Marine Lance Cpl. Jason N. Barfield, 22, of Ashford, Ala.
LCpl Barfield was assigned to 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died Oct. 24, 2011 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Lcpl Barfield graduated Ashford High School in 2008. He joined the Marines in Januray 2010. This was his first deployment.
Friends and family remembered Barfield as a man who loved God, loved his family, had a positive attitude and infectious smile.
Father, Ray, said, “He was one of the most well-loved guys you’d ever meet, and I’m not just saying that because he’s my son. He never met a stranger. Everywhere he went, everybody just took to him. He was always smiling and so outgoing.”
“We knew what he was facing,” Ray said. “You just don’t think about it happening this close to home.”
“He’s like that all the time. He had one of those smiles that I don’t think it ever left his face,” said Kelli Barfield. “He was one of those people who, when you met him, you never forgot him. He had an impact on everyone. I just can’t say enough. I think he slept with a smile on his face, and he never gave in to idle gossip.”
“One thing about him is he loved family,” Ray said. “He even had a tattoo with family put on his arm. He loved the Lord. He loved going to church. He sang ‘Amazing Grace’ at my (mother’s) funeral about three years ago.”
The Barfields had just spoken to their son the day before. “He just called us Sunday morning at about 1:30 in the morning, woke us up and talked to us,” Ray said. “He sounded so good. They’d been on a mission and everything was fine. He was looking forward to getting home and getting some of my cooking. He loved my cooking.”
Aunt, Shirley Cobb, recalled a conversation she had with her nephew, “He said, ‘This is my job, I’ve got to go do my job. I hate that it’s in Afghanistan, but that’s my job."
“You know these boys go over there and fight, and he knew it was taking a chance. He said that the last time he was here. It’s just a terrible feeling for (us).”
“He had grown up to be the best, sweetest, kindest, most loving young man that you have ever wanted to meet,” she said. “He was just such a good person. He was loved by everybody that met him, and we loved him dearly. He’s going to be missed terribly.”
Kelli said her son surprised them with a visit home last Christmas. He had told her he wasn't going to make it home cause he had been assigned to cold weather training over the holidays. First he surprised his little sister, Savannah, by going to her school, then surprised his family at home.
“That was my last Christmas with him, and I will always cherish it,” Kelli said. “I knew he wouldn’t be home this year, but I never dreamed last year would be my final one. I will cherish it forever. I was very blessed to have him as a son."
Lcpl Barfield's awards and decorations include:
Purple Heart
Combat Action Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
NATO-ISAF Medal
Lcpl Barfield was laid to rest on November 5 in Center Baptist Church Cemetery in Webb.
Lcpl Barfield is survived by his parents, Kelli and Ray; brothers, Chris, Phillip, Zack, Airman 1st Class Travis Barfield, Lance Corporal Lucas Barfield; sisters, Jennifer and Savannah; and fiancee, Joyanna.
Marine Lance Cpl. Jason N. Barfield was killed in action on 10/24/11.
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