US Army 2nd Lieutenant Jered Ewy

US Army officer 2nd Lieutenant Jered W. Ewy was one of two Oklahoma National Guardsmen killed in action on 29th July 2011 when a bomb detonated as they were on patrol in Paktia, Afghanistan.

2nd Lt. Ewy, age 33, was serving with the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Also killed in the same incident was Spc. Augustus Vicari

US Army Specialist Augustus Vicari

22-year-old Oklahoma Army National Guardsman, Augustus 'Augy' Vicari was killed in action on Friday 29th July 2011 when a bomb detonated as his unit was on patrol in Paktia, Afghanistan. He had deployed to Afghanistan in June.

Spc. Vicari, who graduated from Lowell High School, Indiana, in 2008 was married and lived in Oklahoma. He joined the Oklahoma National Guard in 2009. He and his wife, Holly, would have celebrated their first wedding anniversary in September.

A "quick wit and ready smile" is how family and friends are remembering Augustus Vicari, one of five children.

Spc. Augy Vicari leaves his wife Holly Vicari from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; his parents, Michael and Evelyn Vicari from Lowell; his brothers, Joseph (Gina) Vicari from Cedar Lake and Michael Vicari from Lowell; and his sisters, Emily Vicari and Mollie Vicari, both from Lowell.

Spc. Vicari was serving with the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment. Also killed in the same incident was 2nd Lt. Jered Ewy.

Lance-Corporal Paweł Poświat

Polish Army Lance-Corporal Paweł Poświat was killed in Ghazni province on 28th July 2011 when a road mine detonated beneath his armored patrol vehicle. L-Cpl. Poświat, age 29, was driving the vehicle at the time of the explosion.

Seriously injured, he was evacuated by helicopter to the Polish military base hospital in Ghazni. Sadly, doctors were unable to save his life.

L-Cpl. Poświat, a bachelor, joined the Polish Army in 2003 and served with the 17th Wielkopolska Mechanized Brigade.

NATO service member killed by bomb blast - 28 July

KABUL, 28th July 2011: A NATO/ISAF service member was killed today in eastern Afghanistan after an improvised explosive device detonated. No further details are available at this time.

Update: soldier named as Polish Army Lance-Corporal Paweł Poświat.

Italian Paratrooper David Tobini

Italian paratrooper, Caporal Maggiore David Tobini, was killed in action on Monday 25th July 2011 during a gun battle with enemy forces near Bala Murghab. Two other Italian troops were wounded.

C-Maggiore, age 28, served with the Italian 183rd Parachute Regiment "Nimbus". He lived in Osteria Nuova, Rome, with his mother and brother. His father also lives in Rome. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan.

E’ il 1° Caporal Maggiore David Tobini, 28 anni, del 183° reggimento paracadutisti “Nembo” di Pistoia, il militare italiano rimasto ucciso oggi nel corso di un’operazione nella parte occidentale dell’Afghanistan.

Altri due soldati sono rimasti feriti, uno dei quali in modo grave.

Durante l’operazione congiunta condotta da forze italiane e afgane nella zona a nord ovest della valle di Bala Murghab, l’unità nella quale erano presenti anche i militari italiani e’ stata attaccata.

Resta in gravi condizioni uno dei due militari rimasti feriti nello scontro a fuoco, mentre il secondo non è in pericolo di vita.

US Army Master Sgt. Benjamin Stevenson

36-year-old US Army Master Sergeant Benjamin A. Stevenson was killed in action in Paktika province on 21st July 2011 by small arms fire in a contact with enemy forces.

Master Sgt. Stevenson, from Canyon Lake, Texas, served with the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Master Sgt. Stevenson joined the Army in 1993 and served with the 325th Infantry Battalion at Fort Bragg and 601st Aviation Support Battalion at Katterbach, Germany. He completed Special Forces training in January 2000 and was assigned to 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He had previously deployed seven times to Iraq and three to Afghanistan.

US Army Sergeant Omar Jones

Sgt. Jones and family before his
deployment to Afghanistan

Nebraska Army National Guard Sergeant Omar A. Jones died on 18th July 2011 at a base in Balkh province from a "non-combat" related injury. The 28-year-old soldier served with the 126th Chemical Battalion, 92nd Troop Command, Nebraska Army National Guard, based at Wahoo, Nebraska.

The Nebraska National Guard said Sgt. Jones was born in Jackson, Mississippi and enlisted in the Army in 2001 when he was 18. After his active tour duty, he joined the Nebraska National Guard in 2005. He had previously deployed twice to Iraq. This was his first tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Jones, who spent much of his childhood in Colombia, is survived by his wife, Ava L. Jones, his daughter, Airiana G. Jones, son Malachi A. Jones, his father, Dennis D. Jones and his mother, Luz A. Jones.

