Army Spc. Kevin S. Mowl

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Army Spc. Kevin S. Mowl, 22, of Pittsford, N.Y.

Spc. Mowl was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Feb. 25, 2008 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., of wounds sustained in Baghdad, Iraq, on Aug. 2, 2007, when the vehicle he was in encountered an improvised explosive device.

Soldier dies 6 months after being hurt in Iraq
The Associated Press

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — A western New York soldier wounded six months ago in an explosion in Iraq has died in a military hospital in Maryland.

Army Spc. Kevin Mowl of the Rochester suburb of Pittsford was 22 when he died Monday at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda.

Mowl suffered multiple broken bones and a head injury Aug. 2 when a roadside bomb flipped his vehicle in Baghdad. Three others died, and 11 soldiers and an interpreter were injured.

President Bush presented Mowl with a Purple Heart and a Presidential Medallion at the hospital in December.

Mowl recently suffered a serious infection after part of his feeding tube broke and perforated his intestines.

Since Mowl was injured, his family has kept a Web page chronicling his recovery. The page, which received more than 70,000 visits in six months, will include funeral plans once they are made.

Mowl was sent to Iraq in June 2006 and patrolled with Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Army Spc. Kevin S. Mowl died 2/25/08 from injuries sustained 8/2/07.





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Army Spc. Micheal E. Phillips

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Army Spc. Micheal E. Phillips, 19, of Ardmore, Okla.

Spc. Phillips was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Air Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 24, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

KTEN -- A 19-year-old Ardmore soldier is killed in Iraq. PFC Micheal Phillips graduated from high school in Ardmore.

He has two brothers and a sister who also attend school there. Monday, grief counselors were at the high school to talk with students.

Staff members and students spent the day grieving the death of Phillips, who they say was dedicated and honorable.

Phillips was killed last week, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The military notified his family over the weekend.

Phillips joined the military out of high school and friends say he joined to fight for his friends, family and country.

Ardmore H.S. Assistant Principal Jake Falvey says, "Last year, I got a letter from him talking about his commitment to what he was going and he had found his place in life. The Phillips are a wonderful family and this affects everybody in the community."

Counselor Donnell Cox says, "When an actual crisis happens, we are on call to come to a school and assist the counselors and principal on how to facilitate kids."

Army Spc. Micheal E. Phillips was killed in action on 2/24/08.

Army Spc. Orlando A. Perez

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Army Spc. Orlando A. Perez, 23, of Houston

Spc. Perez was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany; died Feb. 24, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds sustained from small arms fire during dismounted operations.

VILSECK, Germany — Spc. Orlando A. Perez was a loving son, a faithful husband, a loyal friend and a brave infantryman who hoped to attend college and start a family when he got home.

Perez was killed in action Sunday in Baghdad. His unit, the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment held a memorial service for him Friday.

“How lucky we were to know and serve with Tony Perez,” said Lt. Col. Tom Rickard, the regiment’s rear detachment commander.

Perez was born Dec. 10, 1984, in Houston. He enlisted in the Army on Aug. 25, 2005, joined the Strykers in Fort Lewis, Wash., and moved to Vilseck, Germany, with the unit.

“Spc. Perez participated in numerous ranges, live-fire exercises and situational training exercises (in Germany),” according to the program for the ceremony.

Capt. Raul Vasquez, the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cav Rear Detachment commander, had teary eyes as he stood in the rain outside the chapel after the ceremony. During the ceremony he said he was experiencing the same emotions he felt at ceremonies for two other fallen Strykers, Sgt. 1st Class Randy Lewis Johnson and Spc. Avealao Milo.

Johnson, 34, of Washington, died Sept. 27, 2007, in Baghdad when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle and Milo, 23, of American Samoa, was killed Oct. 4, 2007, when he and his fellow soldiers came under small-arms fire.

Vasquez said the best word to describe Perez was “friend.”

“He was looking to go to college and start a family when he came back from Iraq,” he said.

Perez used rest and recuperation leave from Iraq to spend a week with his mother, Nicolasa Arevalo, in New York and a week with his wife, April, in Texas, Vasquez said during the ceremony.

“Tony never let April forget his perpetual love for her,” he said.

On the battlefield Perez was the first to clear rooms, he said.

“Why [did Perez die] at the young age of 23? Why after only seven months of marriage? Why before [having] … children,” Vasquez asked.

However, Perez accomplished his primary mission in life, Vasquez said. “Your mother is proud, and April knows you are her immortal love,” he said.

Perez is also survived by a brother, Edward Marta, and a sister, Angelica Marta, according to the program.

Army Spc. Orlando A. Perez was killed in action on 2/24/08.

Army Spc. Keisha M. Morgan

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Army Spc. Keisha M. Morgan, 25, of Washington, D.C.

Spc. Morgan was assigned to the Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 22, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq, of a non-combat-related cause.

WTOP News -- A District family is honoring an Army soldier, graduate of Wilson High School, who died while serving in Iraq.

The military says 25-year-old Spc. Keisha Marie Morgan died Feb. 22 in Baghdad of a non-combat related cause. The circumstances of her death are under investigation. "Everytime people would see Keisha Morgan, they'd always see her with a smile." Everytime Diana Morgan reads an email from her daughter Keisha's best friend in Iraq, she says she cries. Morgan was found by her best friend Ruby on the floor of their Baghdad barracks.

"She had a seizure, but was responsive." A short time later, she died. Autopsy results so far are inconclusive; a mystery that is now haunting Diana Morgan.

Nevertheless, she remembers her beautiful 25-year-old daughter as a happy, bright young woman who loved her country and loved being a soldier.

"I think she learned to be a better person in the Army." Even though her daughter didn't die in combat, Diana Morgan still sees Keisha as a hero who served her country well.

"She was a hero before she died. I'm really going to miss her. I feel like my heart's been broken since she's been gone."

Morgan was assigned to the Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.

Army Spc. Keisha M. Morgan died of non-combat causes on 2/22/08.

Marine Lance Cpl. Drew W. Weaver

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Marine Lance Cpl. Drew W. Weaver, 20, of St. Charles, Mo.

LCpl. Weaver was assigned to the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died Feb. 21, 2008 in Al Anbar, Iraq, while conducting combat operations.

KSDK -- Students and faculty at St. Charles West High School mourned the loss of a recent graduate. On Friday, word came that Lance Corporal Drew Weaver had been killed in action, serving his country in Iraq.

Weaver graduated just three years ago and was voted 'Best Eyes' in his senior year book.

According to Assistant Principal Scott Voekl, Weaver always supported his friends in whatever they did.

"As an easy going young man, as a young man who loved life, loved seeking out adventure, when it came to life and enjoying himself, and everybody here at St. Charles West and in our community will miss him," said Voekl.

As for his own plans, Voelkl remembers as Weaver searched for what he would do after high school.

Just before graduation, Weaver made up his mind to join the Marine Corps. Voelkl remembers the young man running on Zumbehl Road in the morning before school, preparing himself for boot camp.

Some students at St. Charles West knew Weaver, and school administrators plan on having counselors on hand when school reopens on Monday.

No announcements have been made about services for Weaver.

St. Charles Journal - An icy wind blew across the tarmac at Lambert International Airport Wednesday morning — a sharp greeting for one of St. Charles’ fallen. Reporters from TV stations and an honor guard of aging bikers and their families stood behind a fence shivering while a Marine sergeant prepared to read a statement from the grieving family.

Lance Cpl. Drew Weaver was 20 years old when an insurgent’s bullet took his life Thursday."On behalf of all of Drew’s family, we would like to thank all the Marine Corps, all of his classmates, friends, fellow veterans and the community for the support that has been given to our family during this great loss," Sgt. Casey Fulton read. "We consider our son a hero and we are so proud of his dedication and sacrifice that he has given to our country. He will be greatly missed."

