Burkholder, Jason Evan
Male
Verified Staff Sgt. Jason Evan Burkholder, 27, of Elida, Ohio, was a U.S. Army soldier who died in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on February 8, 2009.
Their Story
Jason Evan Burkholder was a 27-year-old staff sergeant from Elida, Ohio. He served with the U.S. Army's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment. According to the Department of Defense, his military service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.
On February 8, 2009, Burkholder was killed in Helmand province, a volatile region in southern Afghanistan. The Pentagon announced he died of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on a mounted patrol.
Burkholder's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2009, the conflict was in a period of intense fighting, particularly in the south. Insurgent use of IEDs against coalition forces had become a primary tactic, leading to a sharp increase in casualties that year.
The Department of Defense formally announced his death on February 10, 2009. He was posthumously promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant. His body was returned to Ohio, where he was buried with military honors.
Burkholder is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Ohio Statehouse and on online veterans' memorials. His name is inscribed on Panel 35W, Line 79 of the Ohio Fallen Heroes Memorial in Sunbury.
Explore Further
Staff Sgt. Burkholder was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001?2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