US Army Sergeant Jacob Molina

27-year-old US Army Sergeant Jacob Molina was one of two soldiers killed in Kunar province on 19th July 2011 from the blast of a roadside bomb against their patrol vehicle.

Sgt. Molina, from Houston, Texas, served in the Hawaiian based 25th Infantry Division with 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment. He enlisted in the Army in February 2007. This was his second overseas combat tour. He had previously served in Iraq.

His mother, Janie Torre, told a local news channel that Jacob had wanted to be in the military ever since becoming a teenager. She knew it was his destiny, but never expected he wouldn’t come back alive.

"He’s tough," said Janie, choking back the tears. "And, I’ve always known Jacob to get out of everything, not this time."

Killed in the same incident was Staff Sergeant James Christen

US Army Staff Sergeant James Christen

29-year-old US Army Staff Sergeant James M. Christen was one of two soldiers killed in Kunar province on 19th July 2011 from the blast of a roadside bomb against their patrol vehicle.

Staff-Sgt. Christen, from Loomis, California, served in the Hawaiian based 25th Infantry Division with 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment.

This was Staff-Sgt. Christen’s third overseas combat deployment. He previously served two tours in Iraq. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.

Killed in the same incident was Sergeant Jacob Molina

US Army Sergeant Edward Koehler

Sgt. Koehler served in
the Marines
1982-1988

US Army Sergeant Edward W. Koehler, age 47, from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was one of three soldiers killed on 18th July 2011 in Ghazni province, when his patrol vehicle struck a road mine.

Sgt. Koehler served with the 131st Transportation Company, 213th Area Support Group, based at Williamstown, Pennsylvania.

After serving with the Marine Corps from 1982 to 1988, he took a 10-year break from the service. He enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard in 1997 as a motor transport operator, serving his entire Guard career in the 131st Transportation Company.

This was Sgt. Koehler's first tour of duty in Afghanistan. He had also served with the 131st in Kuwait and Iraq from 2003 to 2004.

His awards include the Combat Action Badge, three Army Reserve Component Achievement Medals, Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, Driver and Mechanic Badge, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and the Governor's Unit Citation.

The other soldiers who died were: Staff Sgt. Kenneth R. VanGiesen and Sgt. Brian K. Mowery.

US Army Sergeant Brian Mowery

US Army Sergeant Brian K. Mowery from Halifax, Pennsylvania, was one of three soldiers killed on 18th July 2011 in Ghazni province, when his patrol vehicle struck a road mine.

The 49-year-old served with the 131st Transportation Company, 213th Area Support Group, based at Williamstown, Pennsylvania.

The other soldiers who died were: Staff Sgt. Kenneth R. VanGiesen and Sergeant Edward W. Koehler.

More information to follow.

US Army Staff Sergeant Kenneth VanGiesen

US Army National Guard Staff-Sgt. Kenneth R. VanGiesen, from Kane, Pennsylvania, was killed along with two fellow soldiers on Monday 18th July when his patrol vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. He was serving with the 131st Transportation Company.

According to a report in Kanerepublican.com, SSgt VanGiesen, a mechanic, was pulled from his "home" base to go to Afghanistan with another National Guard unit that needed someone with his expertise. 

The 30-year-old soldier is the son of Tom and Sue VanGiesen from Kane. He and his longtime girlfriend, Erin Sirianni of Kane, have been living in a house they purchased in Erie where SSgt. VanGiesen had been working with the National Guard.

SSgt. VanGiesen had previously deployed to Iraq twice.

Three Pennsylvania soldiers killed

Pennsylvania TV station WHTM has reported that three soldiers with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard's 131st Transportation Company were killed in Afghanistan on Monday, according to friends and relatives.

On Monday, NATO announced that three ISAF soldiers had been killed in eastern Afghanistan by the blast of an improvised explosive device, but gave no further details. The U.S Department of Defense has not yet confirmed the deaths.

Update: they have been named as Staff-Sgt. Kenneth R. VanGiesen, Sgt. Edward W. Koehler, and Sgt. Brian K. Mowery

British Army Corporal Mark Palin

British Army Corporal Mark Anthony Palin from 1st Battalion The Rifles was killed in action in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand province on 18th July 2011. He was leading a patrol to clear an enemy explosives cache when a hidden bomb exploded near him.

32-year-old Corporal Palin was born in Plymouth and joined the Army in 1996. He served in Germany, Northern Ireland and Iraq before deploying to Afghanistan in April this year.

