Freedom Remembered

January 24, 1982
Died: October 3, 2009 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan,

Staff Sgt. Justin T. Gallegos of Tucson, Arizona attended Tucson High School and graduated from Aztec Middle College at the West Pima Campus in December 2000. He joined the Army in May 2003 and was currently serving his third deployment, which was his first to Afghanistan. His previous two deployments were in Iraq from November 2005 through November 2006 and March 2007 through May 2008. His awards and decorations include Army Commendation Medal – 2, Army Achievement Medal – 2, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/Campaign Star, Iraq Campaign Medal w/ Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon – 2, NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge and 3 Purple Hearts. Justin was postuminously promoted to Staff Sgt. and awarded a Bronze Star and a third Purple Heart. He was preceded in death by his father Edward H. Gallegos, his brothers Eric and Isaac Gallegos, and is survived by his mother Josefina “Yolanda” Heideman, his son, MacAidan, brother of Matthew, and sisters, Amber and Sunshine. Justin was one of eight Fort Carson soldiers killed in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires. He was 27. Also killed in the battle were, Staff Sgt. Vernon W. Martin, Sgt. Joshua M. Hardt, Sgt. Joshua J. Kirk, Sgt. Michael P. Scusa, Spc. Christopher T. Griffin, Spc. Stephan L. Mace and Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson.

Army
3rd Squadron
61st Cavalry Regiment
4th Brigade Combat Team
4th Infantry Division
Fort Carson, Colorado

Burial is at Evergreen Cemetery in Tucson, Arizona