Techniques Course, Military Free Fall School, Military Free Fall Jumpmaster School, Advanced Military Free Fall Parachutist School, Basic Instructor Course, Small Group Instructor Training Course and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
Bannar's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device , Army Commendation Medal (3), Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal (5), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (3), Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Expert Field Medical Badge, Air Assault Badge, Canadian Parachutist Badge, Royal Netherlands Army Parachutist Badge, Venezuelan Parachutist Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Free Fall Jumpmaster Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
He is survived by his wife and his parents.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company B, 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 E
Date KIA: 20 February 2009 OEF
Location: Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Staff Sgt. Jeremy E. Bessa, 26, was killed by an improvised explosive device while conducting a mounted combat reconnaissance patrol. He was a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha team communications sergeant assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in January 2009 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan. This was his second deployment in support of the Global War on Terror and first deployment to Afghanistan.
Bessa, a native of Honolulu, Hawaii, volunteered for military service and entered the Army in April 2002 as a combat medic trainee. After basic and advanced individual training and Airborne School he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., in January 2003. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom September 2003.
Bessa attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection prior to being assigned to John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, N.C., in May 2005 for Special Forces training. He earned the coveted "Green Beret" in March 2007 and was assigned to 1st Bn., 3rd SFG(A) at Fort Bragg, N.C., as a Special Forces communications sergeant.
Bessa's military education includes the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Basic Airborne Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Warrior Leaders Course, and Special Forces Qualification Course.
In June 2001, he returned to 3rd Battalion and became a member of Operational Detachment A-194. In November 2001, Sgt. 1st Class Chapman volunteered for a special mission in Afghanistan, where he participated in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Awards: Joint Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Parachutist Badge, Combat Medics Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
Bessa is survived by his wife Lindsey and their son Carson of Fayetteville, N.C.; parents Ted and Julie Bessa of Whispering Pines, N.C and brother Christopher L. Bess, Fort Carson, Colo.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 Z
Date KIA: 23 April 2011 OEF
Location: Kandahar, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Master Sgt. Benjamin F. Bitner was born July 4, 1973, in Hagerstown, Md. and was a 1991 graduate of Greencastle Antrim High School in Greencastle, Pa.
Bitner enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1991 and attended Special Forces Assessment and Selection in 1999. Later that year he graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course as an engineer sergeant.
He joined Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C., in 2003.
He deployed in support of various operations across the globe, including but not limited to: Operation Flintlock, Africa, 2001; Operation Nectar Bend, Africa, 2004; Task Force Falcon in support of operations in Kosovo, 2001 - 2002; Operation Desert Spring, Kuwait, 2002; Operation Iraqi Freedom and four deployments to Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) with Company C.
His military education includes: Track Vehicle Repairers Course, Single Channel Ground Airborne Radio Systems Operator Course, Basic Infantry Course, Basic Airborne Course, Long Range Surveillance Leader's Course, Warriors Leader Course, Special Forces Engineer Sergeant's Course, Basic Non-commissioned Officer's Course, Advanced Non-commissioned Officer's Course, Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape Course, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course, Special Forces Sniper Course, Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Analysis and Exploitation Technique's Course, Special Forces Master Breacher's Course, Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant's Course, Military Free-Fall Course, both Summer and Winter Basic Mountain Warfare Courses and the United States Army Special Operations Command Mountaineering Master Trainer's Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal (6); Purple Heart; Meritorious Service Medal (2); Army Commendation Medal (3) with "V" device; Army Achievement Medal (3); Army Good Conduct Medal (4); Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (3); National Defense Service Medal (2); Kosovo Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three campaign stars; Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terror Service Medal; Non-commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon (3); Army Service Ribbon; NATO Medal (4); Special Forces Tab; Combat Infantryman's Badge; Parachutists Badge; Military Free-Fall Badge.
Bitner is survived by wife April, sons Gunnar and Rogue; and parents Roger and Beverly Bitner of Greencastle, Pa.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18
Date KIA: 29 May 2011 OEF
Location: Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Sgt. Aaron J. Blasjo died May 29 while on a mounted patrol when the vehicle he and his Special Forces team were traveling in struck an IED in the Wardak Province, Afghanistan. He was born March 19, 1986, in Riverside, Calif. He volunteered for military service and entered in the Army in July 2004 as an infantryman (11B).
After completing basic training and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga., Blasjo was assigned to 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) where he completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in December 2006 as a Special Forces communications sergeant. Upon completion of SFQC, he was assigned to Group Support Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Blasjo has deployed to three times Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
His military education includes: Basic Infantry Course, Warrior Leader's Course, Advance Leader's Course, Basic Airborne Course, Advanced Pistol Marksmanship, SOC AM General Driving Course, Special Forces Qualification's Course, Special Forces Communication Sergeant's Course, and Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart; Army Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal; Special Forces Tab; Combat Infantryman Badge; Parachutists Badge.
He is survived by wife Crystal, son Talon; and parents Daniel and Bobbi Blasjo of Riverside, Ca.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 B
Date KIA: 6 November 2006
Location: Panjwayi, Kandahar
Action: Hostile - IED
Sgt. 1st Class William R. Brown, 30, a Special Forces weapons sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C., died Nov. 6, 2006, when an Improvised Explosive Device detonated near his Humvee in the Panjwayi district of Kandahar.
A native of White Settlement, Texas, Brown enlisted in June 1994 as an infantryman. His first assignment was with 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga., where he served for seven years. He held numerous positions there, to include squad leader and operations sergeant.
Brown then successfully completed a two-year tour in Dallas, Texas, as a recruiter. He attended the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2004 and was assigned in October 2005 to 1st Battalion, 3rd SFG (A), as a weapons sergeant, where he served until his death.
His military education included the Special Forces Qualification Course, Ranger Course, Combat Diver Qualification Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, Basic Airborne Course, Jumpmaster Course, Pathfinder Course, Jungle Warfare School, Recruiting Management Course, Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Advance Noncommissioned Officer Course Basic Combat Training, and Advanced Individual Training for Infantryman.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with V (valor) device, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, U.S. Army Recruiter Badge (silver), Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab.
He is survived by his wife, Audra, stepson, Trenton and daughter Emily of Hope Mills, N.C. His mother, Anita Walton, of Boyd, Texas, also survives him.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA:
18A
Date KIA: 11 August 2005
Location: Tarin Khowt, Afghanistan
Action:
Capt. Jeremy A. Chandler was born on July 25, 1975, in Alabama. He was a Special Forces officer assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Chandler died August, 11, 2005, while he was preparing for combat operations near Tarin Khowt, Afghanistan. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism. This was his third deployment to Afghanistan.