Lieutenant Colonel James de Labillière DSO MBE, Commanding Officer, 1 RIFLES said: "Corporal Mark Palin was a Battalion personality through and through. He thrived on the friendship of many, and was generous to a fault in the friendship he gave in return. Indeed this was the very essence of the man; always putting others first, and taking huge enjoyment in making others smile and laugh, no matter how difficult the circumstances."

Corporal Palin leaves behind his wife Carla, young son Lennon, father Paul, brother Matthew and sister Louise.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Jabari Thompson

US Marine Lance Corporal Jabari N. Thompson, age 22, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died on 17th July 2011 from wounds he received on 13th July while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

L-Cpl. Thompson, from Brooklyn, New York, was a machine-gunner serving with the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

L-Cpl. Thompson had previously deployed to Haiti in 2010 and deployed to Afghanistan in February this year. His awards include the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher Camero

US Marine Lance Corporal Christopher L. Camero died on 15th July 2011 from wounds suffered on 6th July while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

The 19-year-old, from Kailia Kona, Hawaii, served with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division based at Twentynine Palms, California.

Friends of L-Cpl. Camero posted the news of his death on the Internet, saying he had stepped on a homemade bomb while on a patrol, his legs had to be amputated and that he had been on life support since being wounded.

L-Cpl. Camero chronicled his deployment to Afghanistan on his Facebook page, posting photos of himself on a plane heading for Germany, then Kyrgyzstan, arriving in Afghanistan on 12th April.

His unit of about 1,000 Marines patrols Nahr-e-saraj district south of Sangin, where some of the heaviest recent fighting has occurred, and north of Lashkar Gah in Helmand province.

US Army Pfc. Tyler Springmann

US Army Private 1st Class Tyler M. Springmann was one of two American soldiers killed by a bomb blast in Kandahar province on 17th July 2011.

Pfc. Springmann, age 19 from Hartland, Maine, served with the Alaska-based 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

Earlier this year, Pfc. Springmann married his high school sweetheart, Brittney, and was looking forward to returning home on leave in December.

In addition to his wife, Pfc. Springmann leaves his mother Tina Stratton, step-father Ben Martin and his father Robert Springmann, who is in the Army in Afghanistan and had escorted his son's body back to the U.S.

The other soldier killed in the same incident was Sergeant 1st Class Kenneth Elwell.

US Army Sergeant 1st Class Kenneth Elwell

US Army Sergeant 1st Class Kenneth B. Elwell was one of two American soldiers killed by a bomb blast in Kandahar province on 17th July 2011.

Sfc. Elwell, age 33 from Holland, Pa., served with the Alaska-based 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

He joined the Army in 1997 and had previously deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. He leaves his wife Kristen and two children, 6 year old Elise and 4 year old Nicholas.

The other soldier killed in the same incident was Private 1st Class Tyler Springmann.

Two US soldiers killed by bomb blast - 17 July 2011

Two US soldiers from the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, were killed in southern Afghanistan on Sunday 17th July, and seven others were wounded.

The deaths and injuries were caused by an improvised explosive device the soldiers encountered during a foot patrol.

The soldiers killed are: Sergeant 1st Class Kenneth Elwell and Private 1st Class Tyler Springman

British Army Lance-Corporal Paul Watkins

British Army Lance-Corporal Paul Watkins, from 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's), was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday 16 July 2011.

He was killed by small-arms fire in a contact with enemy forces during a routine patrol near Gereshk, Helmand province.

L-Cpl. Watkins, age 24, was from Port Elizabeth in the Republic of South Africa. He joined the Army in September 2007 as a Foreign and Commonwealth soldier. During his four years of service, Lance Corporal Watkins served on Operation TELIC 12, as part of a mentoring and training team to the Iraqi airborne forces in Az Zubayr. In September 2010, he completed his Junior Command Course on which he performed to an excellent standard.

He deployed to Afghanistan in March this year. L-Cpl. Watkins leaves behind his mother Jill, father Rod, and brothers Luke and Simon.

British soldier killed by bomb blast - 18 July 2011

British Army Corporal Mark Palin serving with 1st Battalion The Rifles was killed in Afghanistan today, Monday 18th July 2011.

The soldier was killed while on an operation in the Nahr-e Saraj (South) district of Helmand province to recover a cache of improvised explosive device components that had been discovered the previous evening.

He was escorting a specialist team to the cache to remove these components when he was caught in an explosion from another device, a short distance away from the original find.

