MILITARY CASUALTIES - KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN 03/19/2011-03/15/2011

With much sadness I must report that the Department of Defense announced the deaths of the following soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

   Cpl. Donald R. Mickler Jr. USA, 29, of Bucyrus, Ohio; and Pfc. Rudy A. Acosta USA, 19, of Canyon Country, Calif. died March 19 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when they were allegedly shot with small arms fire by an individual from a military security group.  The incident is under investigation. They were assigned to the 4^th Squadron, 2^nd Stryker Calvary Regiment, Vilseck, Germany. 

 Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Meis, 20, of Bennett, Colo., died March 17 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Staff Sgt. Travis M. Tompkins, 31, of Lawton, Okla., died March 16 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained on March 15, when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade.  He was assigned to the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation New Dawn. 


Senior Airman Michael J. Hinkle II, 24, of Corona, Calif., died March 16 due to a non-combat related incident in Southwest Asia.  He was assigned to the 28th Communications Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.