Jim's Military News: Fort Bliss

Showing posts with label Fort Bliss. Show all posts

Saturday, May 18, 2013

5/17/13: R.I.P. - Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey C. Baker, Spc. Mitchell K. Daehling, Spc. William J. Gilbert

5/18/2013 02:34:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Army Casualties

            The Department of Defense announced today the death three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died May 14, in Sanjaray, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device.

            Killed were:

            Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey C. Baker, 29, of Hesperia, Calif., assigned to 766th Ordnance Company, 63rd Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group, Fort Stewart, Ga.

            Spc. Mitchell K. Daehling, 24, of Dalton, Mass., and

            Spc. William J. Gilbert, 24, of Hacienda Heights, Calif., both assigned to 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            For more information pertaining to Sgt 1st Class Baker media may contact the Fort Stewart public affairs office at 912-210-9375.

            For more information pertaining to Spc. Daehling and Spc. Gilbert media may contact the Fort Bliss public affairs office at 915-472-0287.

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Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey C. Baker, 29, of Hesperia, Calif., assigned to 766th Ordnance Company, 63rd Ordnance Battalion, 52nd Ordnance Group, Fort Stewart, Ga. He died May 14, in Sanjaray, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. Baker joined the Army in October 2004. He was on his second deployment. His awards include the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals, both posthumous.

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Spc. William J. Gilbert, 24, of Hacienda Heights, Calif., assigned to 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. He died May 14, in Sanjaray, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Will was a student/athlete at La Serna High School where he graduated in 2007. He was a pitcher on the varsity baseball team for four years and also played football. Spc Gilbert was an Infantryman who entered the Army from Los Angeles, August 2010. He received Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He arrived at Fort Bliss, his first permanent duty station, in January 2011. His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. He is survived by his spouse. This was his first combat tour.

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Spc. Mitchell K. Daehling, 24, of Dalton, Mass., assigned to 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. He died May 14, in Sanjaray, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Spc Daehling was an Infantryman who entered the Army from Boston, September 2010. He received Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He arrived at Fort Bliss, his first duty station, in January 2011. Daehling’ awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal. He is survived by his spouse. This was his first combat tour.

R.I.P. - 1Lt. Brandon J. Landrum, SSgt. Francis G. Phillips IV, Spc. Kevin Cardoza, Spc. Thomas P. Murach, Spc. Brandon J. Prescott

5/07/2013 01:26:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Army Casualties

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of five soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died May 4, in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when their vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36thInfantry, 1stBrigade Combat Team, 1stArmored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            Killed were:

                        1stLt. Brandon J. Landrum, 26, of Lawton, Okla.,

                        Staff Sgt. Francis G. Phillips IV, 28, of Meridian, N.Y.,

                         Spc. Kevin Cardoza, 19, of Mercedes, Texas,

                         Spc. Thomas P. Murach, 22, of Meridian, Idaho, and

                         Spc. Brandon J. Prescott, 24, of Bend, Ore.

             For more information please contact the Fort Bliss public affairs office at 915-472-0287.

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1st Lt. Brandon J. Landrum, 26, of Lawton, Okla., died May 4, in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. After graduating from Cameron University with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry Branch. He enlisted in the Army on 10 November 2005 and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from December 2008 through August 2009. Upon receiving his commission on May 2011, he graduated the Infantry Basic Officer Leaders Course and Airborne School. First Lt Landrum arrived to Fort Bliss, Texas, in January 2012, where he assumed the leadership of a Rifle Platoon in Company A, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment until September 2012. In September 2012, he was selected above his peers to be the Reconnaissance Platoon Leader and in December 2012, he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the Afghan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the NATO Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