Three NATO troops killed by bomb blast - 18th July

KABUL, 18 July 2011: Three International Security Assistance Force service members died following an improvised explosive device attack in eastern Afghanistan today. No further details are available at the moment.

More information to follow.

US Army soldier Chad Clayton

US Army soldier Chad Dylan Clayton, age 30 from Lockwood, Missouri, died on Sunday 17th July 2011 in Lockwood. The incident is being investigated by local police. According to various local news reports, he was involved in a violent incident and was taken to hospital where he later died.

Clayton was deployed to Paktika, Afghanistan, serving with the 203rd Engineer Battalion. He had recently returned from the year-long deployment.

He leaves behind his mother, Shelley James and her husband Travis, his father Philip, brothers Cody and Zane, among other relatives.

Note: we have included Chad Clayton on this website as a tribute to his service in Afghanistan.

US Marine Major Jeremy James Graczyk

US Marine Major Jeremy James Graczyk, age 33, died on 12th July 2011 in a BASE jumping accident in Switzerland.

Major Graczyk, a decorated war veteran, had deployed more than seven times to Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa. He attended the United States Naval Academy, and received a BSc degree in Systems Engineering in 1999. He was promoted to the rank of major in 2009.

Major Graczyk holds three Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medals, one Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal, two Combat Action Ribbons, a Presidential Unit Citation, a Meritorious Unit Citation, two National Defense Service Medals, two Afghanistan Campaign Medals, five Iraq Campaign Medals, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and seven Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.

He is survived by his parents, James and Darlene Graczyk, sister Jennifer, nephews Aidan and Gabe, grandparents Richard and Leora Shoop and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Note: we have included Major Graczyk on this website as a tribute to his service in Afghanistan.

US Army Corporal Raphael Arruda

US Army Corporal Raphael Arruda, from South Ogden, Utah, died in Kunar province, Afghanistan on Saturday 16th July 2011. Cpl. Arruda, age 21, was patrolling in a mine-resistant vehicle when it was struck by a roadside bomb. He died as a result of the blunt force trauma caused by the blast.

His family were told of his death on Sunday. His father, however, was in the family’s native country of Brazil Sunday, tending to affairs in the wake of his own mother’s death less than two weeks ago

Cpl. Arruda was a combat engineer, on his first deployment to Afghanistan. He would have celebrated his 22nd birthday on 23rd July.

His Facebook page said he attended Bonneville High School in Ogden in 2007-2008 and that he joined the U.S. Army in 2008.

US Army Specialist Frank Gross

US Army Specialist Frank R. Gross, died in Kandahar on 16th July 2011 from injuries he received when a roadside bomb caused his vehicle to roll over in Khowst province.

25-year-old Spc. Gross, from Oldsmar, Florida, served with the 2nd Battalion, 38th Cavalry Regiment, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, based at Fort Hood, Texas.

Spc. Gross was born in Virginia Beach and enlisted in the Army in May 2010, said Chris Haug, chief of media relations for Fort Hood public affairs.

His mother, Antonia, said in a phone interview that Spc. Gross had deployed to Afghanistan on 28th June this year. Her last correspondence with him was via a Skype call a week before he died.

Spc. Gross leaves his parents Antonia and Craig and his sister Natalie.

US Army Sergeant Lex Lewis

US Army Sergeant Lex L. Lewis, died on 15th July 2011 from injuries he received in Farah province when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.

40-year-old Sgt. Lewis, from Rapid City, was a cavalry scout serving with 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson, Colorado.

Sgt. Lewis joined the Army in 1999 and joined his current unit in 2008. He had previously deployed to Iraq twice. His decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, NATO Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, South West Asia Service Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

US Special Forces Staff Sgt. Wyatt Goldsmith

US Green Beret, Staff Sergeant Wyatt A. Goldsmith, died on 15th July 2011 at Camp Bastion Hospital, Afghanistan after he was injured when enemy forces attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenade fire in Helmand province, Afghanistan. SSgt. Goldsmith, age 28, from Colville, Washington, served with 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

SSgt. Goldsmith joined the Army in June 2004 as a Special Forces recruit. In October 2004, on completion of basic training, advanced individual training and the basic airborne course at Fort Benning, he was assigned to the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg.

Goldsmith attended Special Forces Assessment and Selection in 2005 and was selected to continue his training as medical sergeant in the Special Forces Qualification Course. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and the Meritorious Service Medal.

He is survived by his parents John and Lorie Goldsmith of Colville, Washington and his sister Nicole.

British soldier shot dead in Helmand province

A British soldier, Lance Corporal Paul Watkins, from 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) was killed in Afghanistan yesterday, 16th July 2011 while on a routine joint patrol with the Afghan National Army.