A resident of Raeford, N.C., Chandler was commissioned in the Army immediately following graduation from North Georgia College in Dahlonega, Ga., in 1997. He majored in history.
He graduated from basic airborne and infantry officer training at Fort Benning, Ga., in 1998 and was assigned as an as an infantry officer with the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky. He deployed with the battalion to Kosovo in 2000 supporting Operation Joint Guardian.
In 2001, Chandler volunteered for Special Forces. He was selected for and later graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course. Upon completion of Arabic language training in 2003, he was assigned to 3rd SFG here. He earned his military free fall jumpmaster qualification in 2004. Military free fall is an advanced special operations skill.
Chandler's military education and schools include Basic Airborne Course, Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ranger Course, Armor Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms Services Staff School, Special Forces Qualification Course, Jumpmaster Course, Military Free Fall Course, Military Free Fall Jumpmaster Course, and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal for valor, three Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medal, two National Defense Service Medals, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Air Assault Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Master Free Fall Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Tab and Ranger Tab. His posthumous awards include the Bronze Star Medal for valor, Meritorious Service Medal, and Army Commendation Medal.
He is survived by his wife Wendy, of Raeford, N.C., his parents, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alan and Jonnie Chandler of Richmond Hill, Ga, and his sister, Alecia Chandler Wilder of Hanford, Ca.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 3rd Battalion
ODA:
180A
Date KIA: 11 October 2006
Location: Southern Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Chief Warrant Officer Two Scott W. Dyer was born on September 2, 1968, in Alexandria, Va. He was an assistant detachment commander assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He died October 11, 2006, from injuries sustained during combat operations in southern Afghanistan.
Dyer entered the Army in November 1987 from Titusville, Fla. as a cavalry scout. After an assignment to the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La., he moved to Fort Bragg, N.C., and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1994 as a Special Forces Engineer. Dyer was then assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group located at Fort Bragg. While at 3rd SFG, he participated in numerous deployments to Africa, Caribbean Islands, Haiti, and the Balkans. In 2002, he was reassigned to 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) and participated in deployments to Hungary, Macedonia, Czech Republic and one tour in Afghanistan. He graduated from Warrant Officer Candidate School in 2003 and was reassigned to the 3rd SFG in February 2004. Dyer deployed with his unit to Afghanistan in August 2006.
Awards: Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall Jumpmaster Badge, Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab.
Dyer is survived by his wife Jodi, son Casey, daughter Sidney, mother Sandra Miller and step-father Steve Miller of Tequesta, Fla., father Carl Dyer of Alexandria, Va., and sisters Tawnia Peterson of Orlando, Fla., and Dawn Hill of Rockledge, Fla.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 A
Date KIA: 29 May 2004 OEF
Location: Kandahar, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Capt. Daniel W. Eggers, 28, was a Special Forces detachment commander assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He was killed in Afghanistan on May 29, 2004 when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device near Kandahar.
Eggers was a native of Cape Coral, Fla., and was commissioned in May 1997 after graduation from The Citadel Military College of South Carolina where he majored in history. Following a deployment to Afghanistan in March 2003 with the 3rd SFG, he was assigned to Company A as a detachment commander.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
Eggers is survived by his wife, Rebecca, and their children John, 6, and William, 3. His parents, William and Margaret Eggers of Cape Coral, Fla., also survive him.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company B, 4th Battalion
ODA:
MOS: 18E
Date KIA: 26 April 2012 OEF
Location: Ghazni Province, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Staff Sgt. Brandon Forrest Eggleston, 29, of Raeford, N.C. died when his mobility platform struck an improvised explosive device during a patrol April 26, 2012 in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to Company B, 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C. and was deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. This was Staff Sgt. Eggleston's third deployment in support of Overseas Contingency Operations.
He attended West Carolina University and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 2006. Upon completion of basic training and advanced individual training, he attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in March 2009 and was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg as a SF Communications Sergeant. His military education also includes the U.S. Army Airborne School, Advanced Leaders Course, Warrior Leaders Course, Combatives Course Level 1, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course and the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat course.
Eggleston’s awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces tab.
He will be posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a third campaign star and the Combat Infantry Badge. Eggleston is survived by his wife, their two daughters, his mother and his sister.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 1st Battalion
ODA: 316
18 B
Date KIA: 8 August 2005
Location: Deh Afghan, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Chris was born on 24 September, 1982 in Boston, MA. He lived in Athens, Ohio from 1984 - 1990, when we moved to Littleton, Colorado. Chris attended Northridge Elementary School, Cresthill Middle School, and graduated from ThunderRidge High School in 2001.
On 25 October, 2001, Chris enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA for his Basic Training and his Advanced Infantry Training. He graduated AIT in March, 2002. He then attended Airborne School at Ft. Benning, before being assigned to Ft. Bragg, NC where was a member of the fourth class of the Special Operations Preparatory Course. In June 2002, he completed Special Forces Assessment and Selection, and was assigned to the Special Forces Qualification Course and graduated 21 May, 2003.
After finishing his Arabic Language course and SERE training, he was assigned to Operational Detachment -Alpha 316, Company A, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) as a Weapons Sergeant (18B). He was promoted to Staff Sergeant (SSG) on 1 November, 2004. His schooling in Special Forces included Blackwater Combat Marksmanship Course, Gryphon Group Force Protection Course, Mid-South Self Defense Institute, SFARTAETC, and his favorite course, the one he was most proud of, Special Operations Target Interdiction Course.
His first overseas deployment was in February, 2004 to Gereshk, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His second deployment was also to Afghanistan in June, 2005 and he was killed in action during the fifth of seven contacts in the 54 hour Battle of Mari Ghar in Afghanistan on 8 August, 2005 while saving the lives of his 10 teammates and 16 members of the Afghan National Army that were assigned to his team. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 22 August, 2005.
Awards: Silver Star , Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Special Forces Tab.
He is survived by his parents, Diane and Jeff Falkel, Littleton, CO, and his brother, Tim Falkel of Littleton, CO.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 B
Date KIA: 20 September 2004
Location: Shkin, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms
Staff Sgt. Robert S. Goodwin, 35, was a Special Forces weapons sergeant assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He was killed in action while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on Sept. 20, 2004, during a combat patrol near the town of Shkin in Afghanistan's Paktika province when his vehicle came under fire from enemy forces.