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Staff Sgt. Francis G. Phillips IV, 28, of Meridian, N.Y., died May 4, in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. Frankie enlisted in the Army on 29 April 2004 in Syracuse, New York. He attended the fourteen-week long Infantry Training Course and Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. Staff Sergeant Phillips’ first duty assignment was to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where on 16 August 2004, he was assigned to 3/504 Infantry Battalion as a Gunner. In September 2005, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In January 2007, he served in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom for fifteen months. In August 2009, he returned to Afghanistan as a Section Leader for twelve months. Staff Sergeant Phillips completed Ranger School in January 2011 prior to arriving at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment and was immediately selected to be a Team Leader in the Reconnaissance Platoon. He deployed in December 2012 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor, the Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the Afghan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the NATO Medal, Expert Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
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Spc. Kevin Cardoza, 19, of Mercedes, Texas died May 4, in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. He graduated from Edinburg High School in June 2011. Specialist Cardoza enlisted in the Army on 12 July 2011. He attended the fourteen-week long Infantry Training Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. Specialist Cardoza’s first duty assignment was Fort Bliss, Texas where he was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment. One month later he was selected to be a member of the Reconnaissance Platoon. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as the driver for his Platoon Leader. Specialist Cardoza’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the NATO Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
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Spc. Thomas P. Murach, 22, of Meridian, Idaho died May 4, in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. He graduated from High School in Meridian, Idaho, in 2008. Specialist Murach enlisted in the Army on 24 August 2010. He attended the fourteen-week long Infantry Training Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. Specialist Murach’s first duty assignment was Fort Bliss, Texas, where he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment and was selected to be a member of the Reconnaissance Platoon as a Sniper. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as the Senior Sniper for his Platoon. Specialist Murach’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the NATO Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Specialist Murach is survived by his mother, and his brother.
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Spc. Brandon J. Prescott, 24, of Bend, Ore., died May 4, in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. He attended the fourteen-week long Infantry Training Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. Specialist Prescott’s first duty assignment was Fort Bliss, Texas, where he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment as a member of the Reconnaissance Platoon. Shortly after arriving to Fort Bliss, he set himself apart from his peers in the platoon and was assigned as the Assistant Team Leader. He deployed to Afghanistan on 12 December 2012 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the NATO Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

DOD Identifies Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

10/03/2012 12:50:00 AM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

            The Department of Defense today identified two major units to deploy as part of the upcoming rotation of forces operating in Afghanistan. The scheduled rotation involves one armored brigade combat team with roughly 1,390 personnel -- and one combat aviation brigade with roughly 1,700 personnel to rotate in winter 2012. The deploying units include:

            Brigade Combat Team:

            4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

            Combat Aviation Brigade:

            1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            DoD will continue to announce major deployments as they are approved. For information on the respective deployments, contact the 1st Cavalry Division public affairs office at 254-287-9400 and the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 915-744-8406.

Combat Aviation Brigade,1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss

English: 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

DOD Identifies Units For Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

8/24/2012 11:42:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Units For Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

             The Department of Defense today identified three major units to deploy as part of the upcoming rotation of forces operating in Afghanistan. The scheduled rotation involves three brigade combat teams (BCT) -- one Infantry brigade combat team with roughly 2,800 personnel; one armored brigade combat team with roughly 4,000 personnel and one infantry brigade combat team with roughly 2,870 personnel -- to rotate in winter 2012. The deploying units include:

            Brigade Combat Teams:

            1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

            1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

            DoD will continue to announce major deployments as they are approved. For information on the respective deployments, contact the following: 1st IBCT, 101st Abn. Div. (Air Assault), contact the 101st Abn. Div. (Air Assault) public affairs officer at 270-798-9962. 1st ABCT, 1st Armored Div., contact the 1st Armored Div. public affairs officer at 915-744-8406. 2nd IBCT, 10th Mtn. Div., contact the 10th Mtn. Div. public affairs officer at 315-772-7634.

