Army 1st Lt. Demetrius M. Frison

Remember Our Heroes

Army 1st Lt. Demetrius M. Frison, 26, of Lancaster, Pa.

1st Lt Frison was assigned to 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.; died May 10, 2011 in Khost province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.

Lt Frison began his military service in April 2009 and arrived at Fort Knox in October 2010. He deployed to Afghanistan on Jan. 9. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan

Lt Frison graduated from Parkway Northwest High School and received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Millersville University in 2008. Frison was Vice-President of the university's NAACP chapter. He was also a member of the Black Student Union

Dr. Rita Smith-Wade-El, a Psychology professor at the university, says Frison was an ambitious and driven student. "He was very articulate, he always presented himself well, he was a gentleman, he was one of my brightest students, but probably more important he was one of my most caring students," said Smith-Wade-El.

"It is very devastating because he just had so much to give to the community, he would have made such a big difference in the community when he came home and now he is not coming home," said Smith-Wade-El.

Lt Frison worked at the Lancaster Youth Intervention Center for 2 years as a youth care worker. He spent most of his time counseling and mentoring troubled teens. Frison left the youth center to join the Army in 2009.

"Demetrius was just a fabulous individual, everything he did, he did 110%," said Jonathan Breitegan, former co-worker.

"Demetrius loved the job here, he was great at what he did, he was a solid person, he was a very good role model for the residents," said Steve Thatcher, former co-worker.

His mother, Louella, described her son as "honorable" and "very religious." He "lived by the rules and the standards of what was put before him," she said.
As a child, he played with toy soldiers, she recalled. "He always was a military person at heart," she said.

On his MySpace page, he listed his mother and grandmothers as his heroes. He also posed a question about whom he'd like to meet. His response: "Me in 25 years, to see where I am at & change what I don't like about myself before it is too late."

His wife, Mikki, said they met at Morris Leeds Middle School when they were 12. (He lived in Logan. She lived in West Oak Lane) They married March 2009. Their son, Christopher, was born November last year.

He was promoted to first lieutenant on April 10, his birthday. "He loved what he did," his wife, Mikki, said.

Frison has been awarded the NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart posthumously.

Frison's body was returned to Dover Air Force Base Thursday afternoon. Funeral arrangements are pending.

He leaves behind his wife,Mikki, six month old son, Christopher; and mother Louella.

Army 1st Lt. Demetrius M. Frison was killed in action on 5/10/11.