# 06OCT13-4 Special Operations Soldiers Killed In Kandahar Province



## exarmy (Oct 8, 2013)

The text below was copied from the 75th Ranger

FORT BENNING, Ga. (Released Oct. 8, 2013)—Two U.S. Army Rangers, one Cultural Support Team member and a U.S. Army Special Agent were killed in action Oct. 6, during combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Killed were:
Sgt. Patrick C. Hawkins, 25, was assigned to Company B, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Benning, ...Ga.

Pfc. Cody J. Patterson, 24, was assigned to Company B, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Benning, Ga.

1st Lt. Jennifer M. Moreno, 25, was assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and attached to a joint special operations task force as a Cultural Support Team member.

Special Agent Joseph M. Peters, 24, was assigned to the 286th Military Police Detachment (CID), 5th Military Police Battalion, Vicenza, Italy.

All four service members were killed during a night combat operation that prevented a high-profile suicide bombing attack in Kandahar City. During the mission, the assault force encountered a suspected suicide bomber who detonated himself in proximity to the Rangers and other Soldiers. As the assault force reacted to the initial blast, they were struck by a series of improvised explosive devices.

Please keep these families in your prayers.

Sgt. Patrick Hawkins
Hawkins was born Oct. 1, 1988. After graduating from High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Army from his hometown of Carlisle, Pa., February 2010 and completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Ga., as an infantryman. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course there, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program also at Fort Benning. Hawkins graduated from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program and was then assigned to Company B, 3rd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment September 2010 where he served as a Rifleman, Gun Team Leader and Ranger Team Leader.

“Sgt. Patrick Hawkins was a brave and incredibly talented Ranger,” said Lt. Col. Patrick J. Ellis, Commander of 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. “He was moving to the aid of a wounded Ranger when he was killed. His actions that night were in keeping with the epitome of the Ranger Creed: ‘I will never leave a fallen comrade.’ Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hawkins family during this difficult time.”

This was his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.

His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, U.S. Army Ranger Course, and the Warrior Leader Course. His awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge.

Hawkins has also been awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation.

“Sgt. Patrick Hawkins dedicated himself to serving our Nation and ultimately gave his life in her defense,” said Col. Christopher S. Vanek, Commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment. “Those who knew him understood he was man of character and commitment. He excelled as a Ranger Team Leader, always leading from the front and highly respected by all of his fellow Rangers who fought with him. His loss is felt by the entire Regiment.”

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart.

Hawkins is survived by his wife, Brittanie M. Hawkins, of Lansing, Kan., and his parents, Roy and Shelia Hawkins, of Carlisle, Pa.

Pfc. Cody James Patterson
Patterson was born April 12, 1989 in Corvallis, Ore. After graduating from Philomath High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Army from his hometown of Philomath, Ore., January 2012 and completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Ga., as an infantryman. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course there, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program also at Fort Benning. Patterson graduated from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program and was then assigned to Company B, 3rd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment November 2012 where he served as a Rifleman.

“Pfc. Cody Patterson was the poster child for the Ranger Regiment,” said Lt. Col. Patrick J. Ellis, Commander of 3rd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment. “He was courageous and dedicated and lost his life while fighting tenaciously against our Nation’s enemies alongside his fellow Rangers. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Patterson family.”

This was his second deployment to Afghanistan.

His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course and the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program. His awards and decorations include the Parachutist Badge and the U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge.

Patterson has also been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Overseas Service Ribbon.

“Pfc. Cody Patterson had a limitless future,” said Col. Christopher S. Vanek, commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment. “He would have been successful in whatever path he had chosen in life. He chose to serve his country by volunteering for the most difficult and challenging duties of a United States Army Ranger. His loss is devastating to his fellow Rangers, our Army and our Nation. Our country was fortunate that he chose to serve in our ranks. Our thoughts and prayers are with this young Ranger’s family.”