According to Fulton, Weaver was patrolling the streets in the Al Anbar province with members of C Company 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion when Iraqi gunmen fired upon his unit.

"Drew Weaver was fatally shot while engaging the enemy," Fulton said. "……… He gave the ultimate sacrifice."

Fulton said he could not release the name of the city because of ongoing military operations.

Patrolling the streets of Iraqi communities is part of the standard routine for Marines in Iraq. Fulton said the patrols ensure there is a visible presence and are instrumental in keeping the peace.

"It’s something that has to be done," he said. "We are out there looking for caches of weapons or insurgent leaders and just keeping the place relatively safe. Unfortunately, this happens."

A light snow began to fall as Weaver’s plane pulled in. His brother Navy Petty Officer Jeff Weaver and his best friend Marine Cpl. Ryan Hanson were on the plane escorting Weaver’s remains.

The two were joined by a Marine Corps honor guard and pall bearers who carried the casket to the waiting hearse and by Weaver’s friends and family members who had come to claim Weaver’s remains.

Hanson and Weaver joined the Marines together on the buddy program, Fulton said.

"They came in together and did basic together before being shipped off to their duty stations," he said. "Cpl. Hanson was stationed in Okinawa and pulled from duty so he could escort his best friend home."

Weaver, a graduate of St. Charles West High School, is remembered for his positive attitude and sense of humor and dedication to his country.

"I knew him," Mayor Patti York said Wednesday. "He was a friend of my daughters — really a nice young man. He knew everyone and his death is very close to everybody’s heart. It’s been a long time since anyone from St. Charles has died in combat — it’s still pretty raw. We are doing everything we can for the family. I can’t talk about it without crying. We are very proud of him and his family. Our hearts go out to he family and all his friends."

York ordered flags flown at half-staff in St. Charles until services are concluded Friday.

Prior to joining the Marines, Weaver worked at Jiffy Lube on Zumbehl Road in St. Charles with April Meierotto, 20, of St. Charles.

Meierotto said she felt grateful to have known Weaver when he was alive.

"He was the best kid anyone could ever want," Meierotto said. "He was always there for anybody, and he made the shop a lot of fun."

Erynn Yount, 22, of St. Charles was two years ahead of Weaver at St. Cletus Catholic School.

Yount said she was shocked when she saw news of his death on television.

"He was that sweet little kid who was so laid-back and played soccer and baseball with my brother," Yount said.

Visitation is scheduled from 2-8 p.m. Thursday at Baue Funeral and Memorial Center, 3950 W. Clay St. in St. Charles. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Cletus Catholic Church, 2705 Zumbehl Road.

Weaver’s body will be buried in St. Charles Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations may be sent to the LCpl Drew Weaver Fund c/o Baue Funeral Home, 3950 W. Clay St., St. Charles, MO 63301.

The United States enters its fifth year of combat in Iraq next month. The Department of Defense reports there have been 3,972 U.S. service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan and 29,080 soldiers wounded. Seventy-four Missourians have died in the two countries; Weaver was the third this month.

"We’ve done this too many times. It never gets any easier," Fulton said. "Any time a Marine is lost, we’ve lost a brother. It gets to your heart."

Marine Lance Cpl. Drew W. Weaver was killed in action on 2/21/08.

Army Spc. Micheal B. Matlock, Jr.

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Spc. Micheal B. Matlock, Jr., 21, of Glen Burnie, Md.

Spc. Matlock was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. died Feb. 20, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device in Baghdad on Feb. 19.

Baltimore Sun -- A Glen Burnie soldier was one of three men killed in Iraq this week after their vehicle hit a roadside bomb, the Pentagon said yesterday.

Spc. Micheal B. Matlock Jr., 21, an infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division, died Wednesday from wounds suffered when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Baghdad, where the soldiers were responsible for security.

Also fatally injured in the Tuesday explosion were Sgt. Conrad Alvarez, 22, of Big Spring, Texas, and Cpl. Albert Bitton, 20, of Chicago.

Matlock was raised by his mother, Sheena Douglas, and his stepfather, Ronald Douglas, in Glen Burnie. His biological father, Micheal Matlock Sr., lives in North Carolina.

A year ago, Micheal Matlock Jr. married Breon Summers, his high-school sweetheart. The couple have one child, Byron, 1. Family members reached last night declined to comment.

Neighbors in the Cohansey Court townhouse community where Matlock grew up described him as a happy and responsible child, who often helped his stepfather with landscaping jobs he did on the side for elderly neighbors. Matlock also loved to play basketball.

"My heart goes out to Ron," said Kelly Gross, who is close to Matlock's stepfather. "He loved that boy, he loved him. Words cannot say... the devastation, the devastation."

Gross last saw Matlock about two weeks ago, when he came home for a visit. Matlock, he said, was in good spirits, and planning for his future: He even bought a gray Ford Explorer.

"It's not fair, it's really not fair," Gross said. "I'll be so glad when this war in Iraq is over."

Matlock joined the Army in 2006 and arrived in Fort Campbell, Ky., just four months later. Shortly afterward, he shipped out to Iraq as a member of a combat team responsible for security in the northwest part of the Iraqi capital.

Matlock's company has run counterinsurgency operations, such as joint patrols with Iraqi forces, in an effort to weed out insurgents, according to an article in the base newspaper.

Earlier this month, soldiers in Matlock's company captured a suspected Iranian-trained "special groups" criminal cell leader in Baghdad. On Feb. 10, the military reported that the company detained the alleged cell leader during a raid. The cell leader is believed to have been involved in IED and small-arms attacks against coalition and Iraqi security forces. The brigade had been in Iraq before, returning from a deployment to south Baghdad in September 2006.

Matlock's awards and decorations include: National Defense Service Medal; Iraqi Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; and Weapons Qualification, M4, expert.

A memorial service for the slain soldiers will be held in Iraq. Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance Ceremony the second Wednesday of each month.

Spc. Micheal B. Matlock, Jr., was killed in action on 2/20/08.

Army Cpl. Albert Bitton

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Army Cpl. Albert Bitton, 20, of Chicago

Cpl. Bitton was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. died Feb. 20, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device in Baghdad on Feb. 19.

ABC Local -- CHICAGO (WLS) -- A soldier from Chicago has been killed while serving in Iraq. Twenty-year-old Albert Bitton was killed in Baghdad on Tuesday when his Humvee was hit by an explosive device.

Bitton served as a medic in Iraq. He joined the Army so he could receive financial help for medical school.

There were major changes in Albert Bitton's life last fall. He was married in August and was scheduled to head out to Iraq in October. But, before that trip he visited his former high school in uniform, where he talked about his plans to return one day and become a doctor.

Friends and family are sharing their memories of the 20-year-old, a medic in the Army, who died Tuesday in Baghdad.

"Going and being a medic was something he believed in. It was something that was going to contribute to his future," said Tal Kohn, Bitton's friend.

Those close to Bitton say he saw the Army as a way to gain the training and financial help to someday become a surgeon. The West Rogers Park native joined the Army in December of 2005 after finishing high school at Ida Crown Jewish Academy.

While there, Bitton got good grades, mostly A's, joined the wrestling team and he met the woman who would later become his wife. They married last fall before Bitton left for Iraq.

"I'm still not used to the fact I'm not gonna talk to him. My immediate reflex is to remember these things for the next time he calls," said Melissa Handleman, wife.

Bitton was scheduled to return home in January of next year. He kept in touch with his family and friends via e-mail. "Towards the end, a lot of his friends said the emails coming from Iraq said he was having a tougher time; he put on a good face for his parents," said Rabbi Leonard Matanky, Ida Crown Jewish Academy.

On Tuesday, Bitton was killed when the Humvee he was in hit an improvised explosive device. His family says Bitton joined the Army not just for medical experience but because he was a patriot.

"He liked his country, he loved his country very much," said Elie Bitton, father.

