Reported by the Associated Press, Wednesday, February 3, 2010
A Special Forces soldier from Joint Base Lewis-McChord has been killed in Afghanistan.
The Department of Defense says 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Rusty H. Christian of Greeneville, Tenn., died last Thursday after his unit was attacked with an improvised explosive. The Greeneville Sun reports three Afghan soldiers also were killed and another U.S. solider injured.
SSG Christian was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, which is based at Lewis-McChord. He served a tour in Iraq and was accepted for training as a Special Forces soldier last year. Christian's mother, Donna Ball, told the Greeneville newspaper he had been in Afghanistan since the first week of January. He was married and had two small children.
God Bless SSG Christian for his sacrifice and may He look over his family and provide them a measure of comfort.
