Haven, Jayson Reed

Jayson Reed Haven was a 20-year-old soldier from Aiken, South Carolina. He served as a Specialist in the South Carolina Army National Guard, assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, part of the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade based in Charleston.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Haven died on May 25, 2023, at Camp Buehring, a U.S. Army installation in northwestern Kuwait. The official release stated his death was the result of a non-combat incident, and an investigation was initiated. He was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom at the time of his death.

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name for the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan, launched in October 2001. While major combat operations in Afghanistan under the OEF designation concluded in December 2014, a small number of U.S. personnel remained deployed in support and advisory roles in the region under the mission's name for administrative and legal purposes.

Following Haven's death, the South Carolina National Guard and his unit issued statements of condolence. He was posthumously promoted from Private First Class to Specialist. His funeral was held in Aiken, where he was remembered by community members and fellow soldiers.

Haven's name is recorded on memorials honoring fallen South Carolina National Guard soldiers. His death was reported as one of the few U.S. military fatalities in Kuwait in recent years, highlighting the continued risks of overseas deployment even in non-combat settings.

Jayson Reed Haven 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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