He was in a fire support position, tracking the progress of a foot patrol from his Jackal vehicle. The foot patrol was returning to the vehicle when both teams came under small arms fire. The incident happened in Nahr-e Saraj District.

A report that the fatal gunshot was fired by an Afghan National Army soldier is now the subject of a joint International Security Assistance Force and Afghan National Security Force investigation.

US Army Sergeant Jeremy Summers

US Army Sergeant Jeremy R. Summers, died on 14th July 2011 from wounds he received during a battle with enemy forces the previous day. The incident, involving small-arms fire, happened in Paktika province, Afghanistan.

27-year-old Sgt. Summers, from Mount Olivet, Kentucky, served with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell.

Sgt. Summers joined the Army in March 2005 and transferred to Fort Campbell in August 2009. He leaves behind his parents.

More information to follow.

Canadian Army Trooper Stefan Jankowski

Canadian Army Trooper Stefan Jankowski, age 25, died in Canada from a prescription drug overdose on Saturday 9th July 2011. He had been suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) since returning from combat duties in Afghanistan.

Dodging bullets, seeing a boy with his face blown off and holding a dead friend in his arms was more than Trooper Jankowski could bear. He suffered anxiety, depression and insomnia as well as the horrors of war.

He served with the Royal Canadian Dragoons.

Note: Trooper Jankowski is one of thousands of troops from all nations who suffered from PTSD after serving in Afghanistan. We have included him on this website as a tribute to his service in Afghanistan.

Décès du second maître Benjamin Bourdet.

Le second maître Benjamin BOURDET du commando Jaubert est tombé au champ d’honneur au cours d’un accrochage dans la vallée d’Alasay, en Kapisa, le 14 juillet 2011.

Né le 25 janvier 1981 à Cherbourg, le second maître Benjamin BOURDET est entré dans la Marine nationale le 28 avril 2003. Il choisit la spécialité de fusilier marin et suit le cours du brevet d’aptitude technique de fusilier marin à Lorient.

A l’issue de sa formation, en novembre 2003, il est affecté au Groupement de fusiliers marins de Brest. Autonome et dynamique, il se voit rapidement confier des fonctions de chef d’équipe. Très disponible, il effectue entre 2004 et 2007, quatre missions en Nouvelle Calédonie.

Promu second maître le 1^er septembre 2007, il rejoint la compagnie de fusiliers marins de l’Ile Longue. Grâce à sa grande motivation et à sa détermination, il réussit la sélection du stage commando début 2008 et reçoit son béret vert.

Affecté au commando Jaubert, en mai 2008, il est projeté deux fois à Djibouti. En 2009, il participe au premier déploiement d’équipes de protection embarqué en océan Indien afin de lutter contre la piraterie.

Qualifié tireur de précision, il était déployé en Afghanistan pour la première fois.

Le second maître Benjamin Bourdet avait été récompensé par une citation avec attribution de la médaille d’or de la défense nationale. Il était également titulaire de la médaille de la défense nationale échelon argent avec agrafes Fusiliers Marins et Bâtiments de combat.

French Commando Benjamin Bourdet

French Special Forces Commando Benjamin Bourdet was killed in action on 14th July 2011 in the Alasay Valley, Kapisa province, Afghanistan during a battle with enemy forces.

The 30-year-old Commando was born in Cherbourg and joined the French Marines in 2003. Between 2004 and 2007 he deployed four times to New Caledonia. He was promoted to Petty Officer rank in September 2007 and assigned to a Marine unit guarding nuclear submarines. He deployed twice to Djibouti on operations against maritime piracy.

Second-Master Bourdet was on his first deployment to Afghanistan. He holds the Gold and Silver National Defense Medals.

US Marine Lance Corporal Robert Greniger

21-year-old US Marine Lance Corporal Robert S. Greniger, from Greenfield, Minnesota, died on 12th July 2011 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

L-Cpl. Greniger served with the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

More information to follow.

French Paratroop Warrant Officer Jean-Marc Gueniat

French Paratroop Warrant Officer Jean-Marc Gueniat, age 37, was one of five French soldiers killed on 13th July 2011 while attending a meeting with village elders in the village of Joybar, Kapisa province. They were all killed when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb.

WO Gueniat served with the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment. He joined the Regiment in April 1994 and during his military career served in the Central African Republic, former Yugoslavia, New Caledonia and Ivory Coast. 

He deployed to Afghanistan in May this year with the Lafayette Task Force, Battle Group Raptor.

WO Gueniat leaves his wife and two children.

