Army Staff Sgt. Jason A. Reeves

Remember Our Heroes

Army Staff Sgt. Jason A. Reeves, 32, of Odessa, Texas

SSgt Reeves was assigned to 2nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 66th Military Intelligence Brigade, Hohenfels, Germany; died December 5, 2010 at Gardez District, Paktia province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

A U.S. Army soldier killed Sunday near the Afghan-Pakistan border was not originally from Odessa but lived here for about a year while working with his grandparents before finding a career in the Army.

Staff Sgt. Jason A. Reeves, 32, died Sunday in the Paktia Province of Afghanistan from wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device during a suicide attack, the Department of Defense said in the release.

David Reeves, Jason’s father, said by phone from Delaware, that Jason Reeves moved to Odessa to finish high school. During his year in the area, Jason lived and worked with his grandparents, Earl Moize and Waunell Moize, received his high school degree and then enlisted. He did not attend Odessa public schools but rather took a correspondence course.

“He found a career in (the Army) and excelled,” David Reeves said.

He said Jason Reeves worked with his grandparents at AA Cabinet Shop prior to enlisting.

According to the International Security Assistance Force, a suicide bomb detonated in a bazaar near their operating base in Gardez district, Paktiya, killing Reeves and Marine Sgt. Nicholas J. Aleman, 24, of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has reported through the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) that the group is taking responsibility and claims that 19 Afghan and foreign soldiers died, and 13 more were injured.

Mujahid stated that a member of the Taliban was disguised as an Afghan National Army soldier during the attack, according to the AIP. The NATO media office in Khost told the AIP that foreign soldiers were killed, but would not disclose the number of soldiers wounded.

Fort McPherson communications representative Gary Jones said while a soldier’s home of record is usually his or her hometown, it can also be whatever city or town the soldier chooses to write down while enlisting. Jason, who grew up mostly in Phoenix, enlisted while living in Odessa.

Pentagon spokesman George Wight said Reeves’ body was being transported from Afghanistan to Dover, Del., as of Tuesday evening.

Army Staff Sgt. Jason A. Reeves was killed in action on 12/05/10.