R.I.P. - SSgt.Seija, Spc.Alecksen, Spc.Williams, Pfc.Adkins, Pfc.Pardo, Pfc.Stambaugh

7/14/2012 10:59:00 AM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Army Casualties
            The Department of Defense announced today the death of six soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died July 8, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 978th Military Police Company, 93rd Military Police Battalion, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            Killed were:

            Staff Sgt. Ricardo Seija, 31, of Tampa, Fla.,

            Spc. Erica P. Alecksen, 21, of Eatonton, Ga.,

            Spc. Clarence Williams III, 23, of Brooksville, Fla.,

            Pfc. Trevor B. Adkins, 21, of Spring Lake, N.C.,

            Pfc. Alejandro J. Pardo, 21, of Porterville, Calif., and

            Pfc. Cameron J. Stambaugh, 20, of Spring Grove, Pa.

            For more information the media may contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 915-203-3769 and 254-371-5704.

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R.I.P. - 1st Lt. Stephen C. Prasnicki, Sgt. James L. Skalberg Jr.

6/30/2012 11:25:00 AM SgtJim 5 comments, check it!

DOD Identifies Army Casualties
            The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died June 27, in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

            Killed were:

            1st Lt. Stephen C. Prasnicki, 24, of Lexington, Va., assigned to 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany, and

            Sgt. James L. Skalberg Jr., 25, of Cullman, Ala., assigned to 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            For more information on Prasnicki, media may contact the U.S. Army Europe in Heidelberg, Germany, public affairs office at 011 49 6221-57-8628.

            For more information on Skalberg, media may contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 254-371-5704.

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1st Lt. Stephen C. Prasnicki, 24, of Lexington, Va., was assigned to 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Warner Barracks, Bamberg, Germany.

Prasnicki was a highly recruited high school athlete and played football at West Point, serving as a backup quarterback and playing at free safety as a senior.

He had just arrived in Afghanistan Sunday.

He leaves behind his wife, Emily, his parents and siblings.

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Sgt. James L. Skalberg Jr., 25, of Cullman, Ala., was assigned to 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

After graduating from Nishna Valley High School in 2005, Skalberg played football at Peru State College in Nebraska before enlisting in the Army in February 2007. His first duty station was in Germany, according to the Iowa National Guard.

As a soldier, Skalberg earned many awards and qualifications including the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Badge and the Air Assault Badge.

He has been posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

Skalberg and his wife, Jessica, met as teenagers. Their son, Carter, is nearing his first birthday.

R.I.P. - Pfc. Leroy Deronde III

6/03/2012 02:48:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died May 27, in Chak-E Wardak District, Afghanistan, when their unit was attacked by enemy forces.

            Killed were:

            Spc. Kedith L. Jacobs, 21, of Denver, Colo, and

            Pfc. Leroy Deronde III, 22, Jersey City, New Jersey.

            Spc. Jacobs was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            Pfc. Deronde was assigned to F Company, 125th Brigade Support Battalion attached to 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            For more information related to this release, media may contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 915-744-8406 or 915-203-3769.

            CORRECTION: June, 2, 2012; no. 457-12: The unit for Spc. Jacobs was corrected to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. The unit for Pfc. Deronde was corrected to F Company, 125th Brigade Support Battalion attached to 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

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from nj.com:

By Julia Terruso and Richard Khavkine/The Star-Ledger

JERSEY CITY — Army Pfc. LeRoy DeRonde III was coming into his own, distancing himself from a hard-luck childhood and stepping up to take care of his family.

The 22-year-old Jersey City man saw the military as a way to do that, his family said, in a plan that began to form eight years ago when his mother, Elizabeth, died of cancer. Her absence shook the family’s foundation and then profoundly galvanized her eldest son.

"He realized he was going to put the family on his shoulders. The military was his calling to do that financially," DeRonde’s cousin, Jason Owen, said last night outside the soldier’s family’s apartment on West Side Avenue. "From the time he decided that it was full steam ahead."

But DeRonde was one of two soldiers killed on May 27 when their unit was attacked in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense said today. DeRonde, assigned to the 125th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss Texas, died in the Wardak District in central Afghanistan.