Albert's father Elie and mother Sylvia have received condolences from friends as far away as Israel and Alaska. His body is expected to return to Chciago sometime his weekend and his funeral is planned for early next week.

Army Cpl. Albert Bitton was killed in action on 2/20/08.

Army Staff Sgt. Bryant W. Mackey

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Army Staff Sgt. Bryant W. Mackey, 30, of Eureka, Kan.

SSgt. Mackey was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 20, 2008 in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds sustained when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle.

KWCH -- Another Kansas soldier has died in Iraq. The Pentagon says 30-year-old Staff Sgt. Bryant Mackey died after a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle.

People close to Mackey say he was funny, a team-player who was dedicated to both his family and his country. They say he was well aware of the dangers of war but was proud to be a soldier.

Waylon Stitt and Kelly Ebberts both graduated with Mackey from Hamilton High School in 1996. SSgt. Mackey joined the U.S. Army just before September 11th and was on his second tour of duty in Iraq. The first time he was injured by gunfire, but his friends say that wasn't about to scare him away from serving his country.

"We graduated with 17 people in our class," says Stitts. "It was the biggest class in 28 years, and with a class so small you can just imagine how big our hearts were for each other."

Ebberts says, "When you hear about it happening on TV and then it's someone that you know, went to school with, palled around with, that's when it hits your heart."

SSgt. Mackey leaves behind a wife and three small children who have been living in the Hamilton area during his second tour in Iraq.

Army Staff Sgt. Bryant W. Mackey was killed in action on 2/20/08.

Army Capt. Nathan R. Raudenbush

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Army Capt. Nathan R. Raudenbush, 25, of Earl Township, Pa.

Capt. Raudenbush was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; died Feb. 20, 2008 in Busayefi, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

Family: Fort Stewart soldier killed in Iraq
The Associated Press

DOUGLASSVILLE, Pa. — Family members say a Fort Stewart, Ga., solider has been killed in Iraq.

Relatives say 26-year-old Army 1st Lt. Nathan Raudenbush was killed Feb. 20 afternoon in southern Baghdad. He was patrolling in a Humvee destroyed by a roadside bomb. Two other soldiers were injured.

Raudenbush was the son of Brian and Mary Raudenbush of Earl Township. He was a 2001 graduate of Spring-Ford High School in Royersford, Montgomery County.

Brian Raudenbush says his son was a longtime member of the Boy Scouts of America, and enjoyed distance running and golf. He is survived his wife, Casey, and their 20-month-old son, Jackson, of Port Wentworth, Ga.

Pa. soldier killed in Iraq posthumously promoted
The Associated Press

DOUGLASSVILLE, Pa. — A soldier from Pennsylvania who was killed in Iraq has been posthumously promoted.

Capt. Nathan Raudenbush was killed Feb. 20 in southern Baghdad when the Humvee he was in was destroyed by a roadside bomb. Two other soldiers were injured in the blast.

The 25-year-old Raudenbush was an Army first lieutenant at the time of his death. He was later elevated to captain.

“That is Army policy for anyone who is promotable,” Kevin Larson, spokesman for Fort Stewart, Ga., where Raudenbush was stationed, said Feb. 25.

Raudenbush was a 2001 graduate of Spring-Ford High School in Royersford. He was a longtime member of the Boys Scouts of America and enjoyed distance running and golf, according to his family. He joined the ROTC as a freshman at Widener University.

His father, Brian, said one reason his son signed up for ROTC was because he was inspired to help his country following the September 2001 terrorist attacks.

“We called his class the Class of 9/11,” said Lt. Col. Robert Sewall, professor of military science at Widener and commander of the ROTC Freedom Battalion.

“He was a very good cadet,” Sewall said. “I always thought he had a great command presence about him. He was an excellent mentor of the more junior cadets.”

Raudenbush’s father said his son was a bit scared about the dangers of his deployment, but secure in his training.

“He was ready to do this for his country,” Brian Raudenbush said.

Raudenbush was a tank commander with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, according to the Defense Department. He was deployed to Iraq in September.

Raudenbush is survived his wife, Casey, and their 20-month-old son, Jackson, of Port Wentworth, Ga.

Army Capt. Nathan R. Raudenbush was killed in action on 2/20/08.

Army Sgt. Conrad Alvarez

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Army Sgt. Conrad Alvarez, 22, of Big Spring, Texas

Sgt. Alvarez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 20, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device on Feb. 19. Also killed were Cpl. Albert Bitton and Spc. Micheal B. Matlock Jr.

Houston Chronicle -- DALLAS — A West Texas soldier was one of three killed in Iraq from injuries suffered in an explosion this week, the Pentagon said.

Sgt. Conrad Alvarez, 22, of Big Spring, Texas, died Wednesday, a day after being injured when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device in Baghdad.

His colleagues, Cpl. Albert Bitton, 20, of Chicago, and Spec. Micheal B. Matlock Jr., 21, of Glen Burniem, Md., also died.

All three were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Alvarez entered the Army in March 2005 and arrived at Fort Campbell in August 2005.

Alvarez's body has been flown back to the United States for funeral services, said family spokesman the Rev. Joel Miller of Big Spring. He said he did not have funeral details yet.
Alvarez was the second Roscoe High School graduate to die in Iraq recently. Last month, Army Staff Sgt. Wayne Jeffries, 37, was killed after his convoy was hit by a bomb.

Alvarez was an infantryman assigned to A Co., 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. He entered the Army in March 2005 and arrived at Fort Campbell in August 2005.

He is survived by his wife, Maria, of Oak Grove, Ky.; daughters, Celeste and Alyssa, of Swee*censored*er; father, Arthur, whose address is unknown; and mother, Belinda Garcia, of Big Spring, according to the Fort Campbell news release.

Relatives could not be reached for comment Friday.

Miller said the family was in shock after learning of Alvarez's death Wednesday morning from Army officials. He said the family has already lost one relative to the war. Alvarez's sister, Christina, was married to Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, a buddy from his platoon who was abducted and decapitated by al-Qaida in 2006 in Iraq.

Alvarez's awards and decorations include: Army Commendation Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Iraqi Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Combat Infantry Badge; and Weapons Qualification, M4, expert.

Alvarez attended Roscoe High School, where he played football and was "one of the best punt returners I've ever seen," said Wes Williams, the high school's athletic director. He said Alvarez was an outgoing person who regularly stayed in touch after he graduated in November 2003.

Alvarez graduated from the Hobbs alternative high school, in which several school districts, including Roscoe, participated.

Roscoe High School Principal Frank Young remembers Alvarez as a "good guy" who had some problems, which led him to the alternative high school, but that he turned his life around.

Williams said Alvarez was the kind of person people would meet and like immediately.

"I always looked forward to having him come by because he was such a very magnetic personality," he said. "... He always had such a great heart."

The two kept in touch by e-mail, and Alvarez enjoyed keeping up with the Plowboys football team. The two visited in person between the soldier's tours of duty to Iraq.

"He was proud to serve," Williams said.

Alvarez called him just before he left on his latest tour to Iraq. Williams said his spirits were high, and he talked of becoming a military recruiter.

Williams was notified by a relative of his death Wednesday.

"That news hurt pretty bad," he said, adding, "I was sure proud of that kid. He had really done well in the military."

Army Sgt. Conrad Alvarez was killed in action on 2/20/08.

Army Spc. Chad D. Groepper

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Army Spc. Chad D. Groepper, 21, of Kingsley, Iowa

Spc. Groepper was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Feb. 17, 2008 in Diyala, Iraq, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his dismounted patrol using small arms fire. Also killed was Spc. Luke S. Runyan.

Army identifies 2 Fort Lewis soldiers killed in Iraq
The Associated Press

FORT LEWIS, Wash. — The Army has identified two Fort Lewis soldiers who were killed Feb. 17 in the Diyala province of Iraq when their patrol was attacked by small-arms fire.

