Freedom Remembered

Sgt. Daniel J. Brown, 27, of Jerome, Idaho, died March 24 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. He leaves behind a wife, three month old twin daughters, his parents, and a brother.

A funeral service is scheduled for;
April 7th at 4 p.m.
College of Southern Idaho gymnasium

Memorials donations may be made to
The Dan Brown Memorial Fund at any Wells Fargo nationwide.
The proceeds will benefit his twin daughters.

To be updated…

Capt. Aaron D. Istre, 37, of Vinton, La., died March 24 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the HHC, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Fort Hood, Texas. Capt Istre received numerous military awards throughout his career. He was deployed in December 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He joined the military in November 1998 and was assignment to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Fort Hood since June 2009. Istre deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from November 2005 to November 2006. He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in December 2011. His awards and decorations include two Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, Army Good Conduct Medal, two National Defense Service Medals, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbon, and NATO Medal.

Visitation:
Thursday, April 5, 2024
10:00 AM until 9:00 PM
Matthews and Son Funeral Home
511 N. Cutting Ave.
Jennings, LA 70546

Visitation:
Friday, April 6, 2024
8:00 AM until 11:00 AM
Matthews and Son Funeral Home
511 N. Cutting Ave.
Jennings, LA 70546

Service:
Friday, April 6, 2024
11:00 AM
Matthews and Son Funeral Home
511 N. Cutting Ave.
Jennings, LA 70546

Funeral information courtesy of Matthews and Son Funeral Home

To be updated…

Sgt. Dennis P. Weichel Jr., 29, of Providence, R.I., died March 22 in Laghman province, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered in a noncombat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment, 56th Troop Command, Rhode Island National Guard, East Greenwich, R.I. He was a member of the National Guard since 2001 and was deployed to Iraq in 2005. Dennis died saving the life of a little boy.

According to the U.S. Army, Weichel was in a convoy with his unit in Laghman Province, in northeast Afghanistan. Some children were in the road in front of the convoy, and Weichel and other troops got out to move them out of the way.

Most of the children moved, but one little boy went back to pick up some brass shell casings in the road. Afghan civilians often recycle the casings, and the boy appeared to aim to do that. But a Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle was moving toward him.

MRAPs, as they are known, usually weigh more than 16 tons.

Weichel saw the massive truck bearing down on the child and grabbed him out of the way. But in the process, the armored truck ran him over, Riel said.

The little boy is fine. Weichel died a short time later of his injuries.

Visitation will be;
Sunday, April 1st from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the
Olson & Parent Funeral Home,
417 Plainfield Street,
Providence, Rhode Island

A Funeral Service will be held at
10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 2nd in
Swan Point Chapel,
585 Blackstone Blvd.,
Providence, Rhode Island
Interment will follow at the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery in Exeter, RI.

In lieu of flowers, donations in support of Dennis’ three children future college fund would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made payable to Dennis P. Weichel.
Mail to:
Dennis P. Weichel
c/o Olson & Parent Funeral Home
417 Plainfield Street
Providence, RI 02909

To be updated…

Born: September 9, 2024
Died: May 5, 2024 in Afghanistan

Lt. Col. Joseph J. Fenty of Florida became a commissioned officer in June 1986 after graduating from Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C. Assigned to the 10th Mountain Division in 1997 and deployed to Bosnia. Deployed to Afghanistan in March 2002. He was commissioned into the infantry in 1986 upon graduation from the UNCC. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms Service Staff School, and the US Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC). His tactical assignments include service in Panama, Alaska, Fort Benning, and two assignments at Fort Drum. He began his military career as a Platoon Leader, Scout Platoon Leader, and Company Executive Officer, 1st Battalion, 508th Airborne Infantry, Fort Kobbe, Panama, Jul 87 to Jan 90. Upon completion of the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, he was assigned to the 6th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, Oct 90 to Mar 94. He served as an Assistant G3 Operations Officer, Assistant Operations Officer in 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, and Company Commander in 4-9 Infantry. From 1997-1998, he served as the Regimental Assistant Operations Officer, 75th Ranger Regiment. Following CGSC, he was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division as Chief of G3 Plans, serving in Bosnia-Herzegovinia from Jul 99 to Mar 00. Subsequent assignments included Battalion Operations Officer, 2d Battalion, 14th Infantry and Brigade Operations Officer, 2d Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. His other assignments include exchange officer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; Small Group Instructor at the Infantry Officer Advanced Course; and the Infantry Colonels Assignment Officer at Army Human Resources Command. LTC Fenty’s awards and badges include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with 4 OLCs, Army Commendation Medal with 1 OLC, Army Achievement Medal with 1 OLC, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Overseas Ribbon (3), and the NATO Medal. His decorations include the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (w/star), Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, and Pathfinder Badge. He is survived his wife, Kristin, a daughter and his parents. He died east of Abad, Afghanistan, in the Kunar province when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed during combat operations at age 41.