DeRonde is at least the 44th service member with ties to New Jersey to be killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001. An additional 102 service members from New Jersey have died in Iraq since 2003.

"His life didn’t take hold until he was 22," said Owen, who noted DeRonde sent monthly checks home. "He was really taking the reins, he was ascending. The real tragedy here is from an upbringing that wasn’t so good he was working ... to help his family and to better himself."

DeRonde was born and raised in the city’s Bergen neighborhood. As a child, he kept mostly to himself.

His father, Leroy DeRonde Jr., said he loved playing PlayStation 3 with his brother, Harold, who is now 17.

"The two were inseparable," DeRonde’s father said. He added that since his son’s deployment a year ago, they would talk using the online video chat service Skype.

"If he wasn’t on, my hands would shake," he said. "It’s a terrible thing."

Through the years, and in DeRonde’s short life, the tight-knit family has known both the fear of loss and tragedy.

At 5, Harold was diagnosed with leukemia and given three weeks to live. The family went to Disney World on a Make-A-Wish vacation. It was the only real vacation they ever took together, Leroy DeRonde Jr. said. By luck, Harold survived.

But when their mother died, DeRonde made a plan that required groundwork. He got his GED and then 15 college credits, both of which were required before he could join the Army, which he did in January 2011.

DeRonde, his family said, was kind of person who, when he figured out where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do, nothing could stop him.

After basic training, DeRonde’s family saw him off at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. — as one of a handful of graduates to have been immediately promoted to a Private E2.

"He’d been so quiet, but he knew everyone, they knew his name," his half-sister, Jennifer Owen, said. "In six months, he really came out of his shell."

Funeral arrangements are pending.

R.I.P. - Spc. Kedith L. Jacobs

6/03/2012 02:47:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Army Casualties

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died May 27, in Chak-E Wardak District, Afghanistan, when their unit was attacked by enemy forces.

            Killed were:

            Spc. Kedith L. Jacobs, 21, of Denver, Colo, and

            Pfc. Leroy Deronde III, 22, Jersey City, New Jersey.

            Spc. Jacobs was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            Pfc. Deronde was assigned to F Company, 125th Brigade Support Battalion attached to 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            For more information related to this release, media may contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 915-744-8406 or 915-203-3769.

            CORRECTION: June, 2, 2012; no. 457-12: The unit for Spc. Jacobs was corrected to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. The unit for Pfc. Deronde was corrected to F Company, 125th Brigade Support Battalion attached to 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

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from denverpost.com:

A Denver man was among two soldiers killed in Afghanistan last weekend , the U.S. Department of Defense announced today.

Spc. Kedith L. Jacobs, 21, was supporting Operation Eduring Freedom when his unit was attacked by enemy forces on May 27. Pfc. Leroy Deronde, 22 of Jersey City, N.J., was also killed in the attack.

Jacobs was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Both soldiers were deployed with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division in eastern Afghanistan. The brigade deployed about 3,500 soldiers from Fort Bliss in October and will return to Texas this month . The brigade is conducting combat operations and advising Afghan security forces.
There were 36 U.S. military casualties in Afghanistan in May, marking the deadliest month for American forces so far in 2012.

The American soldiers' death toll in May brought the total U.S. fatalities since the war started in October 2001 to 1,881, including 124 this year.

About 60 Fort Bliss soldiers have died in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Middle East.

Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss commanding general, issued a statement of condolence late Saturday:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and fellow Soldiers of Spc. Jacobs and Pfc. Deronde during this difficult time," he said. "Team Bliss and the 1st Armored Division will never forget these two outstanding Iron Soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during combat in Afghanistan."

Read more: Denver soldier killed in Afghanistan - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_20768753#ixzz1wjXKf83s

R.I.P. - Staff Sgt. Roberto Loeza

6/01/2012 06:33:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Staff Sgt. Roberto Loeza, 28, of El Paso, Texas, died May 25 in Charkh, Logar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            For more information please contact 1st Armored Division Public Affairs Office at 915-203-3769.