Spc. Chad D. Groepper of Kingsley, Iowa, and Spc. Luke S. Runyan of Spring Grove, Pa., were both 21.

Both were members of the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and deployed in April 2007.

The Army released the identifications Feb. 19, a day after notifying families.

Families say that Groepper leaves behind a wife and 4-month-old daughter; Runyan leaves behind a wife and a 1-year-old daughter.

Army Spc. Chad D. Groepper was killed in action on 2/17/08.

Army Spc. Luke S. Runyan

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Army Spc. Luke S. Runyan, 21, of Spring Grove, Pa.

Spc. Runyan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died Feb. 17, 2008 in Diyala, Iraq, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his dismounted patrol using small arms fire. Also killed was Spc. Chad D. Groepper.

Soldier from south central Pa. killed in ambush in Iraq
The Associated Press

YORK, Pa. — A soldier from central Pennsylvania was one of two soldiers shot and killed in an ambush in Iraq.

Army Spc. Luke Runyan, 21, died Feb. 17 in Diyala province from wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his dismounted patrol using small-arms fire, according to the Department of Defense.

Runyan leaves behind a wife, Courtney, and their 1-year-old daughter, Brynn. The two met while he was stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Runyan, an avid hunter who also enjoyed riding his motorcycle, enlisted in the Army while he was a senior at Spring Grove Area Senior High School. Late last year, he re-enlisted for another three years.

He deployed to Iraq last spring.

“He had no fear of combat and I guess that was part of his training,” said his father, Marc Runyan, of West Manchester Township. “He once told me you go out on a mission and if you get hit, you get hit. If you don’t, you don’t. It’s as simple as that. He did feel very strongly they were doing an excellent job freeing the Iraqi people from al-Qaida.”

Runyan was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division’s 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Lewis. The other soldier killed was Spc. Chad D. Groepper, 21, of Kingsley, Iowa, who was also assigned to the unit.

Runyan’s father said he was told by Army officials that the attack was an ambush and that another soldier was also injured.

Army Spc. Luke S. Runyan was killed in action on 2/17/08.

Army Staff Sgt. Javares J. Washington

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Army Staff Sgt. Javares J. Washington, 27, of Pensacola, Fla.

SSgt Washington was assigned to the 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Feb. 11, 2008 at Camp Buehring, Kuwait City, Kuwait, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident.

Pensacola News Journal -- The family of a Pensacola man who died serving in Kuwait remembered him Tuesday as a standout high school athlete, loyal son and family man.

Army Staff Sgt. Javares Washington's family said he was killed Sunday in a vehicle accident. Washington's family was notified Monday.

Washington, 27, was best known locally for his days at Escambia High School, where he played football and was also on the track team.

The former running back graduated in 1999 and left Pensacola for Flagstaff, Ariz., to play football on a full scholarship at Northern Arizona University.

He left the university the following season because his scholarship was cut, Washington's mother, Felicia Smith, said.

Escambia High's former football coach Ronnie Gilliland had a close relationship with Washington. Gilliland's son, Brett Gilliland, who played quarterback on the team, was Washington's high school buddy.

"It's been real tough," Ronnie Gilliland said of Washington's death. "My wife was real close to him. He was just a real likeable young man."

Washington decided to join the military after leaving college, following in the footsteps of his brother.

"He enjoyed it," said Washington's stepfather, Roy Smith. "It showed and taught him a lot of things. It gave him independence."

Washington, who was stationed in Kentucky, left for Kuwait Sept. 7.

"He went by and visited everybody he knew because he knew he was coming home, but it wasn't going to be any time soon," his stepfather said. "We definitely didn't expect him not to come home at all."

Washington called his family as often as he could after leaving for Kuwait. Washington's parents spent Tuesday remembering the good times they shared with their son while being comforted by family and friends.

"I want to remember Javares when he was home, before he went to Kuwait," Felicia Smith said.

Washington's wife, Letrica, 28, his daughter, Tristyne, 9 months, and stepson, Mekhi, 7, plan to arrive in Pensacola later this week from Kentucky. Washington also leaves behind another son, Jayden, 6, of Pensacola and four siblings, including two stepbrothers.

Army Staff Sgt. Javares J. Washington was killed in a vehicle accident on 2/11/08.

Army Sgt. Corey E. Spates

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Corey E. Spates, 21, of LaGrange, Ga.

Sgt Spates was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 10, 2008 in Diyala, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

Soldier from LaGrange, Ga., killed in Iraq
The Associated Press

LAGRANGE, Ga. — Family members say an Army sergeant from LaGrange has been killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq, a week after his first wedding anniversary.

Relatives told the LaGrange Daily News that 21-year-old Sergeant Corey Spates, 21, died Feb. 10 in the Diyala province.

His wife and parents were notified by the Army that evening.

The family said they were told there were multiple casualties in the blast, but that the Army would not release details until the next of kin of all victims had been notified.

Spates, who attended Troup High School, had left for his second deployment in November. He and his wife celebrated their first anniversary last week.

Army Sgt. Corey E. Spates was killed in action on 2/10/08.

Army Pfc. Jack T. Sweet

Remember Our Heroes

Army Pfc. Jack T. Sweet, 19, of Alexandria Bay, N.Y.

Pfc. Sweet was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Feb. 8, 2008 in Jawwalah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device.

Family remembers upstate NY soldier killed in Iraq bomb explosion
The Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA BAY, N.Y. — A 10th Mountain Division soldier from upstate New York was killed in Iraq when his vehicle was hit with a roadside bomb, according to the soldier’s family

Pfc. Jack Sweet, 19, of Alexandria Bay, was killed Feb. 8, said his father, Glenn Sweet.

Sweet was a Humvee driver with the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry. Glenn Sweet said his son had always wanted to join the military and planned for a career in the Army. When he was younger, Sweet was a member of the Jefferson County Young Marines.

“He loved what he was doing,” Sweet told The Watertown Daily Times.

Sweet went through basic training last April and was later stationed at Fort Drum. His unit was sent to Kirkuk province in September.

“He was so happy to finally get a chance to do his part,” Sweet said.

The younger Sweet was home for Christmas and spent the time visiting with family and friends, telling stories about his time in Iraq. Sweet said he liked hearing about what his son was doing and was proud of all of his accomplishments.

“He’s my hero,” Sweet said.

The younger Sweet attended Alexandria Central School and earned a general equivalency diploma.

Alexandria High School Principal Ronald Hochmuth said he had known Sweet since the seventh grade and that he was full of life.

“He always had a twinkle in his eye,” Hochmuth said.

The principal said the school held a moment of silence for Sweet and the flag was at half-staff Feb. 11. He said counselors were on hand to help students deal with the death. In addition, students were collecting stories and pictures of Sweet for a eulogy.

Sweet’s family said funeral arrangements would be made in the next few days.

Army Pfc. Jack T. Sweet was killed in action on 2/8/08.

Army Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt

Remember Our Heroes

Army Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt, 32, of Orrick, Mo.

SSgt. Whisenhunt was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Feb. 8, 2008 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Sgt. Timothy P. Martin, Spc. Michael T. Manibog and Sgt. Gary D. Willett.

Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt from Orrick is killed in Iraq

Whisenhunt A soldier with ties to the area was one of four killed in Iraq last week when their vehicle rolled over an improvised explosive.

Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt, 32, died Feb. 8 in Taji, Iraq.

Whisenhunt’s hometown was Orrick, according to the Department of Defense. Whisenhunt, who was married, joined the Army in 2000 and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

Also killed in the blast were fellow 25th Infantry Division members Spc. Michael T. Manibog, 31, of Alameda, Calif.; Sgt. Timothy P. Martin, 27, of Pixley, Calif.; and Sgt. Gary D. Willett, 34, of Alamogordo, N.M.

Army Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt was killed in action on 2/8/08.