A native of Albany, Ga., Goodwin enlisted in the Army in March 1989 as a medical specialist. After completing medical and airborne training, he was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C., with assignment to the 44th Medical Brigade's 36th Medical Company, and later the 261st Area Support Medical Battalion. After deploying in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Goodwin later served in Alaska and retrained as an infantryman prior to being selected in 2001 to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Goodwin's military education includes the Special Forces Qualification Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Special Operations Target Interdiction Course, Jumpmaster Course and the Emergency Medical Technician Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Kuwaiti Liberation Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
Goodwin is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and his son, Mathew.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 3rd Battalion
ODA: 372
180A
Date KIA: 2 March 2002
Location: Gardez, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
CW2 Stanley L. Harriman was a Special Forces Warrant Officer assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group(Airborne). He was killed in action on 2 March 2002 while leading his convoy through the Shahi-Kot Valley, near Gardez, Afghanistan.
He was born on November 1, 1967, in Springfield, Missouri. Following his graduation from Strafford High School in 1986, he joined the Army, attending Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Following AIT he was awarded the MOS of 12B - Combat Engineer in the United States Army.
Harriman's initial assignment was with the 82nd Engineer Battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. It was here that he began his Airborne career. While serving with the 82nd, CW2 Harriman deployed in support of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Iraq, and Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti.
Following his six-year tour with the 82nd, he was reassigned to the 8th Armored Division in Germany where he served for a three-year tour. He departed Germany in 1991 to attend the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course and was then selected for the Special Forces Qualification Course.
Following graduation, he remained at Fort Bragg to serve with ODA 366, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). After spending 38 months on ODA 366, he left for Fort Rucker, Alabama to attend Warrant Officer Candidate School. In November of 1988, he pinned on the rank of Warrant Officer, attended the Warrant Officer Basic Course, and then returned to Fort Bragg the following year.
He was next assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) where he was a member of ODAs 375 and 372 within Company A. While serving with Company A, Harriman deployed in support of operations Joint Forge in Bosnia, Desert Spring in Kuwait, and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Harriman's military education includes Airborne school, Jumpmaster School, the Special Forces Qualification Course, the Anti-Terrorism Instructors Qualification Course, French and Spanish Language Training, the Survival, Escape, Resistance and Evasion Course, the Primary Leadership Development Course, the Basic Noncommissioned Officers Course, the Advanced Noncommissioned Officers Course, Warrant Officer Candidate School, and the Warrant Officer Basic Course.
Awards: Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal (2nd award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal (3rd Award), the Humanitarian Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon (3rd Award), the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Overseas Service Ribbon, the United Nations Medal, the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal, the Saudi Arabian Defense Medal, the Joint Service Unit Award, the Valorous Unit Award, the Army Superior Unit Award, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Special Forces Tab, and the Master Parachutist Badge.
Harriman is survived by his wife Sheila, and his children Darbi, Stanley, Christopher and Jessica.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 3rd Battalion
ODA:
18 A
Date KIA: 29 July 2010 OEF
Location: Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
CPT. Jason E. Holbrook, 28, died of wounds sustained from an IED blast during a combat reconnaissance patrol. He was a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha team leader assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in July 2010 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan. This was his second deployment.
Holbrook, a native of Burnet, Texas, was accepted to the United States Military Academy where he majored in Environmental Science. Capt. Holbrook's first assignment was as a Rifle Platoon Leader in Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 501st (Airborne) at Fort Richardson, Alaska. He served there for three years and deployed with the unit to Iraq between 2006 and 2007. Following his deployment he reported to Fort Benning, Ga.. to attend the Maneuver Captains Career Course and then Fort Bragg, N.C., to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course. Capt. Holbrook graduated the course on the 16th of April 2010 and reported to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group on the 27th of May.
Holbrook's military education includes the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course; Ranger Course; Basic Airborne Course; Infantry Officer Basic Course; Infantry Maneuver Captains Career Course and Special Forces Qualification Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Medal, Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, NATO Medal, and Meritorious Service Medal.
CPT. Holbrook is survived by his wife Heather Holbrook of Fayetteville, N.C.; mother and father Joan and James Holbrook of Burnet, Texas.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company B, 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 Z
Date KIA: 20 February 2009 OEF
Location: Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Master Sgt. David L. Hurt, 36, died of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device during a mounted combat reconnaissance patrol. He was a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha operations sergeant assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in January 2009 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan. This was his fifth deployment in support of the Global War on Terror.
Hurt, a native of Oak Park, Ill., volunteered for military service and entered the Army in November 1992, as a Combat Engineer trainee. After basic and advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., he was assigned to Co. C, 307th Engineer Bn., 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. from the rank of private to Staff Sgt. He then was assigned to Co. C, 37th Engineer Bn., 20th Engineer Brigade at Fort Bragg.
Hurt completed the Special Forces Assessment and Selection prior to being assigned to the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, N.C., in August 1999 for Special Forces training. He earned the coveted "Green Beret" in May 2000 and was assigned to 2nd Bn., 3rd SFG(A) at Fort Bragg, N.C., as a Special Forces engineer sergeant.
Hurt was then assigned to the USAJFKSWCS Non-Commissioned Officer Academy. He served as a Small Group Leader at the Basic Noncommissioned Officer and Warrior Leader Course from March 2005 to March 2008. Hurt returned to the 3rd Special Forces Group and was assigned to Co. B, 1st Bn., as an operations sergeant in March 2008.
Hurt's military education includes the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Sniper Course, Basic Airborne Course, Air Assault Course, Pathfinder Course, Ranger Course, Jumpmaster Course, Sapper Leader Course, Combat Life Savers Course, Special Forces Advanced Recon and Target Exploitation Course, Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Warrior Leaders Course, and Special Forces Qualification Course.
Awards: Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with one OLC, the Joint Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with a three OLC, Joint Achievement Medal, and Army Achievement Medal with four OLC, the Combat Infantry Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Sapper Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, Drivers Badge, the Valorous Unit Award, Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
Hurt is survived by his wife Kelly, daughter Avery and son Wyatt, all of Grays Creek, N.C.; mother Bonnie Hurt of Hope Mills, N.C. and father Joe Hurt of Memphis, Tenn.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 C
Date KIA: 29 August 2003
Location: Deh Chopan, Zabul Province, Afghanistan
Action: Accident - Fast Rope Infiltration
Sgt. 1st Class Mitchell A. Lane, 34, was a Special Forces engineer sergeant assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He died from injuries he suffered from a fall while conducting a fast rope infiltration from a helicopter during a night combat assault Aug. 29, 2003 near Deh Chopan in Afghanistan's Zabul province.
A native of California, Lane enlisted in the Army National Guard in May 1987. He later volunteered for active duty as a combat engineer in October 1991. He subsequently served in a number of engineer units at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., until he was selected for Special Forces training in 1995.