French Army Master Corporal Sebastien Vermeille

French Master Corporal Sébastien Vermeille, age 31, was one of five French soldiers killed on 13th July 2011 while attending a meeting with village elders in the village of Joybar, Kapisa province. They were all killed when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb.

M-Cpl. Vermeille was a broadcasting operator with the SIRPA Army of Lyon which he joined in 2009. Prior to that he served with the 1st Regiment of Marines in Angoulême. He had previously served in Ivory Coast, Djibouti, New Caledonia, Chad and Kosovo. He deployed to Afghanistan in May this year with Lafayette Task Force, Battle Group Raptor.

M-Cpl. Vermeille leaves behind his wife and two children.

French Paratroop Warrant Officer Emmanuel Techer

French Army Warrant Officer Emmanuel Techer, age 38, was one of five French soldiers killed on 13th July 2011 while attending a meeting with village elders in the village of Joybar, Kapisa province. They were all killed when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb.

WO Techer, served with the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment. In January 1993 he was admitted to the School of NCOs. Appointed sergeant in 1994, he joined the 17th Engineer Regiment Paratrooper (RGP) of Monta

Until 2007, WO Techer was a technical trainer at the Commando Training Centre in Givet. He later rejoined 17th RGP where he commanded the 2nd Company. During his career, he had deployed on combat missions to Chad (1994 and 2008), Yugoslavia (1995 and 1996), Senegal (1998), Kosovo (1998), New Caledonia (2004). He deployed to Afghanistan in May this year.

WO Techer was awarded the Medal with Overseas clasp Chad, the gold medal of National Defence, with staples Airborne troops, foreign aid and Mission Engineering, the medal of recognition of the nation, the French Commemorative Medal Button former Yugoslavia. He leaves behind his wife.

French Paratroop Warrant Officer Laurent Marsol

French Army Warrant Officer Laurent Marsol, age 35, was one of five French soldiers killed on 13th July 2011 while attending a meeting with village elders in the village of Joybar, Kapisa province. They were all killed when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb.

WO Marsol, served with the 1st Parachute Regiment (Chasseurs). In June 1998 he joined the 14th Command Regiment and two years later was admitted to the National School of NCOs. During his military career, WO Marsol had been deployed on active duty to Gabon, Kosovo and Chad. This was his second combat tour of Afghanistan deploying on 14th May.

WO Marsol was awarded the Medal with clasps Overseas Côte d'Ivoire, Central African Republic and Chad, the French Commemorative Medal Button former Yugoslavia, the Gold Medal of National Defence, Button "Airborne" Cross with bronze star.

French Paratroop officer, Lt. Thomas Gauvin

French Army officer, Lieutenant Thomas Gauvin, age 27, was one of five French soldiers killed on 13th July 2011 while attending a meeting with village elders in the village of Joybar, Kapisa province. They were all killed when a suicide bomber detonated a bomb.

Lt. Gauvin, from Caen, served with the 1st Parachute Regiment (Chasseurs). In September 2005, he began studying at the French Military Academy - Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr - where he was top of his class. In August 2008, he joined the Parachute Regiment.

In 2010, he deployed to Central African Republic and deployed to Afghanistan on 6th May 2011. Lt. Gauvin holds the Bronze Medal of National Defense (Airborne Troops) button. He leaves his wife.

US Navy Seaman Aaron Ullom

20-year-old US Navy Hospital Corpsman Aaron Ullom, from Midland, Michigan, was killed in action on 12th July 2011 in Afghanistan while on foot patrol in the Now Zad district of Helmand. He was serving as a medic with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment when the patrol came under insurgent fire.

His mother, Debi Bartley-Ullom, told a local TV news station that her son enlisted in the Navy after a recruiter visited his school. She says he was on his first deployment in Afghanistan.

Corpsman Ullom was a 2009 graduate of Midland High School, where he played football and ran track.

5 French soldiers killed by bomb blast

Five French soldiers have been killed in a bombing in Kapisa province, eastern Afghanistan today 13th July 2011. Four other French soldiers were seriously injured in the attack.

The French troops were guarding a meeting of local leaders in Joybar village when a terrorist suicide bomber detonated a bomb.

The five soldiers served with the French Airborne. Three were named as:

Lieutenant Thomas Gauvin
Warrant Officer Lawrence Marsol
Warrant Officer Emmanuel Techer
Warrant Officer Jean-Marc Gueniat
Master Corporal Sebastien Vermeille

Danish Army Konstabel Alexander Biune

23-year-old Danish Army Konstabel Alexander Biune was killed in Helmand province on 10th July 2011 by the blast from a roadside bomb. He died in a military field hospital in Camp Bastion after being airlifted by helicopter.

