KABUL, Afghanistan - A U.S. service member was killed July 13, 2019, in Afghanistan.

In accordance with U.S. Department of Defense policy, the name of the service member killed in action is being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin is complete.

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An Army carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Army Sgt. 1st Class Elliott J. Robbins, at Dover Air Force Base, Del
Afghanistan remains a dangerous place
The recent deaths of three more service members and two more contractors serve as a painful reminder that while much of the nation might have forgotten, Afghanistan remains a deadly place for the men and women who serve there.
By Howard Altman

This is the 12th service member to have paid the ultimate price this year in Afghanistan. Of the previous 11 troops, nine died in combat, and two in non-combat incidents. There were also two civilian contractors working with the military killed recently as well.

Sgt. 1st Class Elliott J. Robbins died June 30, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Robbins, 31, of Ogden, Utah, died June 30, 2019, from non-combat related injuries in Afghanistan. The cause of death was not released an an investigation was ongoing. Robbins was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group soldier out of Fort Carson, Colorado.

Sgt. James G. Johnston died June 25, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Johnston, 24, of Trumansburg, New York, died June 25, 2019, due to injuries sustained by small arms fire in Afghanistan. Master Sgt. Michael Riley was also killed in the incident. Johnston was was assigned to the 79th Ordnance Battalion, 71st Ordnance Group at Fort Hood, Texas. Johnston enlisted in 2013 and received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Master Sgt. Michael B. Riley died June 25, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Riley, 32, of Heilbronn, Germany, died June 25, 2019, from injuries sustained by small arms fire in Afghanistan. Sgt. James Johnston was also killed in the incident. Riley was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, Colorado. Riley’s awards include the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal. He first joined the Army in 2006.

Spc. Miguel Holmes died May 6, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Holmes, 22, of Hinesville, Georgia, died May 6, 2019, of wounds suffered in a non-combat incident in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. Holmes was assigned to 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery Regiment, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Savannah, Georgia. The cause of death is under investigation.

Cpl. Robert Hendriks died April 8, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Hendriks, 25, of Locust Valley, New York, was killed in a bombing April 8, 2019, in Parwan province, Afghanistan.

Sgt. Benjamin Hines died April 8, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Hines, 31, of York, Pennsylvania, was killed in a bombing April 8, 2019, in Parwan province, Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Christopher Slutman died April 8, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Slutman, 43, of Newark, Delaware, died in a bombing April 8, 2019, in Parwan province Afghanistan.

Spc. Joseph P. Collette died March 22, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Collette, 29, of Lancaster, Ohio, died from wounds sustained in combat operations in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, on March 22, 2019. Sgt. 1st Class Will D. Lindsay was also killed in the incident. Collette was assigned to the 242nd Ordnance Battalion, 71st Explosive Ordnance Group.

Sgt. 1st Class Will D. Lindsay died March 22, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Lindsay, 33, of Cortez, Colorado, died from wounds sustained in combat operations in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, on March 22, 2019. Spc. Joseph P. Collette was also killed in the incident. Lindsay was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group.

Sgt. 1st Class Joshua ‘Zach’ Beale died Jan. 22, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Beale, 32, of Carrollton, Virginia, died Jan. 22 of wounds sustained from small arms fire in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Beale was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group, out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Sgt. Cameron Meddock died Jan. 17, 2019, Serving During Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Meddock, 26, of Spearman, Texas, died Jan. 17 in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained from small-arms fire Jan. 13 in Badghis Province, Afghanistan. Meddock was an Army Ranger serving with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. ​

Since October 2001, when the U.S. launched Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the attacks of 9/11, more than 2,400 U.S. troops have perished.

About Howard Altman

Howard Altman is an award-winning editor and reporter who was previously the military reporter for the Tampa Bay Times and before that the Tampa Tribune, where he covered USCENTCOM, USSOCOM and SOF writ large among many other topics.

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