After completion of the Special Forces Qualification Course, Lane served in several assignments with the 3rd SFG.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Scuba Diver Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
Lane is survived by his wife, two children, his parents and three brothers.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment:Company B, 1st Battalion
ODA:
MOS:
Date KIA: 06 October 2012 OEF
Location: Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Action: Small Arms Fire
Staff Sgt.Justin C. Marquez, 25, of Aberdeen, N.C., died Oct. 6 of wounds received from small-arms fire in Wardak Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This was his first deployment in support of overseas contingency operations
Marquez enlisted in the Army in January 2009, completing his initial Infantry and Airborne training in June of that year. He was then stationed at Ft. Bragg and attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection. In February 2011, Marquez graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course and was assigned to the 1stBn., 3rd SFG (A).
His military education includes U.S. Army Airborne School, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape School, Advanced Leaders Course, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
His military awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on TerrorismService Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Parachutist Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
He is survived by his father, mother and brother.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 3rd Battalion
ODA: 3312
18 B
Date KIA: 25 January 2008
Location: Barikowt, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms
Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller, 24, was killed in action Jan. 25, 2008 while conducting combat operations near Barikowt, Afghanistan. He was a Special Forces weapons sergeant assigned to Co. A, 3rd Bn., 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
Staff Sgt. Miller was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by the President at the White House on Oct. 6, 2010. The Medal of Honor is the highest award bestowed an individual for acts of heroism. The award was presented to the family.
Miller was born on October 14, 1983 in Harrisburg, Penn. He grew up in Wheaton, IL where he attended Wheaton North High School. He attended one year at the University of Iowa and then volunteered for military service.
Miller enlisted as a Special Forces trainee in Iowa City, Iowa on Aug. 14, 2003. He graduated from Infantry Basic Training and Airborne School at Ft. Benning, Ga., Jan. 6, 2004. Miller graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course Sep. 26, 2004, and the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant Course Mar. 4, 2005. He received the Special Forces Tab and was promoted to Sgt. after graduating from the Special Operations French Language Training Course, Sep. 30, 2005. Miller was assigned to Co. A, 3rd Bn., 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ft. Bragg, N.C.
In 2006, Miller deployed with 3rd SFG (A) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, earning the Army Commendation Medal for valor for his display of courage. He was also promoted to the rank of Staff Sgt. In October 2007, he deployed for a second tour in Afghanistan, where he served as the Weapons Sergeant for his team.
His military training included: Warrior Leader Course; Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course; Basic Airborne Course; the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course; Special Forces Qualification Course; Special Forces Heavy Weapons Course; and the U.S. Army Ranger School.
Awards: Medal of Honor, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal for Valor, Army Good Conduct Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, Special Forces tab and Ranger tab.
Staff Sgt. Miller is survived by his parents, Philip and Maureen Miller, his brothers, Thomas, Martin and Edward, and his sisters, Joanna, Mary, Therese and Patricia, all from Oviedo, Fla.
www.army.mil/medalofhonor/miller
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 B
Date KIA: 29 May 2004
Location: Qalat, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Sgt. 1st Class Robert J. Mogensen was born on Feb. 17, 1978 in New York. He was a senior Special Forces weapons sergeant assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He was killed in Afghanistan on May 29, 2004 when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device near Kandahar.
Mogensen was a native of Leesville, La., and joined the Army in 1995. He completed basic infantry training and airborne training at Fort Benning, Ga., before being assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. After completing Special Forces training and French language training, he was assigned to 1st Bn., 3rd SFG in October 2000.
Awards: Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab.
Mogenson is survived by his wife, Tanya, and their children Joshua, 10, Vanessa, 6 and Leilani, 8 weeks. His mother, Roxanne Mogensen, and his father, William Mogensen, also survive him.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company B, 2nd Battalion
ODA: 354
18
Date KIA: 14 October 2007 OIF
Location: Baghdad, Iraq
Action: Hostile
Sgt. 1st Class Justin S. Monschke, 28, was killed in action on Oct. 14, while conducting combat operations in the South Baghdad Region of Arab Jabour while serving with ODA 354 of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in July 2007 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Arabian Peninsula. This was his second deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism and his first deployment to Iraq.
Monschke, a native of Denton, Texas, graduated from Krum High School in 1997. He enlisted in the Army on June 12, 1997 as an Airborne Infantryman. In 2002 he earned the coveted "Green Beret."
Monschke's military education includes the Advance Noncommissioned Officer Course; Special Forces Advance Recon Target Analysis and Exploitation Techniques Course; the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course; Basic Airborne Course; Jumpmaster Course; Emergency Medical Technician - Ambulance Course; Air Assault Course; Ranger Course; Warrior Leaders Course; Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course; Combat Lifesavers Course; Long Range Surveillance Leaders Course and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
Awards: Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, three Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, Army Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab, and the Special Forces Tab.
Monschke is survived by his wife, Melissa; daughter, Ashley; son, Ryan; and stepson, Dylan, of Lillington, N.C.; father, Larry Monschke, of Ft. Worth, Texas; and mother, Patty Jett, of Denton, Texas.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 3rd Battalion
ODA:
18
Date KIA: 22 March 2008 OEF
Location: Sperwan Ghar, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Staff Sgt. William R. Neil, Jr., 38, was killed in action when the vehicle he was riding in struck an improvised explosive device on March 22 near Sperwan Ghar, Afghanistan, while serving with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2007 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operation Task Force Afghanistan. This was his second deployment to Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terror.
Neil, a native of Holmdel, N.J., volunteered for military service and enlisted into the Army in Jan. 1998 as a supply specialist. His first duty assignment was with the 4 th Ranger Training Battalion at Ft. Benning, Ga., from Sept. 1998 through Oct. 2003. He later attended and graduated from Ranger School before attending the Special Forces Qualification Course. In 2006 he earned the coveted "Green Beret."
Neil's military education include; the Total Army Instructor Training Course, Warrior Leaders Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Ranger Course, and the Basic Airborne Course.
Awards: Army Commendation Medal, six Army Achievement Medals, Army Good Conduct Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Weapons Qualification Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, and the Parachutist Badge.
He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star, and Combat Infantry Badge.
Neil is survived by his parents William Sr., and Patricia, of Holmdel, N.J.; and sisters, Patricia, Barbara, and Veronica.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 E
Date KIA: 14 November 2006
Location: Baghdad, Iraq
Action: Hostile
Sgt. 1st Class Tung M. Nguyen, 38, a Special Forces communications sergeant assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, died Nov. 14, 2006, as a result of a gunshot wound during combat operations in Baghdad.
Nguyen was born in Cantho, Vietnam, became a U.S. citizen, and was raised in Tracy, Calif. He enlisted as an infantryman in 1986.