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from kfoxtv.com:

FORT BLISS, Texas — The Department of Defense announced the death of a Fort Bliss soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Roberto Loeza, 28, of El Paso, died May 25 in Charkh, Logar province, Afghanistan. The department said enemy forces attacked his unit with indirect fire.

Loeza was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

“1st Armored Division and Team Bliss lost an outstanding Soldier this past weekend; we are keeping Staff Sgt. Loeza’s Family, friends and fellow Soldiers in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time," stated Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, commanding general, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss. "Keep all of our Servicemembers in your prayers and remember freedom is definitely not free," he added.

Loeza, was an Infantryman (MOS 11B) who entered the Army in June 2002. He was previously stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., Fort Bragg, NC, and Los Angeles Recruiting Battalion. His military education includes Airborne, Combat Lifesaver’s Course, Warrior Leader Course, Army Recruiter, Advance Leader Course, Combatives Level II, Airload Planners, Unit Movement Officers Course, and the Air Assault Course.

Eden’s awards and decorations include the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal with two Awards, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, six Certificates of Achievement, US Army Basic Recruiter Badge-Silver with three Gold Achievement Stars, US Army Basic Recruiter Badge-Gold with three Sapphire Achievement Stars, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Driver and Mechanic Badge-Driver for Wheeled Vehicles, and the Marksmanship Qualification Badge-Expert with Rifle.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

A memorial ceremony in honor of this fallen Soldier will be coordinated and announced at a later date.

R.I.P. - Staff Sgt. Israel P. Nuanes

5/16/2012 05:21:00 PM SgtJim 1 comment, your thoughts are welcome too

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Staff Sgt. Israel P. Nuanes, 38, of Las Cruces, N.M., died May 12, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained during an enemy attack with an improvised explosive device.

            Nuanes was assigned to 741st Ordnance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas, part of the 84th Ordnance Battalion, 71st Ordnance Group.

            For more information related to this release, media may contact the 1st Armored Division public affairs office at 915-744-8498 or 915-744-8406.

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5/15/2012 - A U.S. Army carry team transfers the remains of Army Staff Sgt. Israel P. Nuanes, of Las Cruces, N.M., at Dover Air Force Base, Del., May 15, 2012. Nuanes was assigned to the 741st Ordnance Company, EOD, Fort Bliss, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Roland Balik)

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from lcsun-news.com:

LAS CRUCES - The U.S. Department of Devense has confirmed the passing of U.S. Staff Sgt. Israel P. Nuanes of Las Cruces who was serving in Afghanistan.

Nuanes, 38, of Las Cruces died May 12, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained during an enemy attack with an improvised explosive device, according to the DOD.

Nuanes served in the 741st Ordnance Company, 84th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion, 71st Ordnance Group, of Fort Bliss, Texas.

"I extend my deepest sympathies and prayers for the family and friends of Staff Sergeant Nuanes," said Congressman Steve Pearce in a news release. "My heart goes out to his family and to the families of our fallen heroes across the nation. We will never forget the sacrifice he made to defend our nation and preserve our freedoms. His admirable service to our nation and his dedication to preserving liberty will long be remembered in New Mexico and across the U.S."

R.I.P. - Spc. Jason K. Edens

4/27/2012 08:40:00 PM SgtJim 1 comment, your thoughts are welcome too

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            Spc. Jason K. Edens, 22, of Franklin, Tenn., died April 26, in Bethesda, Md., of wounds sustained April 15, in Laghman province, Afghanistan, when the enemy attacked his unit with small arms fire.

            Edens was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

            For more information related to this release, media may contact the First Armored Division public affairs office at 915- 744-8406 or 915-744-8492, or via blackberry at 915- 203-3769 or 915-781-3143.

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NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder respectfully announce the loss of Tennessee soldier, Specialist Jason K. Edens of Franklin.

