Les victimes; étaient affectés au 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment of Marion (Illinois)
L'ANSSO, assure l'ensemble du contingent américain en Afghanistan de son entière sympathie, s'associe à la douleur des familles et leur présente ses plus sincères condoléances.
First Lt. Jared W. Southworth, 26, of Oakland, and Staff Sgt. Jason E. Burkholder, 27, a native of of Elida, Ohio, were killed by an improvised explosive device in southern Helmand province, the epicenter of the fight against militants and drug traffickers, authorities said.
The incident was under investigation, and officials said earlier reports that they were killed while helping to defuse a bomb may have been in error.
Southworth, who was married and had four children, was a member of the Oakland Police Department, according to the Illinois Guard. He had graduated from Oakland High School in 2000, earned an associate's degree in criminal justice at Lakeland College, and then earned a bachelor's degree in general studies at Eastern Illinois University in 2006.
He enlisted in the Guard in October 2004. He was commissioned through EIU's Reserve Officers' Training Corps program in May 2006.
Burkholder was on his second tour of duty in the Mideast theater, having served earlier in Operation Iraqi Freedom for a year ending in September 2007. He graduated from high school in Elida in 2000 and then enlisted in the Marine Corps. He completed his obligation in January 2004 and enlisted in the Ohio National Guard the following December. In April, he transferred to the Illinois Army National Guard. He was married.
Their deaths "are a loss felt by all of us in the Illinois National Guard, both overseas and here at home," said Maj. Gen. William Enyart. "When we lose an Illinois National Guard soldier, it's like losing a brother or sister."
An Afghan police officer and a civilian were also killed in the attack. Another police officer was wounded.
The incident was under investigation, and officials said earlier reports that they were killed while helping to defuse a bomb may have been in error.
Southworth, who was married and had four children, was a member of the Oakland Police Department, according to the Illinois Guard. He had graduated from Oakland High School in 2000, earned an associate's degree in criminal justice at Lakeland College, and then earned a bachelor's degree in general studies at Eastern Illinois University in 2006.
He enlisted in the Guard in October 2004. He was commissioned through EIU's Reserve Officers' Training Corps program in May 2006.
Burkholder was on his second tour of duty in the Mideast theater, having served earlier in Operation Iraqi Freedom for a year ending in September 2007. He graduated from high school in Elida in 2000 and then enlisted in the Marine Corps. He completed his obligation in January 2004 and enlisted in the Ohio National Guard the following December. In April, he transferred to the Illinois Army National Guard. He was married.
Their deaths "are a loss felt by all of us in the Illinois National Guard, both overseas and here at home," said Maj. Gen. William Enyart. "When we lose an Illinois National Guard soldier, it's like losing a brother or sister."
An Afghan police officer and a civilian were also killed in the attack. Another police officer was wounded.