His first assignment was with Company A, 4th Bn., 22d Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii where he served for three years. He then left active duty and served with the Army Reserve in Sacramento, Calif.
In 1991, he reentered active duty, and served with 1st Bn., 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky., for one year before volunteering for Special Forces training.
Nguyen began his journey to become a Special Forces Soldier in 1992 and earned the coveted Green Beret when he graduated from the course in 1993. He was assigned to 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash., that year and served in all three combat battalions during his tenure there, first as a communications sergeant and then as an intelligence sergeant.
In 2003, Nguyen was chosen to become an instructor at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. He served in both instructor and operations positions, preparing Special Forces Soldiers for the rigors of combat, until February 2006 when he was assigned 3rd SFG where he served until his death.
Nguyen's military education also includes the Special Operations and Target Interdiction Course, Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance, Target Analysis and Exploitation Techniques Course, Warrior Leaders Course, Nuclear Hazards Training Course, Basic Airborne Course, Air Assault Course, Basic and Anti-Terrorism Instructor Courses, Basic and Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Courses and Combat Lifesaver Course.
Awards: Two Meritorious Service Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, six Army Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge, and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Iraq Campaign Medal, and Combat Infantryman Badge. He also was the winner of the 2006 Small Arms Championship Sniper Class competition, and the 2006 Joint Special Operations Command Small Arms Championship Pistol Class competition.
Nguyen is survived by his wife, Marcia of Raeford, N.C. He is also survived by his parents, Nguyen Van Tuan and Phan Cong Duc of Alameda, Calif.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 F
Date KIA: 15 November 2005
Location: Lawara, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Sgt. 1st Class James S. Ochsner, 36, a Special Forces intelligence sergeant assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, died Nov. 15, 2005, as a result of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device which detonated while Ochsner was riding in an Up-Armored Humvee near Lawara, Afghanistan. He was in the process of distributing supplies to local nationals at the time of the attack.
Ochsner, a resident of Hope Mills, N.C., enlisted as an artilleryman in 1987. His first assignment was with 2nd Bn., 14th Field Artillery in Bamburg, Germany where he served for three years.
Ochsner then reclassified as an infantryman and served in the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. where he participated in Operation Desert Storm and completed a tour in the Sinai Peninsula and South Korea before he volunteered as a Special Forces Soldier.
He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2001 and was assigned that year to 2nd Bn., 3rd SFG, as a Special Forces communications sergeant. In 2004, he graduated from the Special Forces Operations and Intelligence Course. He then returned to 2nd Bn., 3rd SFG and was serving on his fourth combat tour to Afghanistan as an SF intelligence sergeant upon his death.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal for valor, Army Commendation Medal for service, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Driver and Mechanic Badges, and the Special Forces Tab. His posthumous awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Purple Heart.
He is survived by his wife, Ann, his son, Nicholas, and daughter, Meagan of Hope Mills. His parents, Robert and Sandra, of Beach Park, Ill, also survive Ochsner.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 D
Date KIA: 20 September 2004
Location: Shkin, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms
Staff Sgt. Tony B. Olaes, 30, was a Special Forces medical sergeant assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He was killed in action while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on Sept. 20, 2004, during a combat patrol near the town of Shkin in Afghanistan's Paktika province when his vehicle came under fire from enemy forces.
A native of Walhalla, S.C., Olaes enlisted in the South Carolina Army National Guard in 1992 and trained to be a man-portable air-defense system crewmember. He left the military in May 1998 and in 1999 he re-entered the Army on active duty. Olaes trained at Fort Jackson, S.C., to be a multi-channel transmissions system operator-maintainer as was assigned to the 35th Signal Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Bragg.
He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2001 and was then assigned to the 3rd SFG.
Olaes' military education includes the Special Forces Qualification Course, Advanced Special Operations Techniques Course, Jumpmaster Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course and the Basic Airborne Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Medical Badge, Parachutist Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
Olaes is survived by his wife, Tammy, and their children, Maverick, McKenzie and Alec.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 C
Date KIA: 23 July 2005
Location: Qal'eh-Ye Gaz, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms
Sgt. Jason T. Palmerton was born on February 21, 1980 in Hamburg, Iowa. He was a detachment communications sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He died July 23, 2005, after he was fatally wounded while his patrol was ambushed in the vicinity of Qal'eh-Ye Gaz, Afghanistan.
Palmerton entered the Army in July 2002 as an infantryman. He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2004 and was then assigned to the 3 rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) in February 2005. Palmerton then deployed to Afghanistan in June 2005.
Awards: Army Commendation Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Basic Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces Tab.
NOTEHe was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Palmerton is survived by his mother Mrs. Denise K. Brown of Auburn, Neb., his father, Mr. Steve Palmerton and his sisters, Amanda and Beth.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company B, 1st Battalion
ODA:
Date KIA: 11 March 2013 OEF
Location: Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Action: Small Arms Fire
Captain Andrew Michael Pedersen-Keel, 28, of Madison, Conn., died Mar. 11, of wounds received from small-arms fire in Wardak Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pedersen-Keel was commissioned as an Infantry Officer after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy in 2006. After graduation he attended the Infantry Officer Basic Course and the U.S. Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Ga. Following his training, he was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division (Light) at Fort Hood, Texas.
In June 2008, Pedersen-Keel deployed to Afghanistan for 12 months with the 3rd BCT where he served as a company executive officer and platoon leader. Upon completion of the deployment, he volunteered for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. After completing the Special Forces Qualification Course and language training, he was assigned to the 1st Bn., 3rd SFG (A) as a detachment commander in August 2012. He deployed with the unit to Afghanistan later that year.
His military education includes U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S. Army Ranger School, Combat Lifesaver Course, Combatives Level I Course, Sniper Employment Leaders Course, Pathfinder Course, Maneuver Captain's Career Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, and the Special Forces Detachment Officer Qualification Course.
Pedersen-Keel's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2), the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Air Assault Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the Special Forces Tab.
He is survived by his parents and sister.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 E
Date KIA: 15 January 2014
Location: Parwan Province, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms Fire
Sgt. Daniel T. Lee, 28, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., died Jan. 15 of wounds received when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire while on dismounted patrol in Parwan Province, Afghanistan.
Lee enlisted as an infantryman in the U.S. Army in October 2007, completing his initial entry training at Fort Benning, Ga. His first assignment was with the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, at Fort Lewis, Wash. While serving as a scout with the 1st Cav. Reg., Lee deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009. Upon his return, Lee volunteered for Special Forces Assessment and Selection.
Lee started his Special Forces training in March 2011 and earned his Green Beret in 2012 when he graduated as a Special Forces Communication Sergeant. He arrived to the 2nd Bn., 3rd SFG (A), in August 2013 and was assigned to Company C and deployed shortly after in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan.
