Ard, Dustin Bruce
Male
Verified U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Dustin Bruce Ard, 31, of Hyde Park, Utah, was killed in action on August 29, 2019, in Bagram, Afghanistan, while serving with the 1st Special Forces Group.
Their Story
Sergeant First Class Dustin Bruce Ard was a 31-year-old Special Forces soldier from Hyde Park, Utah. He was assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.
According to U.S. Department of Defense statements, Ard died on August 29, 2019, from wounds sustained during combat operations in Bagram, Afghanistan. The official release stated he was killed by small arms fire.
Ard's death occurred during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S.-led NATO mission that succeeded the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in January 2015. The mission's stated objectives were to train, advise, and assist Afghan security forces and conduct counter-terrorism operations.
Following his death, the 1st Special Forces Group posted a tribute on social media, stating the unit mourned the loss of a 'valued teammate and brother.' His body was returned to the United States, and a funeral service was held in his home state of Utah.
Ard was posthumously promoted from Staff Sergeant to Sergeant First Class. He is memorialized on the Special Forces Memorial Wall at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
Explore Further
Ard, Dustin Bruce was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (ongoing since January 2015). The conflict is ongoing. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Golden, Jonathan Joseph, Gonzalez, Jose Juan, Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael.