Edens died on April 26, in Bethesda, Maryland from wounds he sustained during an enemy attack on his unit in Laghman province in Afghanistan on April 15. The 22-year old Williamson County native was an Infantryman assigned to 1^st Squadron, 13^th Calvary Regiment, 3^rd Brigade Combat Team, 1^st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

“The state of Tennessee joins the Edens family in mourning the loss of Jason,” Haslam said. “We also offer our condolences to all who knew Jason, grew up with him in Franklin and served with him in the United States Army.”

Edens graduated from Franklin High School in 2007 and enlisted in the Army in January 2009.
Edens is survived by his wife Ashley Edens of Elizabethton, his mother Janet Crane of Phoenix City, Alabama and his father James Edens of Franklin.

“He was a hero,” Ashley Edens said while describing her husband.
“Our sympathy goes out to the family of Specialist Jason Edens as they mourn during this difficult time of loss,” Grinder said. “I join Tennesseans in remembering the ultimate sacrifice of Specialist Edens and we are committed to honor our fallen Tennessee heroes.”

Edens will posthumously receive the Tennessee Fallen Heroes Medal during a private service. Arrangements are pending; however, the Edens family expressed a desire for privacy for Spc. Edens’ funeral and burial.

Spc. Edens previously received the Purple Heart, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge.

from bluecollarmuse

R.I.P. - Spc. James E. Dutton

4/02/2012 11:17:00 AM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

                 The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

                Spc. James E. Dutton, 25, of Checotah, Okla., died March 31, in Logar province, Afghanistan.

                 Dutton was assigned to the 125th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

                 For more information related to this release, the media may contact the First Armored Division public affairs office at 915-744-8406 or on Blackberry at 915-203-3769.

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Spc. James E. Dutton, 25, died in the Logar province. Additional details about his death were not released.

Dutton was assigned to the 125th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas.

“His name is U.S. Army Specialist James Dutton, he's from Checotah, Okla., and he fixes fire trucks. There's more. He's the only service member in Southern Afghanistan that can fix fire trucks, and if that's not enough, he even goes to some places in Western Afghanistan to fix them,” according to a Feb. 15, 2010, post on the Department of Defense Live blog.

Dutton was a 2006 graduate of Weleetka High School, and he graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C., according to a November 2006 story in the Muskogee Phoenix.

Dutton is the son of James and Trina Dutton, of Checotah, and brother of Roxanne Dutton Gibson, of Weleetka, the newspaper reported.

from NewsOK

R.I.P. - Spc. Edward J. Acosta

3/09/2012 11:56:00 AM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

            The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Edward J. Acosta, 21, of Hesperia, Calif., died March 5, in La Jolla, Calif., of injuries sustained Dec. 3, 2011, when his vehicle was struck by an improvised-explosive device in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

Acosta was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

For more information related to this release, media may contact the First Armored Division Public Affairs office at 915-744-8406 or 915- 203-3769.
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Acosta enlisted in August 2008, trained as a combat medic, deployed to Korea in 2009 and was promoted in 2010.
He deployed to Afghanistan in October and earned awards including Purple Heart and combat medical badge...

R.I.P. - Pfc. Cesar Cortez

2/14/2012 12:32:00 AM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

   The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Cesar Cortez, 24, of Oceanside, Calif., died Feb. 11, in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Cortez was assigned to 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Fort Bliss, Texas.

For more information, the media may contact the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command public affairs office at 915-568-3328.

CORRECTION: Feb. 13, 2011 -- The theater of operations is corrected from United States Mission Iraq to Operation Enduring Freedom.

R.I.P. - Pfc. Neil I. Turner

1/13/2012 06:37:00 PM SgtJim No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

   The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
   Pfc. Neil I. Turner, 21, of Tacoma, Wash., died Jan. 11, in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.
   For more information media may contact the First Armored Division public affairs at 915-744-8406/915-203-3769 or at dennis.r.swanson4.mil@mail.mil .