Lee’s military education includes Basic Combat Training, the Basic Airborne Course, the Warrior Leader’s Course, the Advanced Leader’s Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
Lee’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Basic Parachutist Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
He is survived by his wife, child and parents.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 4th Battalion
ODA: 18 E
Date KIA: 21 July 2012 OEF
Location: Ghazni Province, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Staff Sgt. Brandon Robert Pepper, 31, of Baltimore, M.D. died when insurgents attacked his patrol in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to Company B, 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. This was Pepper's second deployment in support of Overseas Contingency Operations.
He graduated from Kenwood High School in 1999 and enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in January 2000.
Upon completion of Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training, he was assigned to the 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Meade, Md., where he served as an intelligence analyst and deployed in March 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pepper entered Active Duty in 2008 and attended Infantry Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Ga. He was then assigned to the 101st Airborne Division as an Infantry squad leader.
In October 2009, Pepper graduated from the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course at Fort Bragg, N.C. He then completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2011 and was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg as an SF communications sergeant (18E).
His military education also includes the Basic Airborne Course, Advanced Leader's Course, Warrior Leader's Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
Staff Sgt. Pepper’s awards and decorations include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal with one oak-leaf cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Special Forces Tab, Expert
Pepper is survived by his spouse, brother and parents.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1st Battalion
ODA: 313
180A
Date KIA: 15 May 2004
Location: Musa Qalay, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Bruce E. Price, 37, a Special Forces assistant detachment commander assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) here, was fatally wounded when his vehicle was struck by small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire during the patrol.
Price, a resident of Fayetteville, N.C., enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1986. After serving in a number of assignments, including an overseas tour in Germany, he volunteered for and completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1992 as a Special Forces weapons sergeant. After earning his green beret, Price furthered his military education by completing the Air Movement Operations Course, the Jumpmaster Course and the U.S. Army Ranger Course.
Price became a warrant officer in 1998 after graduating from Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Ala., and the Special Forces Warrant Officer Basic Course at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He was assigned to the 3rd SFG on Nov. 21, 1998. He continued his service there with the group's 1st Battalion until his death, participating in one deployment to Kuwait in 2000 and three deployments to Afghanistan beginning in 2002.
His civilian education includes two years of general studies at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C.
Awards: Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the United Nations Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Ranger tab and the Special Forces tab.
Price is survived by his wife, Renate, and his son, Aidan.
Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Assignment: Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
ODA:
MOS: 18E
Date KIA: 06 October 2012 OEF
Location: Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Action: HOSTILE
Warrant Officer Joseph L. Schiro, 27, of Coral Springs, Fla., died Oct. 6 of wounds received from small-arms fire in Wardak Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This was his fifth combat deployment, and fourth to Afghanistan.
Schiro enlisted in the Army in June 2004 as an airborne infantryman. After completing his initial Infantry and Airborne training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 504 mth Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg. While with the 3rd Bn., Schiro deployed to Iraq for six months in 2006. Schiro volunteered for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection upon his return to Fort Bragg, and was selected to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course. He graduated in March 2008 and was assigned to the 1st Bn., 3rd SFG (A), as a Special Forces Communications Sergeant.
After serving on three deployments to Afghanistan with the 1st Bn., Schiro attended the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification Course. He graduated in May and was assigned as an assistant detachment commander in Company B.
His military education includes U.S. Army Airborne School, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape School, Warrior Leaders Course, Advanced Leaders Course, Modern Army Combatives Level One, Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant’s Course, Advanced Special Operations Techniques Course, Special Forces Warrant Officer Certification Course, Special Forces Detachment Leader’s Course, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
His military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2), the Army Commendation Medal (2), the Army Achievement Medal (2), the Army Good Conduct Medal (2), the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 3 Campaign Stars, the Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Campaign Stars, the Army Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Parachutist Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
He is survived by his wife, three children and parents.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 3rd Battalion
ODA: 3333
18 A
Date KIA: 29 May 2011 OEF
Location: Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Capt. Joseph W. Schultz died May 29 while on a mounted patrol when the vehicle he and his Special Forces team were traveling in struck an IED in the Wardak Province, Afghanistan. He was born March 20, 1975 and grew up in Sacramento, Calif. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 1997 and received his commission as an intelligence officer from Officer Candidate School in 2003.
His first assignment was to 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. He then served as the assistant battalion intelligence officer and as a rifle platoon leader in Company A, 1-504 PIR. Upon completion of his tour with the 1-504 PIR, he then went on to serve as the counterintelligence/human intelligence operations manager for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division; and later as the G-2 advisor, 10th Iraqi Army Division.
After completing Special Forces Selection and Assessment, he graduated from Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, N.C. Upon graduation and receiving his green beret, Schultz was assigned to Co. C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) where he served as the Detachment Commander of Special Forces Operational Detachment - Alpha 3333.
Schultz deployed in support of various operations across the globe, including: Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq and this deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with Company C.
His military education includes: the Military Intelligence Officer Course, Infantry Captain Career Course, Defense Strategic Debriefer Course, Airborne School, Ranger School, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal; Purple Heart; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Overseas Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Combat Infantryman Badge and Parachutists Badge. He also wore the Special Forces Tab and the Ranger Tab.
He is survived by wife Kelly; and his mother Betsy Reed Schultz of Port Angeles, Wash.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company B, 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 D
Date KIA: 13 February 2009 OEF
Location: Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms
Staff Sgt. Marc J. Small, 29, died of wounds sustained from enemy fire during a combat reconnaissance patrol. He was a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha team medical sergeant assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in January 2009 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan. This was his first deployment in support of the Global War on Terror.
Small, a native of Collegeville, Penn., volunteered for military service and entered the Army in December 2004 as a Special Forces trainee. After basic and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, N.C., in May 2005 for Special Forces training. His medical training was with John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Joint Special Operation Medical Training Center. He earned the coveted "Green Beret" in 2007 and was assigned to 1st Bn., 3rd SFG(A) at Fort Bragg, N.C., as a Special Forces medical sergeant.
Small's military education includes the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Sniper Course, Basic Airborne Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Warrior Leaders Course, and Special Forces Qualification Course.
Awards: Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Medal, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantry Badge and the Special Forces Tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal.
Small is survived by his mother mother and step father Mary and Peter MacFarland of Collegeville, Penn.; father and stepmother - Murray and Karen Small of Mechanicsburg, Penn.; his siblings Matt Small, Megan MacFarland, Heather Wellock, Jennifer MacFarland; Travis and Tyler Baney; and his fiancé, Amanda Charney.
Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan
Assignment: Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
ODA:
MOS: 18D
Date KIA: 28 September 2012 OEF
Location: Wardak Province, Afghanistan
Action: HOSTILE
Sgt. 1st Class Riley G. Stephens, 39, of Tolar, Texas, died Sept. 28 of wounds received from small-arms fire in Wardak Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Stephens enlisted as an infantryman in the U.S. Army in 1993. Upon completion of his initial training, he was assigned to 1st Bn., 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, at Fort Campbell, Ky. There he served as a Squad Automatic Weapon Gunner, Radio-Telephone Operator and Team Leader with Company B. His next assignment was with the 1st Bn., 17th Inf. Reg., Fort Wainwright, Alaska, where he served as a Scout Section Leader.
Stephens volunteered for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in March 2005. Upon earning his Special Forces tab, he reported to the 1st Bn., 3rd SFG (A) as a Special Forces medical sergeant. He served on five separate deployments to Afghanistan with the 1st Bn.
His military education includes U.S. Army Air Assault School, U.S. Army Airborne School, Warrior Leaders Course, Advanced Leaders Course, Senior Leaders Course, Hostage Negotiation Course, Advanced Cardiac Life Support Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course, Special Operations Target Interdiction Course, U.S. Army Ranger School and the Special Forces Qualification Course.<\p>
Stephens' military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, two Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device, four Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon Military, the Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, the NATO Medal, Air Assault Badge, the Basic Parachutist Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Special Forces Tab.<\p>
He is survived by his wife, three children and father.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company A, 3rd Battalion
ODA:
18 E
Date KIA: 30 October 2003
Location: Musa, Qalax, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Staff Sgt. Paul A. Sweeney was a Special Forces communications sergeant assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He was killed Oct. 30, 2003 when his unit was ambushed while on patrol north of Musa, Qalax in Afghanistan.
In September 2000, he attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course and went on to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course, completing the Special Forces Communications Sergeant's Course in 2001.
Before joining Special Forces, Sweeney was assigned as a Bradley fighting vehicle crewmember at Fort Lewis, Wash., camps Casey and Humphreys in the Republic of Korea and Fort Hood, Texas.
His military education includes the Primary Leadership Development, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, and the Basic Airborne Course.
Awards: Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the Special Forces tab.
Sweeney is survived by his wife, Kristen, and two sons, Ryan and Sean. His father, Thomas Sweeney, lives in Kissimmee, Fla., and his mother, Janet Bowen, resides in Lakeville, Pa.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 3rd Battalion
ODA: 3334
18 A
Date KIA: 29 January 2010 OEF
Location: Afghanistan
Action:
CPT David J. Thompson, 39, died Jan. 29, 2010, in Afghanistan while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Thompson was commander of Operational Detachment Alpha 3334, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and held that position since January 2009. This was Thompson's third deployment in support of OEF.
He also served in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti as well as multiple state humanitarian assistance deployments with the North Carolina National Guard.
He enlisted in 1989 and attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, S.C. He then went on to attend Advanced Individual Training as a radio operator at Fort Gordon, S.C. Early in his career, Thompson served as a radio telephone operator and team chief for the Regimental Signal Detachment, 75th Ranger Regiment and subsequently, communications sergeant for the Regimental Reconnaissance Detachment with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga.
From 1995 to 1998, he served in Alaska as a rifle squad leader and platoon sergeant with 1st Bn., 501st Parachute Infantry Regt. He later served as a staff noncommissioned officer with the Command Operations Center, U.S. Army Alaska. While attending East Carolina University, from January 1999 to May 2002, he served with the 514th Military Police Company (North Carolina Army National guard).
In May 2002, Thompson completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from ECU and was commissioned as a chemical officer. Following his Officer Basic Course, he was assigned to 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y., as the division chemical logistics officer. In March 2003 he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment and served as a battle captain and rifle platoon leader during Operation Enduring Freedom. From June 2004 to November 2005 he served as the battalion adjutant and rear detachment commander.
From August 2008 to December 2008 he served as executive officer for Company C, 3rd Bn., 3rd SFG (A) and held that position until taking command of ODA 3334 in January 2009.
Thompson's military education consists of the U.S. Army Airborne School, Ranger school, Free Fall Parachutist course, Basic Military Mountaineering course and the Chemical Officer Basic course.
Awards: Bronze Star medal with "V" device, Army Commendation medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall Jumpmaster Badge, Ranger Tab.
Thompson is survived by his wife, Emily, their two daughters, Isabelle and Abigail of Pinehurst, N.C, parents Charles and Freida Thompson of Hinton, Okla., and sister Alisa Mueller.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company B, 4th Battalion
ODA: 18 E
Date KIA: Died Aug. 8 of wounds inflicted from small-arms fire on July 31
Location: Shindand Province, Afghanistan
Action: Small-Arms Fire
Master Sgt. Gregory R. Trent, 38, of Norton, Mass., died Aug. 8 of wounds inflicted from small-arms fire July 31, in Shindand Province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to Company B, 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This was Trent's fifth deployment in support of Overseas Contingency Operations.
He enlisted as an artilleryman in the U.S. Army in August 1998. Upon completion of his initial training, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment. He was next assigned to Italy, where he served as a howitzer section chief and deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq.
In 2006, Trent volunteered for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. Following his completion of the Special Forces Qualification Course in August 2007, he reported to the 1st Bn., 3rd SFG(A) as a Special Forces communications sergeant.
During his time with 1st Battalion. Trent deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in 2009. He was then assigned to the 4th Bn., 3rd SFG(A), where he served as a communications sergeant in the with Co. B. He deployed with 4th Bn., in April 2010 for four months and recently returned to Afghanistan with the battalion in January 2012.
His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, U.S. Army Combatives Course, Warrior Leader's Course, Advanced Leader's Course, Senior Leader's Course, Equal Opportunity Leaders Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Military Free Fall School, Jumpmaster School, Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant Course, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
Trent’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, four Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, three Afghanistan Campaign Medals, two Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, four Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, five Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbons, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Special Forces tab.
He is survived by his wife, daughter, parents and brother.
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 D
Date KIA: 12 June 2002 OEF
Location: Gardez, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Sgt. 1st Class Peter Tycz was born in Cheektowaga, NY and graduated from Tonowanda High School in June 1988.
He began his career as a Fire Support Specialist when he enlisted in and served in the active-duty Army from 1988-1990. He transitioned to the Army Reserve, where he served three years before coming back on active duty in 1993. In 1997, he completed the Special Forces Qualification Course and was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
SFC Tyzc' military education includes the Fire Support Specialist Course, Basic Airborne Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, the Special Operations Medical Sergeant Course, Spanish and French Language School, Dive Medical Technician School, the Primary Leadership Development Course and the Basic and Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course. His civilian education includes the Emergency Medical Technician Course, the Basic Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support Course, and the Advanced Trauma Life Support Course.