Army Spc. Michael T. Manibog

Remember Our Heroes

Army Spc. Michael T. Manibog, 31, of Alameda, Calif.

Spc. Manibog was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Feb. 8, 2008 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Sgt. Timothy P. Martin, Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt and Sgt. Gary D. Willett.

Michael Manibog joined the Army to improve his life and that of his son. The single father from San Leandro, who had hung around with the wrong crowd in the past, believed that signing up for the military would put him on the right track, friends said.

Manibog deployed to Iraq for the first time about two months ago. The 31-year-old Army specialist was one of four soldiers killed Friday when their vehicle was destroyed by an improvised explosive device in Taji, in the Sunni Triangle 20 miles north of Baghdad, the Defense Department said.

Manibog, a 1996 graduate of San Leandro High School, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, out of Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

Friends remembered him Tuesday as a dedicated soldier, a devoted father to his 9-year-old son, Terrell, and the person guaranteed to be the life of any party.

"He was very loud - his voice . . . carried across the room, and he always joked around with everyone," said Carla Dorotheo, 30, of Hayward. "I will always remember him as being the comedian of the group. He made people smile, and he cared genuinely about his friends."

Manibog joined the Army in his 20s because he wanted his son to be proud of him, Dorotheo said. "He also felt that this was the change he needed to become a better person and to help out his country," she said.

Erwin Rodrillo, 32, of Milpitas said Manibog was the reason he met his wife. Rodrillo had just returned from Iraq in 2004 after his second tour there as a Marine. Manibog took him to Dave and Buster's restaurant and bar in Milpitas. Rodrillo saw a pretty woman but was intoxicated, so he asked Manibog to forward a note to her on his behalf.

"I gave it to Mike and said, 'Hey, Mike, I'd really appreciate it if you gave this piece of paper to the lady,' and now we're married," Rodrillo said.

He said both he and his friend had "made some wrong decisions in our lives. We took the wrong path, just hanging out with the wrong crowd doing stupid things." The military was a way for them to put that behind them, Rodrillo said.

Gil Cuevas, 31, of San Leandro said that although he didn't support the war in Iraq, he fully backed his friend's decision to serve in the military. "If it's going to put him in a better spot from where he was before, I'm happy for him," Cuevas said.

Cuevas agreed that Manibog "loved to party. He was the loudest one in the crowd whenever he goes out."

Manibog enjoyed going to clubs and liked hip-hop music. He enjoyed pretending to be a security guard at clubs, Cuevas said, laughing.

Army Spc. Michael T. Manibog was killed in action on 2/8/08.

Army Sgt. Gary D. Willett

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Gary D. Willett, 34, of Alamogordo, N.M.

Sgt. Willett was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Feb. 8, 2008 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Sgt. Timothy P. Martin, Spc. Michael T. Manibog and Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt.

Iraq bomb kills son of Tucson parents
Sergeant lived in N.M. but often visited our city
By Aaron Mackey
Arizona Daily Star

A soldier with ties to Tucson was killed in Iraq earlier this month by a roadside bomb, officials confirmed on Monday.

Army Sgt. Gary D. Willett, 34, whose parents live in Tucson, died on Feb. 8 along with three other soldiers when the roadside bomb struck their Stryker combat vehicle, said Lt. Daniel O'Connor, a member of Willett's unit.

Several other soldiers were injured in the blast, which occurred in Taji, about 20 miles north of Baghdad.

Willett was a member of the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

When Defense Department officials identified Willett last week, they listed his hometown as Alamogordo, N.M.

Willett's former wife and his son live in Alamogordo, according to a report in the Las Cruces (N.M.) Sun-News.

New Mexico was his home, though he often used leave time to visit his parents in Tucson, where they moved in 2002, O'Connor said.

Family members declined an interview request through O'Connor, who is in Tucson this week to help with Willett's memorial services.

Willett served as a squad leader assigned to 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, in the unit.

He was a dedicated soldier who looked out for the troops he commanded, O'Connor said.

"The example he set for other soldiers was second to none," O'Connor said. "He loved the Army, and he loved his job. He died doing what he loved."

Willett also was a gunner on a Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle, a 20-ton armored troop transport that has eight wheels.

The Stryker gets its name from two unrelated enlisted soldiers — both of whom had the last name Stryker — who each received the Medal of Honor.

Willett enlisted in the Army in 1995 and was serving his second tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom when he was killed, O'Connor said.

Also killed in the incident were Spc. Michael T. Manibog, 31, of Alameda, Calif.; Sgt. Timothy P. Martin, 27, of Pixley, Calif.; and Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt, 32, of Orrick, Mo.

Army Sgt. Gary D. Willett was killed in action on 2/8/08.

Army Sgt. Timothy P. Martin

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Timothy P. Martin, 27, of Pixley, Calif.

Sgt. Martin was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; died Feb. 8, 2008 in Taji, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Spc. Michael T. Manibog, Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt and Sgt. Gary D. Willett.

Sgt. Timothy P. Martin, 27, of Pixley, Calif., who was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Like most any parents would, Tony and Lucy Martin worried about their son when he decided two years ago to join the Army.

But that fear didn't stop them from being proud of Timothy Paul Martin for wanting to serve his country and better himself with military training that he hoped would one day help him land a job as an FBI agent. But the fear remained. And Friday evening, it became reality when a car pulled up to in front of their home on their farm northeast of Pixley.

"I thought somebody was out of gas when I heard the doorbell," but it was an Army officer and a chaplain, Tony Martin said.

They didn't have to say a word, because he instantly knew they were there about Timothy.

"When I saw them, I knew he was gone," Tony Martin said.

"I just heard the word, Army, and I knew," Lucy Martin said.

They soon learned that Timothy, and three fellow members of the Army's 25th Infantry Division out of Hawaii, died Friday when a roadside bomb exploded near the vehicle in which they were riding in Taji, a town north of Baghdad.

Timothy, 27, was a graduate of Monache High School in Porterville, where he was a member of the school's track team. He also was a graduate of College of the Sequoias. He had been raised on his family's farm and was last home at Thanksgiving while on leave from his duty station at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

While here, he visited his 10-year-old cousin's elementary school class, where he showed the children the Arabic alphabet — which he'd learned as part of his training as an intelligence specialist — and one of the children asked him if he was going to Iraq to shoot Iraqis.

His reply: "We're going there to help them keep the peace," said his mother, who went to the school with him.

The other soldiers killed with Timothy Martin were Michael T. Manibog, 31, of Alameda; Staff Sgt. Jerald A. Whisenhunt, 32, of Orrick, Mo.; and Sgt. Gary D. Willett, 34, of Alamogordo, N.M., all members of the 25th Infantry Division.

The Pentagon has released little information about the bombing, and the Martins — sitting in their living room Wednesday with their daughter, Alise Martin, and her husband, Eric Stadtherr —said they were waiting for a phone call from Timothy's commander in Iraq to fill them in more on what happened.

Lucy Martin said waiting for more information on what happened hasn't made things worse for her. In fact, she assumed the information would come slowly, and she was prepared for that.

What she wasn't prepared for was Timothy's death, even though she knew from the time he joined the Army in April 2005 that he might be sent to a war zone in the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"I don't know that you can [prepare]," she said. "I thought about it."

Not that she wanted to show her son she was worried.

"I totally supported him. It's what he wanted," Lucy Martin said. "Sure we worried, but a mother always worries."

And, apparently, Timothy didn't want his mother to worry about him.

Timothy was an Army sergeant and intelligence specialist and often told his mother in his phone calls from Iraq that he couldn't say much about what he was doing there, and after a while, she stopped asking.

But his sister, Alise, said, "Sometimes he would tell me things and tell me not to tell my mom — something that would worry her."

She declined to say what she discussed with her brother, but she did say that Timothy seemed happy "and excited about what he was doing."

