Staff Sgt. Andrew T. Britton-Mihalo
Staff Sgt. Andrew T. BrittonMihalo, 25, of Simi Valley, Calif., died April 25, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Andrew attended Royal High School, graduating in 2005. Britton Mihalo completed the Special Forces Qualification Course and earned the coveted “Green Beret” in 2008 as a Special Forces communications sergeant. Britton-Mihalo’s military education includes the Warrior Leader’s Course, the Advanced Leader’s Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Basic Airborne Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course and the Intelligence course. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, two Army Good Conduct Medals, Joint Service Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Special Forces Tab, Parachutist Badge, and Expert Marksmanship Badge.
To be updated…
Born: Keystone Heights, Florida
Staff Sgt. Brandon F. Eggleston, 29, of Eden, N.C., died April 26, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when their vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C. He was a 2001 graduate of Morehead High School. Brandon had been in the Army since 2006, and was currently serving his third deployment. He was expected to come home later this year, between September and December. He attended West Carolina University and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 2006. Upon completion of basic training and advanced individual training, he attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course. He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in March 2009 and was assigned to 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg as a SF Communications Sergeant. His military education also includes the U.S. Army Airborne School, Advanced Leaders Course, Warrior Leaders Course, Combatives Course Level 1, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course and the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat course. His awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces tab. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a third campaign star and the Combat Infantry Badge.
Spc. Moises J. Gonzalez, 29, Huntington, Calif., died April 25, in Balkh province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle rolled over. Gonzalez was assigned to the 509th Combat Service Support Company, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas. Gonzalez joined the military in December 2006 as a water treatment specialist, and was assignment to the 509th Combat Service Support Company, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, since June 2011. Gonzalez deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from December 2008 to October 2009 and from June 2011 to April 2012. His awards and decorations include the NATO Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, two Afghanistan Campaign Medals with campaign stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and two Overseas Service Ribbon
Lt. Christopher E. Mosko, 28, of Philadelphia and San Diego died April 26 while conducting combat operations in Nawa district, Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Lt. Mosko graduated in 2002 from Eau Claire Memorial High School, where he took part in swimming, soccer, and the show choir. He was a dedicated athlete who worked harder than his teammates and was a self-directed singer. His family moved from Eau Claire soon after Christopher graduated. Lt Mosko commanded a Navy explosive ordnance disposal unit, which was responsible to dealing with unexploded roadside bombs and other improvised explosives. He was assigned as a Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Platoon Commander to Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Afghanistan. Mosko was stationed at EOD Mobile Unit 3, San Diego, Calif. He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3 in Coronado. In Afghanistan, he was a platoon commander for a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force. Lt Mosko was qualified as an explosive ordnance expert, a free-fall parachutist and a scuba diving instructor. He was in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Drexel University in Philadelphia and was commissioned in May 2007. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star awards.
Born: June 6, 1989
Spc. Benjamin H. Neal, 21, of Orfordville, Wis., died April 25 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. Spc Neal was a 2009 graduate of Parkview Senior High School in Orfordville where he was a high school wrestler. He entered the military after graduating. His awards include the NATO Medal, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the Parachutist Badge.
Spc. Manuel J. Vasquez, 22, of West Sacramento, Calif., died April 24 in Paktika province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany. He attended Mira Loma High School. Vasquez arrived in Afghanistan in August of 2011 and was scheduled to leave in June. He was promoted to Specialist in January 2012.
1st Lt. Jonathan P. Walsh, 28, Cobb, Ga., died April 22 in Paktia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. Walsh graduated from Kennesaw State University and worked in the financial services industry before joining the Army in March 2010. Prior to joining the Army in March 2010, he worked five months as director of sales for Reliable Security LLC, a Marietta event security company. Before that, he was a consultant for two years for Zurvita, a Houston-based marketing company. He was previously employed as a credit manager for Wells Fargo Financial. In the spring of 2008, Walsh graduated with a bachelor of business administration degree in management from Kennesaw State University. In 2005, he also earned an associate of science degree from Georgia Highland College.
Pfc. Michael J. Metcalf, 22, Boynton Beach, Fla., died April 22 in Paktia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 504th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. Michael attended Park Vista Community High School before leaving to enroll at the St. John Military Academy in Wisconsin. He enlisted in the United States Army after graduating.