Marine Cpl. Aaron M. Faust, 22, of Louisville, Ky.
Cpl. Faust was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died April 15, 2012 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations.
by Thomas McAdam
Louisville.com's The Arena section
Ken Faust and his wife Tess were at home Monday evening, at their house on Bradley Avenue—just south of Eastern Parkway—when they heard a knock on their door and received the news every military family dreads. Their 22-year-old son, Aaron, had been killed in Afghanistan.
The Marine delivering this devastating news could provide the family with only a few details. According to the Department of Defense, Cpl. Aaron M. Faust, of Louisville, Kentucky, died April 15 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Like his dad, Aaron was a member of the Okolona Veterans of Foreign Wars. Ken serves as the post’s Quartermaster; and also as VFW 6th District Jr. Vice Commander. Aaron’s mother, Tess, is the secretary with the Okolona VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Legislative Department Program Chairman, and an officer in the Ladies 6th District.
The Faust family knows the meaning of the words: duty, honor, and country.
Aaron graduated from Louisville’s DeSales High School in 2007, and joined the Marine Corps the following November. After serving an overseas tour in Japan, he was promoted to the rank of corporal in August of 2010, and was initially a food service specialist. He had just reenlisted for another four year tour of duty in March, and was being reassigned as a clerical specialist.
Cpl. Faust was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. His awards include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.
Although the Defense Department press office indicates that Cpl. Faust “…died during combat operations on Sunday,” the cause of his death has not been released as of today, and the military says that the incident is “under investigation.”
Today, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear recognized Cpl. Faust’s sacrifice; and will order that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on the day of Cpl. Faust’s interment, for which arrangements are still pending.
Aaron recently posted this, on his Facebook page:
What matters is not the idea a man holds, but the depth at which he holds it. Death before dishonor. Family above all.
Marine Cpl. Aaron M. Faust was killed in action 4/15/12.
No comments:
Post a Comment