Konstabel Biune served with the Jutland Dragoons based at Holstebro. He joined the army in February 2010.

Head of Danish Battlegroup, Colonel Jens Riis, said of Konstabel Biune: "He trusted himself and everyone felt safe when he took the lead. He lead his mates through perilous areas and did it with a conviction that he was better than anyone. He did until this tragic day for all of us."

Konstabel Biune leaves his parents, his girlfriend and two siblings.

Italian Army Paratrooper Roberto Marchini

Italian Army Primo Caporal Maggiore Roberto Marchini was killed by a roadside bomb on Tuesday 12th July 2011 during a joint patrol about 3km from FOB Lavaredo, in Bakwa district, Farah province, Afghanistan. It was the last day of his deployment in Afghanistan.

Cpl. Maj. Marchini, born in 1983, served with the 8th Parachute Engineer Regiment based at Legnago, a unit within the Folgore Parachute Brigade. He was a bomb-disposal engineer on his third overseas combat mission.

He joined the army in 2005 and was proud to be a part of a team specializing in reconnaissance and bomb disposal. He leaves his parents and a sister.

French Army Brigadier Clément Kovac

22-year-old French Army Brigadier Clement Kovac was killed on 11th July 2011 when a colleague accidentally shot him. The incident happened at Operating Base Hutnik in Kapisa province, Afghanistan. He served with the 1st Regiment of Chasseurs.

Brig. Kovac had previously served in New Caledonia and deployed to Afghanistan on 2nd June 2011 as a crew member in a AMX-10 light tank.

His commanding officer said of Brig. Kovak that he was "noted for his sense of responsibility" and that he had "a very good state of mind in all missions he participated in.

The young soldier had been awarded the National Defense Medal (bronze level).

US Marine Lance Corporal Norberto Mendez Hernandez

US Marine Lance Corporal Norberto Mendez Hernandez, age 22, from Logan, Utah, died on 10th July 2011 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

He served with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, based at Camp Pendleton, California. He joined the Marines in April 2010. This was his first combat deployment.

He leaves behind a wife and two children.

US Army Specialist Rafael Nieves Jr.

101st Airborne Spc. Rafael A. Nieves Jr. was killed in action on 10th July 2011 in Paktika province, Afghanistan during a battle with enemy forces. The 22-year-old, from Albany, New York, died from wounds sustained after his vehicle came under small-arms and RPG fire.

Spc. Nieves served with the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Spc. Nieves leaves his wife Sarah A. McKinney, their two children, Emma Grace and Rafael A. III, his father, Rafael A. Nieves Sr. and his mother, Tina R. Roman.

US Army Sergeant Christopher Soderlund

US Army 10th Mountain Division Sergeant Christopher P. Soderlund was killed in action on 9th July 2011 in Logar province, Afghanistan.

The 23-year-old soldier died from injuries received when enemy forces fired rocket-propelled grenades at his patrol vehicle. Sgt. Soderlund served with the 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment.

Sgt. Soderlund joined the army in March 2006 and had been stationed at Fort Polk since November 2007. He deployed to Iraq from December 2007 to January 2009. He holds a Bronze Star and Purple Heart among other awards.

Sgt. Soderlund leaves his wife, two children and his parents.

French soldier killed in 'friendly fire' incident

France's Defence Ministry says a French soldier in Afghanistan has died after he was accidentally shot by another French soldier.

It took place early Monday (11th July) as a convoy of armoured vehicles was entering a base in Afghanistan's eastern Tagab region. The convoy was returning from an operation.

The soldier was evacuated to a military hospital in Kabul, where he died.

Update: soldier identified as Brigadier Clement Kovac

US Army Sgt. 1st Class Terryl Pasker

US Army Sergeant 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker, age 39, from Cedar Rapids, died on 9th July 2011 in Panjshir province, Afghanistan, after being shot by an Afghan security officer. The assailant was subsequently shot and killed by a US soldier.

Sfc. Pasker, served with the Iowa Army National Guard's Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. He was due to return home later this month. He enlisted in the US Army in July 1990 and joined the Iowa National Guard in April 1995.

Sfc. Pasker, leaves his wife, Erica, of Cedar Rapids, his parents, one brother and two sisters.

In the same incident, Retired US Trooper Paul Protzenko, a civilian contractor died.

Retired US State Trooper Paul Protzenko

Retired US Trooper First Class Paul Protzenko died in Afghanistan 9th July 2011 while working for a private contracting firm training Afghan police.