Lucy Martin said that among the things Timothy told her about life in Iraq was that it was very, very cold, and — probably because he spoke Arabic — whenever he went out local children swarmed around him asking for his pens that they used to do their school work.

The family said Timothy had gotten in the habit of carrying two or three pens every time he went out to give to the children, and he had asked family members to send him hard candy so he could also give it to the children.

Before joining the Army, Timothy had been an avid learner, and often seemed happiest when taking classes. So he particularly enjoyed his military training, which included earning an associate arts degree in intelligence.

A love of target shooting, which he developed as a teenager shooting cans and cereal boxes on the farm, also served him well in the military. In fact, he'd nearly become an Army marksman, said Stadtherr, who flew to California with his wife to be with her family after hearing of Timothy's death.

Since word got out about what happened, the family has regularly been visited by family members and friends offering condolences and sharing warm stories about Timothy.

In fact, as the family's interview was ending Wednesday afternoon, some visitors arrived.

"There's been a lot of support," Stadtherr said. "People are just coming out to say hi. That's how it's been."

Harder for the family to deal with has been the media attention.

On Tuesday, five television news vans were parked in front of the house, which for Lucy Martin — who described herself as a very private person — made an already difficult time more difficult.

Since the bombing, Timothy's body has been returned to the U.S., but on Wednesday was at the aerial port mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, Del., before being flown to California.

A funeral for Timothy is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Anne's Catholic Church, 378 N. F St. in Porterville. He will be laid to rest next to the grave of his older sister, Bryna Martin, who died in 1990 of leukemia, at the Tulare Cemetery, 900 E. Kern Ave.

Army Sgt. Timothy P. Martin was killed in action on 2/8/08.

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Luis A. Souffront

Remember Our Heroes

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Luis A. Souffront, 25, of Miami, Fla.

EOD Tech Souffront was assigned to an East Coast based SEAL team; died Feb. 7, 2008 from wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device while serving in combat operations in Iraq.

The Virginian-Pilot -- A sailor assigned to a Virginia Beach-based SEAL team has died and six of his comrades were wounded in combat in Iraq, the Pentagon announced Saturday.

The slain sailor was identified as Petty Officer 1st Class Luis Ariel Souffront, 25, of Miami.

Souffront, an explosive ordnance disposalman, was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group Two, based in Virginia Beach. His was the third combat death last week among personnel assigned to that unit.

"The water was his life and joining the Navy was his passion," said Rosanna Tejeda, one of his cousins, Saturday evening. "Everyone is at a shock and total disbelief" in Souffront's family, she said. "We have lost a precious person."

The Department of Defense said he died Thursday from wounds suffered from the blast of an improvised explosive device.

"Six other people were injured," said Lt. David Luckett, a spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Group Two, based at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.

Their wounds "ranged in severity," he said, but all were successfully evacuated to military medical facilities where they are being treated and "none of their injuries are life-threatening."

The names of those who were hurt were not released, but all were members of Souffront's unit, and some of them were SEAL team members, Luckett confirmed.

Citing security concerns, Luckett said he could not say where in Iraq the incident occurred or offer any substantive details of the nature of the mission the unit was on when the blast occurred.

"They were carrying out combat operations," he said.

As a combat-support specialist, Souffront trained and fought shoulder-to-shoulder with SEAL team members.

Explosive ordnance specialists "play a critical role" in special warfare missions, Luckett said.

Such combat support personnel "go through the same training that the SEALs do before deployment," he said. They also "work side-by-side with the SEALs on the battlefield, assuming the same risk."

While they may not wear the same patches and insignia, they "are brothers in arms on the battlefield," Luckett said.

Souffront is survived by his mother and father, who reside in Miami. The family declined requests for interviews.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon confirmed the deaths of two Navy SEALs also assigned to Special Warfare Group Two.

Nathan H. Hardy and Michael E. Koch, both 29, were killed Monday in small-arms fire during anti-insurgent operations, the Navy said.

Souffront enlisted in the Navy on July 24, 2000. After boot camp, he attended several specialized training schools and completed Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal School at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in July 2002.

He was then assigned for two months to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Unit One in San Diego and was then transferred to Guam, where he was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Five through November 2005. That month, he was transferred to the Virginia Beach-based SEAL Team.

Souffront's awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, two Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, two Sea Service deployment awards, two Navy/Marine Corps Overseas Service awards and the Rifle and Pistol Marksmanship Medals.

Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Luis A. Souffront was killed in action on 2/7/08.

Army Sgt. Bradley J. Skelton

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Bradley J. Skelton, 40, of Gordonville, Mo.

Sgt. Skelton was assigned to the 1138th Engineer Company, 35th Engineer Brigade, Missouri Army National Guard, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; died Feb. 6, 2008 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device during combat operations.

KOMU -- IRAQ - Missouri Army National Guard Sgt. Bradley J. Skelton of Gordonville was killed on February 6 while serving in Iraq.

A press release from the Missouri National Guard says that Sgt. Skelton was killed when his vehicle struck an IED (improvised explosive device). He was deployed with the 1138th Engineer Company, whose primary responsibility was to locate and disable IED's along military supply routes.

Skelton was deployed to Iraq from 2004 to 2005, and had come out of retirement to serve a second deployment in the Middle East in July 2007. He joined the National Guard in 1984, during his senior year in high school.

"I knew [Skelton] personally and was very proud of his decision to rejoin the Missouri National Guard for this deployment," said Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard.

In an interview before his deployment, Skelton said he wanted to serve with friends who were returning to Iraq, and hoped his past experience would benefit newer soldiers as well.

Skelton originally enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard in 1984, during his senior year in high school. He deployed with the 1140th Engineer Battalion to Iraq in 2004-2005. He came out of retirement to mobilize with the unit in July 2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 1138th Engineer Company (Sapper) has been conducting route clearance Operations while in Iraq. The unit attempts to locate and defeat improvised explosive devices (IED) and maintain traffic flow along military supply routes.

His military awards include: the Meritorious Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, third award; National Defense Service Medal, second award; Iraq Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with mobilization device, second award; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon; Missouri Commendation Medal, second award; Missouri Basic Training Ribbon; Missouri 15 Years Long Service Ribbon; and Utah National Guard 2002 Olympic Winter Games Ribbon.

Skelton is the eighth Missouri National Guard soldier to have lost his or her life during the current conflict in Iraq. Skelton was 40 years old.

Army Sgt. Bradley J. Skelton was killed in action on 2/6/08.

Army Sgt. Rafael A. Rivera

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Rafael A. Rivera, 30, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico

Sgt. Rivera was assigned to the 307th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 5, 2008 in Tallil, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a non-combat-related incident.

Paratrooper dies of injuries in non-combat incident
The Associated Press

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division has died in Iraq from injuries sustained in a non-combat incident, the military said.

The Department of Defense said Feb. 6 that Sgt. Rafael Alicea Rivera, 30, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, died Feb. 5 in Tallil, Iraq.

The circumstances of his injuries weren’t disclosed, but the military said the incident was being investigated.

Alicea Rivera was assigned to the 307th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.

“His quiet personality with his motivated, charming smile always seemed to brighten the moment,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Davis, a fellow soldier. “His quiet, professional way seemed to calm all those who were around him.”

Alicea Rivera is survived by his mother, Carmen Lozada, and his sister, Wanda L. Alicea Rivera, both of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Army Sgt. Rafael A. Rivera died of non-combat related injuries on 2/5/08.

Army Staff Sgt. Donald T. Tabb

Remember Our Heroes

Army Staff Sgt. Donald T. Tabb, 29, of Norcross, Ga.

SSgt. Tabb was assigned to the 6th Military Police Detachment, 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment, Fort Rucker, Ala.; died Feb. 5, 2008 in Sangin, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

Fort Rucker soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

FORT RUCKER, Ala. — A Fort Rucker soldier from Georgia was killed in action in Afghanistan, military officials said Feb. 6.

