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| Sergeant First Class Bobby L. Estle and Private First Class Jose O. Belmontes
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DOD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
They died July 28 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from enemy, small arms fire. These soldiers were assigned to the 630th Engineer Company, 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, Fort Drum, N.Y.
Killed were:
Sgt. 1st Class Bobby L. Estle, 38, of Lebanon, Ohio, and
Pfc. Jose Oscar Belmontes, 28, of La Verne, Calif.
For more information pertaining to this release, please contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at 315-772-7267.
Fort Drum (WSYR-TV) - Two Fort Drum soldiers serving in Afghanistan were killed on Saturday when their unit was attacked by small arms fire.
Sergeant First Class Bobby L. Estle, 38, of Lebanon, Ohio, a combat engineer and
Private First Class Jose O. Belmontes, 28, of La Verne, California, a construction engineer, were killed.
Both men were serving with the 630th Engineer Company, 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade were killed in Wardak Province.
Fort Drum provided the following profiles of the soldiers:
Estle joined the Army in March 1993. After training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Fort Jackson, South Carolina and arrived at Fort Drum in January 2010. Estle deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003 to June 2004 and November 2005 to November 2006. He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in February 2010 to July 2010. Estle deployed with his unit in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2011.
Estle's awards and decorations include: the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, seven Army Achievement Medals, the Navy Achievement Medal, five Army Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two stars, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, three Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbons, the Army Service Ribbon, four Overseas Service Ribbons, the NATO Medal, the Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, the Combat Action Badge, the Pathfinder Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Marksmanship Qualification Badge, and the Sapper Tab. He also completed the Route Reconnaissance Clearance Leadership course, the Master Fitness Trainer Course, the Senior Leadership course, the Combatives Level 1 course, the Drill Sergeant School, the Pathfinder course, the Battle Staff course, the Rappel Master course, the Advance Leadership course, the Defense Hazardous Materials course, the Manager Development course, the Supervisor Development program, the Warrior Leadership course, the Air Assault course, the Sapper Leader course, and the Combat Life Savers course.
Estle is survived by his wife, three children, mother and stepfather.
Belmontes joined the Army in February 2011. After training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he arrived at Fort Drum in July 2011. He deployed with his unit in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2011.
Belmontes' awards and decorations include: the Purple Heart, the Army Achievement Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one star, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon and the Combat Action Badge.
Belmontes is survived by his wife, mother and father.
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