We would like to Honor the memory of these men and women who lost their lives this year, and Remember them each specifically by name. Please pray for these families as they begin their journey of healing through this unimaginable devastation.
January 2017
Spc. Isiah L. Booker, of Cibolo, TX, died Jan. 7, in Jordan, in a non-combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, KY.
Spc. John P. Rodriguez, of Hemet, CA, died Jan.12, in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in a non-combat related incident. He was supporting U.S. Army Central. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to 2nd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, TX.
Chief Special Warfare Operator William “Ryan” Owens, 36, of Peoria, IL, died Jan. 28 in the Arabian Peninsula of Yemen, of wounds sustained in a raid against al-Qaida. He was supporting U.S. Central Command Operations. He was assigned to an East Coast based Special Warfare unit.
February 2017
Pfc. Brian. P. Odiorne, 21, of Ware, MA died Feb. 20, in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, from a non-combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood,TX.
March 2017
Staff Sgt. Austin Bieren, 25, of Umatilla, OR, died March 28 in northern Syria in a non-combat-related incident while deployed in support of combat operations. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, CO.
April 2017
Staff Sgt. Mark R. De Alencar, 37, of Edgewood, MD, died April 8 in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Eglin Air Force Base, FL.
Sgt. Joshua P. Rodgers, 22, of Bloomington, IL, died April 27 in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, as a result of small arms fire while engaged in dismounted operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, GA.
Sgt. Cameron H. Thomas, 23, of Kettering, OH, died April 27 in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, as a result of small arms fire while engaged in dismounted operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, GA.
1st Lt. Weston C. Lee, 25, of Bluffton, GA, died April 29, in Mosul, Iraq, from injuries while conducting security as part of advice and assist support to partnered forces. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.
May 2017
Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Kyle Milliken, 38, of Falmouth, ME, was killed during an operation against al-Shabaab on May 5 in a remote area approximately 40 miles west of Mogadishu. He was supporting a Somali National Army-led operation with U.S. Africa Command. He was assigned to an East Coast based special warfare unit.
Spc. Etienne J. Murphy, 22, of Loganville, GA, died May 26, in Al-Hasakah, Syria, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover related incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, GA.
June 2017
Sgt. Eric M. Houck, 25, of Baltimore, MD,
Sgt. William M. Bays, 29 of Barstow, CA,
Corporal Dillon C. Baldridge, 22 of Youngsville, NC,
Gunner’s Mate Seaman Dakota Kyle Rigsby, 19, from Palmyra, VA
Yeoman 3rd Class Shingo Alexander Douglass, 25, from San Diego, CA
Sonar Technician 3rd Class Ngoc T Truong Huynh, 25, from Oakville, CT
Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Noe Hernandez, 26, from Weslaco, TX
Fire Controlman 2nd Class Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan, 23, from Chula Vista, CA
Personnel Specialist 1st Class Xavier Alec Martin, 24, from Halethorpe, MD
Fire Controlman 1st Class Gary Leo Rehm Jr., 37, from Elyria, OH
July 2017
Tech. Sgt. David Board, 49, of Barboursville, WV, died August 2 in Kuwait in a non-combat-related incident while deployed in support of combat operations. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to the 130th Airlift Wing at McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, WV.
Sgt. Jonathon Michael Hunter, 23, of Columbus, IN, died August 2 in Kandahar, Afghanistan as a result of injuries sustained when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near their convoy. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.
Spc. Christopher Michael Harris, 25, of Jackson Springs, NC, died August 2 in Kandahar, Afghanistan as a result of injuries sustained when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated near their convoy. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.
Sgt. Roshain Euvince Brooks, 30, of Brooklyn, NY, died Aug. 13 of wounds sustained while engaged in combat operations in Iraq. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.
Spc. Allen Levi Stigler Jr., 22, of Arlington, TX, died Aug. 13 of wounds sustained while engaged in combat operations in Iraq. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC.
Staff Sgt. Aaron R. Butler, 27, of Monticello, UT, died Aug. 16 in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Camp Williams, UT.
October 2017
Spc. Alexander W. Missildine, 20, of Tyler, TX, died Oct. 1 in Ninawa Province, Iraq, as a result of injuries sustained when an improved explosive device detonated near his convoy. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to the 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Polk, LA.
Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, 35, of Puyallup, WA, died Oct. 4 in southwest Niger, as a result of hostile fire while on a reconnaissance patrol. He was part of a joint U.S. and Nigerien train, advise and assist mission. He was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC. The incident is under investigation.
Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, 39, of Springboro, OH, died Oct. 4 in southwest Niger, as a result of hostile fire while on a reconnaissance patrol. He was part of a joint U.S. and Nigerien train, advise and assist mission. He was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC. The incident is under investigation.
Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright, 29, of Lyons, GA, died Oct. 4 in southwest Niger, as a result of hostile fire while on a reconnaissance patrol. He was part of a joint U.S. and Nigerien train, advise and assist mission. He was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC. The incident is under investigation.
Sgt. La David T. Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, FL, died Oct. 4 in southwest Niger as a result of enemy fire. He was part of a joint U.S. and Nigerien train, advise and assist mission. He was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC. The incident is under investigation.
Chief Warrant Officer Jacob M. Sims, 36, of Juneau, Alaska, died Oct. 27 in Logar Province, Afghanistan, as a result of wounds sustained when he was involved in a helicopter crash. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
November 2017
Sgt. 1st Class, Stephen B. Cribben, 33, of Simi Valley, CA, he died Nov. 4 in Logar Province, Afghanistan as a result of wounds sustained while engaged in combat operations. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 2d Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Fort Carson, Colorado.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Lee M. Smith, 35, of Arlington, TX, died Nov. 11 at Camp Taji, Iraq, due to injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY.
Sgt. 1st Class Hughton O. Brown, 43, of Brooklyn, NY died Nov. 14 in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, as a result of a non-combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to the 306th Engineer Company, 411th Engineer Brigade, Farmingdale, NY.
Cpl. Todd L. McGurn, of Riverside, CA, died Nov. 25, 2017, in Baghdad, Iraq as a result of a non-combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, TX.
December 2017
Staff Sgt. David Thomas Brabander, 24, of Anchorage, Alaska, died Dec. 11 in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, as a result of a non-combat related incident. He was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Alaska, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
Spc. Avadon A. Chaves, 20, of Turlock, CA, died Dec. 20 at Al Asad, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, from a non-combat related incident. He who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Bliss, TX.