Staff Sgt Brian Lee Smith II
Born: April 19, 2024
Died: March 8, 2024 in Camden, Tennessee
Staff Sgt. Brian L. Smith II formerly of Hendersonville, Tn., currently of Bossier City, Louisiana, graduated from Family Christian Academy. Before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1999, he joined the Civil Air Patrol. Brian was stationed at Shaw AFB and Barksdale, LA. He proudly served our country in Korea, Kuwait, Guam and Iraq. Brian is preceded in death by his grandfather, Robert Ivan Smith; grandmother, Lorraine Smith; grandfather, John L. Myers. Survived by wife, Jessica Smith of Bossier City, LA.; step-son,Liam Fox; step-daughter, Ava Sermon; father and mother, Brian Lee Smith ,Sr. and Kinney Myers Smith of Gallatin, TN.; brothers, Nicholas James Smith of Hendersonville, TN. and Nathan James (Nikki) Smith of White House, TN.; father in-law and mother in-law, Robert and Loretta Sermon of Benton, LA. Brian passed away March 8, 2024 in Camden, Tennessee, the victim of a traffic accident.
Visitation with the family
Tuesday, March 13th from 4-8 p.m. and
Wednesday the 14th from 10 a.m. until time of service
Funeral service with full military honors will be held;
Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 at 12 PM
Austin and Bell Funeral Home, White House Chapel with Pastor Timothy Abshire officiating.
Interment will follow at the
Middle Tennessee State’s Veteran Cemetery
The above information is from Brian’s obituary.
Lt. Col. John D. Loftis, 44, of Murray, Ky., died Feb. 25 from wounds received during an attack at the Interior Ministry, Kabul, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 866th Air Expeditionary Squadron, Kabul, Afghanistan. He served as a space and missile officer who became a regional affairs strategist in 2008. Known to some as JD or Darin, he entered the Air Force in 1996, receiving his commission through Officer Training School. Prior to deploying in March 2011, he had been assigned to the U.S. Air Force Special Operations School, Air Force Special Operations Training Center, Hurlburt Field, Fla. Loftis was deployed in support of OPERATION Enduring Freedom and working in the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministry of the Interior with the AfPak Hands program as the chief plans advisor. The AfPak Hands program stood up in September 2009 to develop a cadre of specially trained U.S. servicemembers skilled in Afghan and Pakistani culture and language. Lt Col Loftis was previously awarded the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal.
Born: December 10, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Ga. He was assigned to the 34th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. He died February 18 when his U-28 aircraft was involved in an accident near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa. He entered the Air Force in 2006, receiving his commission through the Officer Training School. Capt Whitlock was serving his fifth deployment. He had been assigned to the 319th SOS and then to the 34th SOS at Hurlburt Field since 2008 and had more than 800 combat flight hours. Also killed were: Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colo., 1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Ore., and Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Md.
1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Ore., was assigned to the 34th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. He died February 18 when his U-28 aircraft was involved in an accident near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa. He entered the Air Force in 2009, receiving his commission through the Air Force Academy. 1st Lieutenant Wilkiens was a combat systems officer serving his third deployment. He had been assigned to the 34th SOS at Hurlburt Field since April 2011 and had more than 400 combat hours. Also killed were: Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Ga., and Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Md.
Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Md. He was assigned to the 25th Intelligence Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. He died February 18 when his U-28 aircraft was involved in an accident near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa. He enlisted in the Air Force in 2007. Airman Scholten was a mission systems operator assigned to the 25th IS at Hurlburt Field since 2009. He had more than 600 combat hours in six different airframes and was on his third deployment. Also killed were: Capt. Ryan P. Hall, 30, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Ga., and 1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Ore.
Born: January 3, 2024
Born: April 2, 2024
Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell, 23, of Erie, Pa., was assigned to the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La. He died Jan. 5 in Shir ghazi, Helmand province, Afghanistan, when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. Bryan is a 2006 graduate of Harbor Creek High School. He joined the Air Force in 2006 and was currently serving in Afghanistan where he had been since the beginning of November 2011. He served in the United States Air Force’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal division. A job that was portrayed in the film, ‘The Hurt Locker’.
Born: September 23, 2024