Honoring Lives Lost to Conflict

U.S. Army Specialist Michael Wayne Pyron, 30, of Hopewell, Virginia, was killed in action on January 10, 2012, in Bagram, Afghanistan, while serving with the 580th Signal Company.

PFC Dustin Paul Napier, 20, of London, Kentucky, was a U.S. Army infantryman. He died on January 8, 2012, in Qalat, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom.

National Guard, ARMY, 713TH ENGINEER COMPANY (SAPPER), 113TH ENGINEER BATTALION, 81ST TROOP COMMAND, VALPARAISO, IN, SPC Tauteris, Robert Joseph Jr of HAMLET, IN, 44, died in NILAY, AFGHANISTAN on January 6, 2012. Cause: HOSTILE.

U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Alexander Patterson, 20, of Aurora, Illinois, was killed on January 6, 2012, in Nilay, Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Jonathan Matthew Metzger, 32, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was killed in action on January 6, 2012, in Nilay, Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Sergeant Brian Jeffery Leonhardt, 21, of Merrillville, Indiana, was killed in Nilay, Afghanistan, on January 6, 2012.

Technical Sergeant Matthew Scott Schwartz, 34, of Traverse City, Michigan, served with the U.S. Air Force's 90th Civil Engineer Squadron. He died on January 5, 2012, at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.

Airman First Class Matthew Ryan Seidler, 24, of Westminster, Maryland, was a combat engineer with the U.S. Air Force's 21st Civil Engineer Squadron. He died in a hostile incident at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, on January 5, 2012.

Senior Airman Bryan Richard Bell, 23, of Erie, Pennsylvania, was a U.S. Air Force civil engineer. He died from hostile action at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, on January 5, 2012.

Petty Officer First Class Chad Robert Regelin, 24, of Cottonwood, California, was a U.S. Navy serviceman assigned to Marine Special Operations Company Bravo. He died in a hostile incident at EDB Role II, Afghanistan, on January 2, 2012.

Sgt. Pernell Johnnie Herrera, 33, of Espanola, New Mexico, was a U.S. Army soldier killed in action at Forward Operating Base Dwyer, Afghanistan, on December 31, 2011.

First Lieutenant William Compton Poling Jr., 42, of Rockville, Maryland, was a U.S. Army aviator serving with the 101st Airborne Division. He died in a helicopter crash in Washington state on December 28, 2011.

U.S. Army Specialist Kurt William Kern, 24, of McAllen, Texas, died on December 27, 2011, in Gardez, Afghanistan, from hostile action.

U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Noah Mark Korte, 29, of Lake Elsinore, California, died on December 27, 2011, in Gardez, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained in a hostile incident.

At 20, PFC Whitmire, Justin Michael of EASLEY, SC was serving with the ARMY, HHD, 720TH MILITARY POLICE BATTALION, 89TH MILITARY POLICE BRIGADE, FORT HOOD, TX, when he died in GARDEZ, AFGHANISTAN on December 27, 2011. Cause: HOSTILE.

U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Joseph James Altmann, 27, of Marshfield, Wisconsin, was killed in a hostile incident at Forward Operating Base Bostick, Afghanistan, on December 25, 2011.

U.S. Army Specialist Mikayla Anne Bragg, 21, of Longview, Washington, was killed in action on December 21, 2011, at Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan.

Maj. Samuel Mark Griffith, 36, of Holly Springs, North Carolina, was a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve officer. He died in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on December 14, 2011.