The 47-year-old former Connecticut State Trooper retired in 2009 after 20 years service working for the state police. Prior to that, he had served in the US Army.

At the time of the incident, in Panjshir province, Mr. Protzenko was in a vehicle with US Army Sergeant 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker. An Afghan security officer stopped their vehicle and opened fire. Both men died at the scene. A US soldier in another vehicle shot and killed the Afghan guard.

Danish soldier killed by bomb blast

A Danish soldier was killed by a bomb blast in Helmand province this morning - 10th July 2011. The soldier was evacuated by helicopter to a Military field hospital at Camp Bastion but died from his injuries.

Update: soldier named as Konstabel Alexander Biune

NATO soldier and ISAF civilian killed eastern Afghanistan 9 July

KABUL (9th July 2011): a NATO/ISAF service member and a ISAF civilian were killed following an attack in eastern Afghanistan today. The incident is under investigation. 

UPDATE: the two service members are:


US Army Sergeant 1st Class Terryl L. Pasker
and
Retired US Trooper First Class Paul Protzenko

US Marine Staff Sergeant Thomas Dudley

29-year-old US Marine Staff Sgt. Thomas Joseph Dudley, from Tega Cay, South Carolina, died on 7th July 2011 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

SSgt. Dudley served with Marine Air Group 26, 2nd Marine Air Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station New River, Jacksonville, North Carolina. This was his sixth overseas deployment. He had just two weeks left before returning home.

SSgt. Dudley leaves his wife, Mary, and their three children - Taylor, 13, Thomas Carter, 5 and Jenna Robyn, 23 months.

US Army Sergeant Nicanor Amper

US Army Sergeant Nicanor Amper IV was killed in Khowst, Afghanistan when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade on 5th July 2011.

36-year-old Sgt. Nicanor, from San Jose, California, served with 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, based at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Sgt. Amper was married and had two sons from a previous marriage.

NATO soldier dies in Afghanistan 7 July 2011

KABUL: A NATO/ISAF soldier died in southern Afghanistan on 7th July 2011 from a non-battle related injury.

No further details available at this time. More to follow.

US Army Spc. Preston J. Suter

US Army Specialist Preston J. Suter, from Sandy, Utah, was one of three soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan on Tuesday 5th July 2011. He was riding in a patrol vehicle in Paktia province when a roadside bomb detonated beside it.

22-year-old Spc. Suter was based in Germany and served with the 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command.

More information to follow.

US Army Spc. Jordan Schumann

24-year-old US Army Spc Jordan C. Schumann was killed in Paktia province, Afghanistan on Tuesday 5th July 2011 by the blast of a roadside bomb while he was in a Humvee patrol vehicle.

He served with the 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, based at Hohenfels, Germany.

Spc. Schumann, son of a Port St Lucie, Florida family, graduated from St Lucie West Centennial in 2006 and is survived by his wife Sarah, their unborn baby due in September, his parents Clay and Linda, brother Clay Jr., and sister Heather.

US Army Staff Sergeant Joshua Throckmorton

US Army Staff Sergeant Joshua Throckmorton, age 28, was killed in action in Paktia province, Afghanistan on Tuesday 5th July 2011 when a roadside bomb detonated against his patrol vehicle.

SSgt. Throckmorton was a native of Battle Creek, Michigan and a father of three.

SSgt. Throckmorton was based in Germany and served with the 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command. He had previously spent fifteen months in Iraq and was three months in to a one year deployment in Afghanistan.

Crew of Azerbaijan Cargo plane crash

An Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane belonging to Silk Way Airlines of Azerbaijan crashed into a mountainside in Afghanistan's Parwan Province at approximately 21.10 GMT on 5th July. The plane was flying from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to Bagram military base, carrying cargo for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Body parts have been found with the wreckage of the plane although no formal identifications have been possible.

It is not thought that any of the crew could have survived the crash. The airline has released the names of the nine crew members on board the aircraft.

1. Captain Sergey Kuzmin (born in 1969)
2. Co-pilot Oleg Marshikhin (born in 1979, from Azerbaijan)
3. Navigator Igor Zheng (born in 1966)
4. Engineer Vladimir Shatobin (born in 1969)
5. Radio operator Ahmedjan Khajayev (born in 1955, from Azerbajian)
6. Radio operator Elnur Mahmudov (born in 1981, from Azerbaijan)
7. Onboard operator Tapdig Gahramanov (born in 1964, from Azerbaijan)
8. Mechanic Afghan Rahimov (born in 1980, from Azerbaijan)
9. Mechanic Mehman Huseynov (born in 1962, from Azerbaijan)