Staff Sgt. Donald T. Tabb, 29, of Norcross, Ga., was killed around 2 p.m. Feb. 5, according to a statement from Fort Rucker. Other details of the death were not immediately available.

Tabb was serving with the 6th Military Police Detachment, 13th Aviation Regiment. He was a dog handler serving in Afghanistan with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force.

He is survived by his mother, Gloria Smith of Lawrenceville, Ga., the Fort Rucker statement said.

A memorial service is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 12 at 3:30 p.m. in the Fort Rucker Main Post Chapel.

Army Staff Sgt. Donald T. Tabb was killed in action on 2/5/08.

Army Sgt. John C. Osmolski

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. John C. Osmolski, 23, of Eustis, Fla.

Sgt. Osmolski was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 5, 2008 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained in Muqdadiyah when he encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations. Also killed were Spc. Miguel A. Baez and Sgt. Timothy R. Van Orman.

Orlando Sentinel -- After 15months in Iraq, U.S. Army Sgt. John C. Osmolski was ready to come home.

The date was set: This coming Wednesday, Osmolski would be back in Eustis, playing with his nephew John Micheal and tinkering with his Jeep with his brother Daniel.

He never made it home.

On Tuesday, Osmolski, 23, was searching a house in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, about 50 miles northeast of Baghdad, when a homemade bomb exploded. He and two other soldiers died of injuries from the blast.

"He was just doing his job," Daniel Osmolski said Thursday as he sat with his wife, Heather, in his living room in Eustis. "His goal was always to go into the Army and serve his country."

Osmolski grew up in Eustis, where he lived until he left for boot camp in January 2005. He attended Circle Christian School in Orlando, where he was a forward on the soccer team.

As a teenager, he was active in the youth groups at New Hope Presbyterian Church in Eustis and at nearby Bay Street Baptist Church. David Kelly, the youth director at New Hope, went on several mission trips with Osmolski and his twin sister, Julia, to Peru, where the church ran a ministry for street children.

Kelly said Osmolski was like a big brother to the children.

"John was passionate about whatever he did, and he poured his whole heart into those children," Kelly said. "He didn't let any of that bother him, the fact that they were dirty or poor. He just opened up his arms and let them come to him."

A childhood dream

Osmolski had wanted to join the military ever since he was a kid playing with G.I. Joe dolls, his brother said. He thought he would attend college first, and after he graduated from high school, he spent a couple of semesters at Valencia Community College. Then he got impatient.

"He got tired of waiting — that's why he enlisted," Daniel Osmolski said.

Osmolski became a combat engineer and was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C. He spent six months in Afghanistan in 2005 and was deployed to Iraq at the end of 2006.

"He did have a rough time, but he still believed in what he was doing," Daniel Osmolski said. "He always said, 'I'm doing great things over here.'"

Osmolski was scheduled to be discharged in May, and he did not plan to re-enlist. He wanted to start a family and finish college, and he had told his brother that he was toying with the idea of working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — the agency that rounds up illegal immigrants.

He planned to take the summer off and spend time with his family, work on his car and play with the dog named Ophelia that he had brought home on a whim as a teenager.

"He and I went to buy a truck one day, and he came home with a dog," Daniel Osmolski said. "Mom was not happy that night."

Osmolski's MySpace page, which his girlfriend, Lindsey Cruz, is maintaining in the wake of his death, lists Metallica as one of his favorite bands, and Jesus Christ as his personal hero. The page is listed under Osmolski's nickname, Squirrell, which Daniel Osmolski said his brother's friends have been calling him since he was a teenager.

Today, Daniel, Heather and John Micheal Osmolski will travel to Virginia, where John Osmolski's mother, R. Eileen Osmolski, and sisters, Ruth Janna Wheat and Julia Osmolski, live outside of Richmond. The soldier's father died when he and his siblings were children.

Close to his family

Daniel Osmolski said John Osmolski was extraordinarily close to his family, especially with his twin sister, Julia, who was born a minute after him.

"The joke was always that she kicked him out," he said. "They did everything together."

Daniel Osmolski said John Osmolski was considered the clown of the family. He remembered his wedding, when John was the best man. Rather than make a toast, John gave Daniel a pair of boots that he dubbed "man-of-the-house boots." One boot had "Man of the" embroidered on it. The other said "House."

"He was always doing what he could to make others laugh," Daniel Osmolski said. "He brought joy to all of us when he was around."

Osmolski's family plans to bury him at Arlington National Cemetery later this month. They also want to have a memorial ceremony in Eustis, although they haven't settled on a date.

Daniel Osmolski said his brother often warned his family that he might die in Iraq. But John Osmolski's Christian faith helped him make peace with that possibility.

"Someone's got to do it," he told his brother. "And who would be better than someone who knows where their eternity lies?"

"That was John," Daniel Osmolski said. "Trying to comfort us."

Army Sgt. John C. Osmolski was killed in action on 2/5/08.

Army Spc. Miguel A. Baez

Remember Our Heroes

Army Spc. Miguel A. Baez, 32, of Bonaire, Ga.

Spc. Baez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 5, 2008 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained in Muqdadiyah when he encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations. Also killed were Sgt. John C. Osmolski and Sgt. Timothy R. Van Orman.

The Telegraph - Cpl. Miguel A. Baez III, 32, died Tuesday from wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. He was conducting combat operations near the city of Al Muqdadiyah in Diyala Province northeast of Baghdad.

Baez is survived by his wife, Elena Deer-Baez, and four children at Fort Bragg, N.C., and his parents, Miguel and Ramona Baez of Byron.

The corporal was an assistant machine gunner with 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He deployed to Iraq in December of 2006 after joining the Army in May of 2005.

Baez's company first sergeant, Kevin Spooner, described Baez as the "best kind of soldier."

"He was a clown, a loving father and a wonderful husband," Spooner is quoted in an 82nd Airborne Division news release. "He always volunteered and never hesitated to help out a brother. He'll be greatly missed."

The Baez family in Byron could not be reached for comment late today.

Baez's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster and the Purple Heart. He completed infantry training and the basic airborne course at Fort Benning in October 2005 before joining the 82nd Airborne. He earned the combat infantryman's badge, expert infantryman's badge and the parachutist's badge.

Army Spc. Miguel A. Baez was killed in action on 2/5/08.

Army Sgt. Timothy R. Van Orman

Remember Our Heroes

Army Sgt. Timothy R. Van Orman, 24, of Port Matilda, Pa.

Sgt. Van Orman was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.; died Feb. 5, 2008 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained in Muqdadiyah when he encountered an improvised explosive device during combat operations. Also killed were Spc. Miguel A. Baez and Sgt. John C. Osmolski.

WASHINGTON - A central Pennsylvania soldier on his second tour in Iraq was among three soldiers who died this week of wounds from an improvised explosive device, the Department of Defense announced Thursday.

Sgt. Timothy R. Van Orman, 24, of Port Matilda, Pa., who also served in Afghanistan, was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y. He is survived by his wife, Cadie, and their daughter.

Van Orman graduated in 2002 from Bald Eagle Area High School, where he played in the band.

"Tim was the kind of student who poured his whole heart into everything," said Scott Sheehan, his former band instructor. "He was an excellent trombone player and participated in jazz band, symphonic band and marching band. He took it very seriously, but at the same time, he knew how to have fun with it." “It was a fun thing for him. He worked hard at it. He was the kind of kid you want in your program.”

Van Orman enlisted in 2003. He served in Afghanistan from August 2003 to May 2004 and in Iraq from August 2005 to July 2006. He left in September on his second deployment to Iraq.

Van Orman died Tuesday in Balad, Iraq, of wounds from the blast in Al Muqdadiyah, the Army said.