Army
commander
3rd Squadron
71st Cavalry Regiment
3rd Brigade Combat Team
Fort Drum New York

Burial is at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia - Sec 60 Site 8342

Born: January 17, 2024 in Omaha, Nebraska
Died: March 22, 2024 in El Dorado, Kansas

Pfc Hal L. Neukirch, Jr of El Dorado, Kansas joined the Army at the age of 36. He entered active-duty service in January 2009 as a combat engineer. He arrived at Fort Hood in June 2009 and his last assignment here was with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade since November 2011.
Neukirch deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from January 2010 to December 2010. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal and Driver and Mechanic badge. He graduated as a combat engineer and was stationed at Ft. Hood. From there he was deployed to Afghanistan, where he served as a personal security officer. He died at age 39.

Visitation will be;
5-7 p.m. Sunday, March 25, in the fellowship hall at the
El Dorado Baptist Church.
The Celebration of his life will be held at
11 a.m. on Monday, March 26, 2024 at the
First Baptist Church in El Dorado.

Walnut Valley Memorial Park

To be updated…

Born: April 27, 2024
Died: March 21, 2024 at St. Francis Health Center

Sgt. Jamie D. Jarboe, 27, of Topeka, formerly of Frankfort, Ind., died March 21 in Topeka, Kan., from wounds suffered on April 10, 2024 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. He deployed to Afghanistan in February 2011 and was shot the following April 10 while on foot patrol in the Zhari district. The bullet, from a sniper’s AK-47 rifle, penetrated his spine and left him paralyzed from the chest down. In the following 10 months he underwent more than 100 operations, first at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., then at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore before he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Denver. He was assigned to 4th Squadron, 4th Calvary Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division from Fort Riley. The unit is known as the Pale Riders.

Mount Hope Cemetery

The ‘Sgt. Jamie Jarboe Memorial Fund’ is set up at
Quest Credit Union
610 SW 10th St.
Topeka, Kansas

To be updated…

2nd Lt. Clovis T. Ray, 34, of San Antonio, Texas died Mar. 15 at Kunar province, Afghanistan of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Clovis played football in high school and graduated with honors before attending Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., earning a degree in sociology. 2nd Lt Ray had received a number of awards and decorations since joining the Army in 2010, including the Bronze Star Medal (posthumous), Purple Heart (posthumous), two Army Commendation Medals, National Defense Service Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star. He also received a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal (posthumous), Combat Infantry Badge and Parachutist Badge.

To be updated…

Spc. Daquane D. Rivers, 21, of Marianna, Fla., died March 14, from injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident in Paktika province, Afghanistan. Rivers was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany. Demetrius, as most people new him, is a 2009 graduate of Marianna High School.

Orange Hill Cemetery

To be updated…

Born: August 8, 2024 in Hammond, Indiana
Died: September 8, 2024 in Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul of The Dalles, Oregon served in Iraq, and in the Peace Corps. Bob was originally from the Chicago area. But in 1998 he moved to Oregon to become an urban planner for Wasco County. He joined the Army Reserve in 1997, two years after receiving a master’s degree in planning and economic development from the University of Maryland. He was awarded the Army Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. He is the son of Esther Perez Paul and Sheldon Paul, fond former husband of Bonnie Paul, father of Ilena Paul, dear brother of Monica and Debra Paul. He was 43. Also killed in the attack was SFC Merideth L. Howard.
Army
Reserve
405th Civil Affairs Battalion
Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Burial information is unknown at this time.

Born: March 3, 2024 in Cuba City, Wisconsin
Died: March 12, 2024 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Jesse J. Grindey, 30, of Hazel Green, Wis., died March 12, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Grindey was assigned to 287th Military Police Company, 97th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Riley, Kan. Gindley entered the Army March 2002. He was assigned to Fort Riley in July 2011. His awards include the Army Commendation Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Iraqi Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon with three stars, the Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon and the Army Service Ribbon.

St Francis De Sales Catholic Cemetery

To be updated…