Christen, James Michael

Staff Sergeant James Michael Christen served with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, part of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, operating under the designation Task Force Bronco. His military service reportedly included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa.

On July 19, 2011, Christen was killed by enemy small-arms fire during a dismounted patrol in Asmar District of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. The district, located in the country's volatile east, was a frequent site of insurgent activity.

Christen's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. The summer of 2011 saw intense fighting as international forces conducted counterinsurgency operations, particularly in the mountainous eastern provinces bordering Pakistan.

Following his death, Christen was posthumously promoted from Sergeant to Staff Sergeant. He was survived by his wife and two children. A memorial service was held at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, where his unit was based.

Christen is memorialized on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the National Infantry Museum in Georgia and on online veterans' memorials. In 2012, a stretch of Interstate 80 in his hometown of Loomis, California, was designated the 'SSG James M. Christen Memorial Highway.'

James Michael Christen 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.

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