“He was very dedicated and believed in what he was doing,” his mother, Kelly Van Orman, told the Watertown (N.Y.) Daily Times on Thursday. “He thought he was making a difference.”

Also surviving her son is his father, Randy Van Orman, two sisters and a brother.

After basic and advanced training at Fort Benning, Ga., Sgt. Van Orman served in Afghanistan from August 2003 to May 2005. He then deployed to Iraq for a year. By the time of his death during his second tour, he had become a decorated fire team leader with the 2nd Battalion of the 22nd Infantry Regiment.

But Karen Morse knew a different Van Orman, a slender, bespectacled “solid student” with sandy brown hair.

“He was sort of the backbone of America type of kid, hard working, smiles, very polite,” said Morse, a school counselor at Bald Eagle Area High School.

Sheehan recalled Van Or-man’s zest for playing in the jazz, concert and marching bands.

“He really had a certain intensity about performing well,” he said.

Early in his senior year, Van Orman rechanneled that fire.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, his marching band took part in a patriotic rally at Penn State. Talking with Sheehan about the world, Van Orman declared his wish to join the military and defend his country.

“He was very proud to be going into the service, and it definitely meant a lot to him,” Sheehan said.

Six and a half years later, he fondly remembers the trombone player with the upbeat attitude.

“He was like the epitome of a good citizen,” Sheehan said. “He was really the kind of young adult who you’d want to have contribute in society to make a difference. I’m sure, while he was in the service, he made one.”

His military education includes the Warrior Leader Course and the Air Assault Course.

His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation emblem, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Air Assault Badge.

He is survived by his wife and daughter and his parents, of Port Matilda.

Army Sgt. Timothy R. Van Orman was killed in action on 2/5/08.

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Nathan H. Hardy

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Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Nathan H. Hardy, 29, of Durham, N.H.

Navy Seal Hardy was assigned to East Coast-based SEAL team; died Feb. 4, 2008 from wounds sustained from small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq. Also killed was Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Michael E. Koch.

Navy son of UNH professor dies in Iraq
The Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. — The Navy son of a University of New Hampshire professor and administrative assistant has been killed in action in Iraq.

Navy SEAL Nathan Hardy and fellow SEAL Michael Koch of State College, Pa., died Feb. 4 after being wounded by small-arms fire, the Defense Department said. Both men were stationed in Norfolk, Va.

It was Hardy’s fourth deployment in Iraq, according to his father, Stephen Hardy, a professor of kinesiology. His mother, Donna Hardy, is an administrative assistant in UNH’s psychology department.

Nathan Hardy grew up in Durham and was a 1997 graduate of Oyster River High School. He joined the Navy after graduation.

Other family members include his wife, Mindy, and their 7-month-old son, Parker; and a brother, Ben, of Middlebury, Vt.

Another brother, Josh, died in 1993 while a senior at Oyster River High School.

“Our hearts go out to Steve and Donna Hardy, and their son, Ben, at this incredibly difficult time,” UNH President Mark Huddleston said in a statement. “We know it was Nate’s dream to become a U.S. Navy SEAL when he graduated from high school, and he pursued that dream and excelled at it. His death has stunned all who knew him, and all who know his parents, who both are so much a part of the UNH community.”

Koch leaves behind his parents and a fiancee. He enlisted in July 1998 and entered SEAL training in January 1999, according to The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk. He received the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Nathan H. Hardy was killed in action on 2/4/08.

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Michael E. Koch

Remember Our Heroes

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Michael E. Koch, 29,of State College, Pa.

Navy SEAL Koch was assigned to East Coast-based SEAL team; died Feb. 4, 2008 from wounds sustained from small arms fire during combat operations in Iraq. Also killed was Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Nathan H. Hardy.

Navy SEAL from State College dies in Iraq
The Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. — A Navy SEAL from State College, Pa., has been killed in action in Iraq.

Michael Koch and fellow SEAL Nathan Hardy, from Durham, N.H., died Feb. 4 after being wounded by small-arms fire, the Defense Department said. Both men were stationed in Norfolk, Va.

“There are only approximately 2,500 SEALs in the Navy and they really are a brotherhood,” said Naval Special Warfare spokesman Lt. David Luckett. “This is another unfortunate reminder of the risks and sacrifices these amazing warriors and their families make on a daily basis.”

Koch leaves behind his parents and a fiancee. He enlisted in July 1998 and entered SEAL training in January 1999, according to The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk. He received the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Hardy is the son of a University of New Hampshire professor. It was his fourth deployment in Iraq, according to his father, Stephen Hardy, a professor of kinesiology. His mother, Donna Hardy, is an administrative assistant in UNH’s psychology department.

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Michael E. Koch was killed in action on 2/4/08.





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Army Spc. Christopher J. West

Remember Our Heroes

Army Spc. Christopher J. West, 26, of Arlington, Texas

Spc. West was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 4, 2008 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained on Feb. 3 in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations.

ARLINGTON -- A local soldier serving in Iraq died Monday from injuries received from an improvised explosive device.

Spc. Christopher J. West, 26, of Arlington, was wounded Sunday while walking during a combat mission in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. West was taken to the U.S. Army hospital at Balad, Iraq, where he died.

Spc. West was a combat medic, and was scheduled for rest and relaxation at his family's home in Arlington this weekend, according to his sister, Lauren West, 27.

"It was going to be his last mission before he came home," she said. "He loved what he was doing. He said he felt like he had found his calling. He thought that it was very possible that he could make the Army a lifelong career."

Spc. West arrived in Iraq four months ago and was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, N.C.

Spc. West was fourth-generation Army, his family said. His father, John West, served in Vietnam as a Ranger and Green Beret. Spc. West was 4 years old when he made the decision to join the Army, Lauren West said.

Spc. West grew up in Arlington and attended Sam Houston High School before graduating from Bowie High School in 2000. He graduated with honors in 2004 from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in marketing, said Hattie West, his mother.

"He graduated from jump school at Fort Benning August 17, 2007," she said. "This was his first year in."

Army testing revealed Spc. West's aptitudes for the Signal Corps and for medical training, Lauren West said.

"After he graduated from A&M, he wanted to go in- to law, but something kept pulling him toward the Army," Lauren West said. "He felt like he had to do it."

Spc. West's girlfriend also is deployed in Iraq, his sister said. Family members said Tuesday that they were trying to get in touch with her to make sure that she was aware of his death.

Army Spc. Christopher J. West was killed in action on 2/4/08.

Army Staff Sgt. Chad A. Barrett

Remember Our Heroes

Army Staff Sgt. Chad A. Barrett, 35, of Saltville, Va.

SSgt Barrett was assigned to the 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.; died Feb. 2, 2008 in Mosul, Iraq, as a result of a non-combat related incident.

TriCities -- The Department of Defense announced on Tuesday that a soldier from the Tri-Cities died on February 2nd in Mosul, Iraq. They say the death of 35 year old Staff Sgt. Chad A. Barrett was not combat related.

The Department of Defense list Barrett’s home as Saltville, Virginia. His wife says he was originally from Jonesborough, Tennessee and only lived in Saltville for a short time. Barrett’s former brother-in law says the news of Barrett’s death was a shock.

“It shocked me more than anything, you don't expect it, even though you know he's in that zone, you just don't expect it," said Jim Robinson.

Robinson's sister and Staff Sgt. Barrett divorced several years ago. Barrett has since remarried and his wife talked about her husband’s death in an email to News Channel Eleven.

"He fought valiantly for the freedom of those who could not. He loved his family and he cherishes his friends." said Shelby Barrett, soldier’s wife.

Barrett's wife also said this would have been his 12th year in the military and he loved doing what he did.

Barrett graduated from David Crockett High School. This was Barrett's third military tour overseas. He was assigned to the 4th infantry division, headquartered in Fort Carson, Colorado.

Army Staff Sgt. Chad A. Barrett died from non-combat injuries on 2/2/08.