Army Cpt. Anthony R. Garcia

Remember Our Heroes

Army Cpt. Anthony R. Garcia, 48, of Fort Worth, Texas,

Cpt. Garcia died in Tikrit, Iraq, on Feb. 17, from a gun shot wound. Garcia was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Leaf Chronicle -- A Fort Campbell soldier killed in Iraq last week is being remembered by his family as someone who was into being healthy, had a strong work ethic and loved his family.

Post officials Monday announced the death of Capt. Anthony R. Garcia, 48, of Texas. Garcia, a physician assistant assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Aviation Brigade, was the first person from the brigade to die in Iraq since the division deployed in September.

Garcia's wife, Doris, described her husband of 20 years as an "awesome guy" who was into running and weight-lifting. Most importantly, she said, he was very much into his family.

"He really was such a family man. He loved his kids and doing stuff together. We'll just miss him so much," she said.

Monico Garcia, Capt. Garcia's father, said his son was a "normal boy" who participated in Boy Scouts and Little League baseball as a child. His father said he worked while he was in high school and was determined to go to college.

"That was his thing — higher education, to get a job and pay enough for the things he wanted and needed," Mr. Garcia said from his home in Hudson Oaks, Texas. "He was work-oriented to get the things he wanted. He was a happy person. He liked to kid people a lot and do fun things."

Post officials Monday did not say whether Garcia's injuries were combat-related, nor did they release any details about the nature of his injuries. Cathy Grambling, a spokeswoman for Fort Campbell, confirmed Garcia was shot on a military base in Tikrit on Friday.

"It's currently under investigation. Until that's completed, I can't answer that," said Fort Campbell spokesman Maj. Chris Belcher.

Capt. Garcia joined the Army in August 1989 and arrived at Fort Campbell in June 2001. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Ranger Tab, Scuba Diver Badge, Special Forces Tab, Soutwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

In addition to his wife and father, Capt. Garcia is survived by his daughter, Kelly, and son, Garrick, both of Clarksville; his mother, JoAnn Garcia, of Hudson Oaks; two sisters, Monica Ann Schnidman and Lisa Gail Shriver; and a brother, Gregory J. Garcia.

Army Cpt. Anthony R. Garcia was killed in action on 02/17/06.