Freedom Remembered

Born: June 7, 2024
Died: March 1, 2024 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Jordan L. Bear, 25, of Denver, Colo., died Mar. 1, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire during an attack on their base. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. Jordan is a graduate of Kennedy High School. Upon graduation, he joined the Army in 2004 intending to make it his career, and the third generation of the Bear family to serve in the military. SSgt Bear had just begun his third tour in Afghanistan. He is married with a young family. Bear is a member of the Ponca Indian tribe of Nebraska. His burial will include a traditional four-day Indian wake.

Burial is at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado - Sec W Site 456E

To be updated…

Born: December 10, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Died: February 18, 2024 in Djibouti, Africa

Captain Ryan P. Hall of Colorado Springs, Colo. He was assigned to the 319th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. He died at age 30 when his U-28 aircraft was involved in an accident near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa. He entered the Air Force in 2004, receiving his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corp at The Citadel. Captain Hall was a U-28A pilot serving his seventh deployment. He had been assigned to the 319th SOS at Hurlburt Field since 2007 and had more than 1,300 combat flight hours. Also killed were: Capt. Nicholas S. Whitlock, 29, of Newnan, Ga., 1st Lt. Justin J. Wilkens, 26, of Bend, Ore., and Senior Airman Julian S. Scholten, 26, of Upper Marlboro, Md.

Burial is at the Air Force Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorodo

To be updated…

Chief Warrant Officer Frank A. Buoniconti, 36, of Colorado Springs, Colo., had served on active duty since July 1994, arriving at Joint Base Lewis-McChord base in early November. He previously served at Fort Bragg, N.C., and the National Training Center, in Fort Irwin, Calif. He was deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He followed his father into the military, joining up because “he felt it was the right thing to do”. He was among four aviator who were on a routine night training flight in reconnaissance choppers when they crashed in the southwest training area of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. His awards include, the Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (six awards), Army Commendation Medal (nine awards), and the Army Commendation Medal w/”V” device and the Army Senior Aviator Badge.

To be updated…

Born: November 10, 2024 in Sumter, South Carolina
Died: October 22, 2024 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Pfc. Christopher A. Horns, 20, of Colorado Springs, Colo., assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. He died Oct. 22, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. Chris enlisted in the Army in July 2010 and joined the 75th Ranger Regiment in March 2011. He served as an assistant machine gunner and automatic rifleman. He completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Ga., as an infantryman. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program also at Fort Benning. Following graduation from Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, Horns was assigned to Co. C, where he served as an assistant machine gunner and automatic rifleman. His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course and the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program. His awards and decorations include the Parachutist Badge and the U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge. He has also been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon. Horns will be posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal for Combat Service, the Army Commendation Medal for Peacetime Service, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge. This was his first overseas deployment.

Burial is at Calmar Lutheran Church Cemetery in Calmar, Iowa

To be updated…

Born: July 12, 2024 in Mildenhall, England
Died: August 6, 2024 in Wardak, Afghanistan

Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter of Centennial, Colo., attended Hays High School in Hays, Kansas and graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1987 with a B.S. in Zoology. Dave attended helicopter flight school at the Army Aviation Center of Excellence. He served a tour a duty in Iraq, before deploying to Afghanistan. His awards include, an Army Service Ribbon, two National Defense Service Medals, Master Army Aviation Badge, Army Achievement Medal, Army Aviation Badge, Senior Army Aviation Badge, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Combat Action Badge, Iraqi Campaign Medal, two Air Medals, two Armed Forces Reserve Medals with “M” devices, Overseas Service Ribbon, six Army Component Achievement Medals, and several state decorations including the Long Service Medal, Foreign Deployment Service Medal, Active Service Medal, and an emergency service medal. He also received an emergency service medal from Louisiana. He died at age 47 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed. He was the son of Vonley and Elsie Carter. He leaves his wife, Laura, a son Kyle, a daughter Kaitlen, his mother, Elsie Carter, brothers, Bill and Mark Carter, and halfbrother Paul Carter.
Army
2nd Battalion
135th Aviation Regiment
General Support Aviation Battalion
Aurora, Colorado

Burial is at Grand View Cemetery in Fort Collins, Colorado

To be updated…

Born: September 16, 2024 in Jackson, Mississippi
Died: July 18, 2024 in Balkh, Afghanistan

Sgt. Omar A. Jones of Crook, Colorado died at age 28 in Balkh province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 126th Chemical Battalion, 92nd Troop Command, Nebraska Army National Guard, Wahoo, Neb. He enlisted in the United States Army in October 2001. After his active tour duty, he joined the Nebraska National Guard in 2005 134th Infantry Detachment in Crete and transferred to several Nebraska units in North Platte, Ogallala and Kearney. His current deployment was his third, having already served two tours in Iraq. He was deployed to Iraq from July 2006 to November 2007 with Ogallala’s Detachment 2, 1074th Transportation Company.

Burial is at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, Nebraska - Sec P Site 41

To be updated…

Born: March 16, 2024 in Springfield, Illinois
Died: July 17, 2024 in Baghdad, Iraq

Sgt. Mark A. Cofield, 25, of Colorado Springs, Colo., attended Rampart High School’s International Baccalaureate program. He also participated in art and drama, and played on the school’s hockey team. Mark joined the United States Army in February of 2009. He died July 17 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C. He leaves his parents, Tari and John Cofield, his brothers, Sgt John H. Cofield and Matthew Cofield, and a sister, Sara Grace Cofield.

Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado

To be updated…

Born: September 22, 2024 in Key West, Florida
Died: June 5, 2024 in Khost, Afghanistan

Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth R. White, 35, of Fort Collins, Colo., died June 5, in Khost province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered as the result of a helicopter crash. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. He joined the United States Army in 1994, went to flight school in 2002, completed training, and has been serving at Fort Drum since July 2003. He deployed with his unit in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom twice, from August 2005 to September 2006 and October 2008 to October 2009. He deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2010. His awards and decorations include two Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, two Army Achievement Medals, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, two Army Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, two Iraq Campaign Medals, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, the Army Aviator Badge, the Combat Action Badge and the Senior Aviator Badge.

Burial is at Resthaven Memory Gardens in Fort Collins, Colorado

To be updated…

Born: October 1, 2024 in Englewood, Colorado
Died: May 18, 2024 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Spc. Brandon M. Kirton of Centennial, Colorado died at age 25 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire and mortar rounds. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky. He joined the Army in January of 2008 arriving at Fort Campbell in July of 2008. His awards and decorations include, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.

Burial is at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado - Sec O Site 168-L

To be updated…

Born: December 30, 2023
Died: April 10, 2024 in Kirkuk, Iraq

Sgt. Vorasack T. Xaysana of Westminster, Colorado died at age 30 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of injuries sustained April 9 in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, Fort Hood, Texas. He joined the military in September 2005 as an inderect fire infantryman and was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood since September 2010. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from August 2007 to October 2008 and deployed in support of Operation New Dawn in September 2010. His awards and decorations include, the Army Commendation Medal, two Army Achievement Medals, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, three Overseas Service Ribbons and Combat Infantry Badge.

Burial is at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado - Sec W Site 850

To be updated…