Two from the US Army were lost recently, a Special Forces soldier was killed in Afghanistan, and another soldier was killed in Iraq.
The men killed were:
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Staff Sergeant Andrew T. Lobosco from New Jersey
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Second Lieutenant Joseph D. Fortin from Vermont
Staff Sergeant Andrew T. Lobosco
Andrew Lobosco was born in Somerville, New Jersey. He graduated from Immaculata High School in 1998. Lobosco enlisted in the US Army in January 2004 as a Special Forces candidate. He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course and earned the coveted "Green Beret" in 2007.
Staff Sergeant Andrew T. Lobosco deployed to Afghanistan in July as a Special Forces medical sergeant. He was a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based out of Fort Bragg, N.C. He was on his second deployment.
According to a classmate, Kristen Kostes, on the My Central Jersey site, Lobosco had a "big heart":
Kostes, a Bedminster resident, said she kept in touch with Lobosco via Facebook and other means, and talked to him just before he visited his twin sister in Minnesota last month and before he was deployed to Afghanistan.
"He was just having so much fun, and he was so excited about going back too, he said it was going to be like his vacation," Kostes said. "The army was his life. He loved everything about it."
...According to Kostes, Lobosco updated his Facebook page on Aug. 20 with a post that stated "what you are is what you have been, and what you will be is what you do now."
Staff Sergeant Andrew T. Lobosco was killed August 22nd while on foot patrol near Yakhchal, Afghanistan. He was 29 years of age at the time. His body has been transported to Dover Air Force Base. According to an article on Lehighvalleylive.com:
Nancy Kopin, a neighbor and friend of the family, said Bonnie spoke of her son often and described him as a "wonderful" and "happy-go-lucky guy."
"A mother has to have this possibility in the back of her mind when her son goes to war, but you never think it's going to happen so close to home," Kopin said this afternoon, fighting back tears. "This just never should have happened."
...Andrew Lobosco was not in a relationship, Kopin said, but had previously said he wanted to get married and have children because he was the last man in his family to carry on the Lobosco name.
Lobosco’s military education includes the Warrior Leader’s Course, Basic NCO Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Basic Airborne Course, and Special Forces Qualification Course.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, non-commissioned officer professional development ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Special Forces Tab.
Lobosco is survived by his parents Robert and Bonnie Lobosco and his sister, Lisa. Somerville Mayor Brian Gallagher said borough flags would fly at half-staff in honor of Staff Sergeant Andrew T. Lobosco. Funeral arrangements are still being finalized, and the Patriot Guard Riders will be attending.
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Second Lieutenant Joseph D. Fortin
(Taken from a 2004 St. Johnsbury Academy Yearbook Photo)
Joseph Fortin was a small-town boy who lived in a rather remote area of Vermont referred to as the "Northeast Kingdom." He graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont. According to St. Johnsbury couch Peter Wright in the Caledonian-Record:
Fortin also helped with a summer baseball camp for young children during the summer of 2003, Wright said.
"He did a terrific job." Fortin was in Wright's math class where he was an honor student. "When I think of Joey it's all positive. He was a good citizen at the Academy."
Before he got into sports, Fortin tried his hand at theater. He played the role of young Tommy in the play "Tommy." Bill Vinton, theater department head, said he did an "outstanding job.".
Fortin enlisted and became a 2nd Lieutenant Field Artillery Officer with the U.S. Army. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
The U.S. Army Second Lieutenant was killed on August 23rd during an attack on his patrol in Iraq. The vehicle he was riding in hit an improvised explosive device (IED) in Muhallah, which is near Baghdad in Iraq. He was 22 years old. He and his wife, Nicquelle, had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary in May.
A story in the Times Argus states:
"He's the kind of kid who wouldn't end up on every page of the yearbook, but he was caring and responsible," said Tom Lovett, the headmaster of the St. Johnsbury Academy where Fortin graduated in 2004. "He was thoughtful and reflective. He liked to have fun."
U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said he and his wife, Marcelle, were saddened to hear of Fortin's death. Leahy said he had spoken with Fortin's wife and parents.
"In this time of unspeakable grief, we hope that the fellowship of family and friends and the prayers of all Vermonters will bring them comfort," Leahy said. "It is clear to me that Lt. Fortin was a wonderful husband, son and soldier, and this is a loss not only for those who knew him, but for all Americans."
Fortin was the 27th serviceman with ties to Vermont to die in Iraq, according to a count by The Associated Press. Another Vermont soldier was killed in Afghanistan, and one died of natural causes in Kuwait.
Second Lieutenant Joseph D. Fortin is survived by his parents, Martin and Betsy Fortin of St. Johnsbury, and his wife, Nicquelle, also of St. Johnsbury.
Joseph Fortin's life was honored by a moment of silence on the 25th, during the full-school morning Chapel assembly, at St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont. Funeral arrangements for Second Lieutenant Joseph D. Fortin are pending.
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Helping our troops:
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About the IGTNT series:
"I Got the News Today" is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remind us of the sacrifice of our troops. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, noweasels, greenies, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, JeNoCo, Mediaprof, and rb137. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those Americans who have died and show our community’s respect for them.
Fallen service members whose names have been released by the Department of Defense will usually be diaried two days after the official announcement on the DoD website. This allows the IGTNT team to cover each person more fully, but still in a timely manner
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