Rodriguez, Antonio Rey

Antonio Rey Rodriguez was a Sergeant First Class in the United States Army, assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He was from Las Cruces, New Mexico, and was 28 years old at the time of his deployment to Afghanistan.

On February 8, 2020, Rodriguez was killed during a combat operation in the Sherzad District of Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar Province. The U.S. Department of Defense stated he died of wounds sustained from small arms fire while engaged in a firefight with enemy forces. The operation was reportedly part of a mission to clear an area of Islamic State militants.

Rodriguez's death occurred during Operation Freedom's Sentinel, the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan that succeeded the larger International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) combat mission. The operation, which began in January 2015, focused on counterterrorism and training Afghan forces. Nangarhar Province was a known stronghold for both Taliban and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) militants.

Following his death, the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) released a statement mourning his loss. His body was returned to the United States, and he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal. A memorial service was held at Eglin Air Force Base.

Rodriguez is remembered by his unit as a dedicated Special Forces soldier. His name is inscribed on the Special Forces Memorial Wall at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Liberty, North Carolina (formerly Fort Bragg).

Antonio Rey Rodriguez was killed during Operation Freedom's Sentinel (ongoing since January 2015). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Golden, Jonathan Joseph, Sanchez, Maria Victoria, Dawson, John Michael, Ruiz, Pablo Allende Iii.

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