PRESS RELEASE: Special Operations Soldier dies in Iraq

[SR-25]

U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Dec. 25, 2005) — A U.S. Army special operations Soldier based here died Dec. 24, 2005, when his unit was attacked with enemy small arms fire during combat operations in central Iraq.

Master Sgt. Joseph J. Andres, Jr., 34, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Special Operations Command here, died of injuries he sustained during the attack.

A native of Garfield Heights, Ohio, Andres graduated from Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, Ohio, and enlisted in the Army Reserve as a combat medic on Feb. 18, 1992. On April 21, 1993, he volunteered for active duty service and was assigned as a combat medic to the 42nd Medical Company, 68th Medical Group, Wiesbaden, Germany. He later served as a medical noncommissioned officer in A Company, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, Texas, and as a Special Forces communications noncommissioned officer in A Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash. Andres has been assigned to USASOC since Dec. 2003.



His military training includes the U.S. Army Airborne Course, the U.S. Army Ranger Course, the Military Freefall Course, the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Static Line Jumpmaster Course and the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course.

Andres’ awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, three Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral three, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Special Forces Tab, the Ranger Tab, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Expert Field Medic Badge, the Military Freefall Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the Driver/Mechanics Badge. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of master sergeant.

[Grimmy]

Rest in Peace, Soldier

[SGRock]

Rest In Peace Warrior