Awards: Bronze Star for valor, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters), Good Conduct Medal (with 4th award), National Defense Service Medal (with star), Southwest Asia Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal. He also earned the Combat Medical Badge, the Special Forces Tab, the Parachutist Badge and Dominican Republic Jump Wings.
SFC Peter Tycz is survived by his wife Tami and their five children: Felicia (10), Faith (7), Tiffany (5), Samantha (3) and Elizabeth (1).
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 1st Battalion
ODA:
18 D
Date KIA: 29 July 2010 OEF
Location: Kabul Province, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - IED
Staff Sgt. Kyle R. Warren, 28, died of wounds sustained from an IED blast during a combat reconnaissance patrol. He was a Special Forces Operational Detachment-Alpha team medical sergeant assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in July 2010 as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan. This was his second deployment.
Warren, a native of Huntington Beach, Calif., volunteered for military service and entered the Army in October 2004 as a Special Forces trainee.
After basic and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, N.C., in May 2005 for Special Forces training. His medical training was with John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at the Joint Special Operation Medical Training Center. He earned the coveted "Green Beret" in 2007 and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd SFG (A) at Fort Bragg, as a Special Forces medical sergeant.
Warren's military education includes the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course; Basic Airborne Course; Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course; Warrior Leaders Course; Special Forces Qualification Course; Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course and Military Freefall Course.
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Army Achievement Medal; Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, Military Freefall Parachutist badge, Combat Infantry Badge and the Special Forces Tab.
He was posthumously awarded a second Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, The NATO Medal, and Meritorious Service Medal.
Warren is survived by his wife Sandra Warren of Hope Mills, N.C.; mother Lynn Warren of Bedford, N.H. and father Del Warren of Long Beach, Calif.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 3rd Battalion
ODA:
18 Z
Date KIA: 19 November 2005
Location: Shkin, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile
Master Sergeant Anthony Ray Charles Yost, 39, a Special Forces Operational Detachment - Alpha Team sergeant assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C., died Nov. 19, 2005, as a result of an explosion which occurred inside a building in Mosul. Yost and other Soldiers were searching a building for insurgents. During their search, an explosion occurred and the building collapsed. Yost was killed by the blast.
Yost was born in Oklahoma and reared in Flint, Mich. He enlisted in the Army in 1987.
His assignments included tours in South Korea, Fort Lewis, Wash., and Fort Bliss, Tex. prior his training and service as a special forces Soldier.
Yost graduated the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1993 and was assigned that year to 2nd Bn., 10th SFG at Fort Carson, Co., as an SF weapons sergeant. After serving eight years in 10th SFG, Yost was assigned in 2001 to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, N.C., where he served as a senior SF weapons instructor. In March 2005, Yost was assigned to 3rd Bn., 3rd SFG and served there as an Operational Detachment - Alpha team sergeant until his death.
Awards: Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medals (6), Army Achievement Medals (6), the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Military Freefall Master Parachutist Badge, the Driver and Mechanic Badges and the Special Forces Tab. His posthumous awards include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
He is survived by his wife, Joann, and his children Donovan, Cheyenne, Anthony.
7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: 1stBn., 3rd SFG (A)
ODA:
18 E
Date KIA: 23 October 2010 OEF
Location: Wardak province, Afghanistan.
Action: Hostile
Chief Warrant Officer 2, Michael Stephen Duskin, 42, of Orange Park, Fla., died Oct. 23, 2012, of wounds received from small-arms fire in Wardak province, Afghanistan.
He was assigned to Company A, 1stBattalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Duskin enlisted as a forward observer in the U.S. Army in 1993. After completion of his initial training, at the Basic Airborne Course, he was assigned to the 3rd Bn., 75thRanger Regiment. After serving three years with the 75thRanger Regtiment, Duskin left active duty and later joined the Florida National Guard. He attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in August 1998. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the 3rdBn., 20th SFG (A) as a Special Forces engineer sergeant.
In 2001, Duskin was mobilized to active duty and deployed with the 2ndBn., 3rd SFG (A). After the deployment he returned to active duty and remained a member of the unit. He served with the 2nd Bn. for more than five years, deploying fourtimes before being assigned to the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School as an instructor. While serving as an instructor, he attended the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification Course, graduating in May 2010. He was then assigned to the 1stBn., 3rd SFG (A) as an assistant detachment commander in Company A. This was his second deployment to Afghanistan in that position.
His military education includesBasic Airborne Course, Warrior Leader Course, Advanced Leader Course,Jungle Operations Training Course, Special Forces Qualification Course, Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course, Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Analysis and Exploitation TechniquesCourse, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course (SERE), Special Operations Target Interdiction Course, Jumpmaster Course, Warrant Officer Basic Course and the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification Course.
Duskin's military awards and decorations include two Bronze Star Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Commendation Medal, three Army Commendation Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, two National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, two Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, the Army Service Ribbon, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Basic ParachutistBadge, and the Special Forces Tab.
He was posthumously awarded another Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal and Meritorious Service Medal.
3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Assignment: Company C, 2nd Battalion
ODA:
18 C
Date KIA: 12 Febuary 2014
Location: Kapisa Province, Afghanistan
Action: Hostile - Small Arms Fire
Sgt. 1st Class Roberto C. Skelt, Jr., 41, of York, Fla., died Feb. 12, 2014, of wounds received from small-arms fire in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan.
Skelt was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan.
Skelt enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 1990 as a signal support systems specialist. He completed initial entry training at Fort Jackson, S.C., followed by advanced individual training at Fort Gordon, Ga. He went on to serve at several duty stations in the United States and overseas.
In 2005, he graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course as a Special Forces engineer sergeant and was assigned to Co. A, 2nd Battalion, 3rd SFG (A), deploying with them twice to Afghanistan and once to Yemen.
Skelt went on to serve at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School and the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (A), Fort Bragg. Upon successfully completing those assignments, he was recently reassigned to 3rd SFG (A).
Skelt’s military education includes the Special Forces Qualification Course, the Senior Leader Course, the Physical Surveillance Course, the Basic Airborne Course, the Signal Support Systems Course, and Basic Combat Training.
Skelt’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (3rd Oak Leaf Cluster), the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Commendation Medal (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Achievement Medal (4th Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Good Conduct Medal (4th Award), the National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), the Kosovo Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (3rd Award), the Overseas Service Ribbon (4th Award), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal (2nd Award), the Special Forces Tab, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.
He is survived by his wife and two sons, his parents, a brother and two sisters.
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