He was posthumously awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart and NATO Medal.

Patterson is survived by his mother, Nancy R. Wilson of Corvallis, Ore., and his father, Randy L. Patterson, and his sister, Taylor, both of Philomath, Ore.

1st Lt. Jennifer M. Moreno
Moreno was a member of the Cultural Support Team assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, supporting a Joint Special Operations Task Force.

She was on her first deployment to Afghanistan in support of the War on Terror.

Moreno was born June 25, 1988 in San Diego, Calif. After graduating from San Diego High School, she was commissioned in the U.S. Army as a Nurse Corps Officer after graduating from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Moreno completed the U.S. Army Airborne Course 2009 at Fort Benning, Ga., and the Army Medical Department Officer Basic Course 2010 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Moreno was then assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., where she served as a Clinical Staff Nurse on a medical surgical unit.

She volunteered and was successfully assessed and selected into the U. S. Army Special Operations Command Cultural Support Team program and deployed in June 2013.

“Our unit mourns the loss of 1st Lt. Jennifer Moreno,” said Lt. Col. Patrick J. Ellis, Commander of 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. “She was a talented member of our team who lost her life while serving her country in one of the most dangerous environments in the world. Her bravery and self-sacrifice were in keeping with the highest traditions of the 75th Ranger Regiment. She was making a difference in Afghanistan and that legacy will live on. The Moreno family is in our thoughts and prayers.”

Her awards and decorations include the Parachutist Badge, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

1st Lt. Moreno was posthumously awarded the Combat Action Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and NATO Medal.

She is survived by her mother, Marie V. Cordero, and her sisters Jearaldy Moreno and Yaritza Cordova of San Diego, Calif., and her brother, Ivan F. Moreno, currently serving in the U.S. Army.

Special Agent Joseph M. Peters
Peters was born Dec. 22, 1988. After graduating from high school in 2007, he enlisted in the U.S. Army from his hometown of Springfield, Mo. He completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Advanced Individual Training as a Human Intelligencer Collector at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., and was assigned to the 210th Military Intelligence Company. Following this assignment, Peters was assigned to the 14th Military Intelligence Battalion. He served as a Human Intelligence Collector at both assignments.

Peters reclassified as an Army Criminal Investigations Special Agent and was assigned to the 286th Military Police Detachment (CID), Vicenza, Italy as a Special Agent with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.

This was his third deployment in support of the War on Terror with two previous deployments to Iraq.

“We are all deeply saddened by the death of one of our own – Special Agent Joseph Peters,” said Major General David Quantock, the Provost Marshal General of the United States Army and Commanding General of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command. “Special Agent Peters was a highly respected agent and Soldier who sacrificed his life in the defense of this nation. We are extremely proud of his service and what he accomplished as a CID Special Agent and as a Soldier. His death is a reminder to all of us of the unequaled contributions our military members and their families make on a daily basis in the defense of the freedoms that we all enjoy and value so dearly.”

He was promoted to Sergeant Aug. 1, 2010.

His military education includes the Criminal Investigation Division Agent Course, Protective Services Training Course, Human Intelligence Collector Course, Joint Analyst Interrogator Collaboration Course, the Advanced Crime Scene Investigative Technician Course and the Warrior Leader Course.

His awards and decorations include the Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal 2nd Award, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Arrow Device, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Driver’s Badge.

He was posthumously awarded the Combat Action Badge, Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.

He is survived by his wife and 20 month old son


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## AWP (Oct 8, 2013)

Blue Skies.


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## DA SWO (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP,


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## ManBearPig (Oct 8, 2013)

Rest In Peace Warriors


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## CDG (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP.


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## Copenhagen (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP Hawk  

TSAF


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## asewland (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP


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## Kraut783 (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP Soldiers.....


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## Red Ryder (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP.

Hoping Trop is ok if he was over there.


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## RustyShackleford (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP brothers, and sister.


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## pardus (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP...


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## RackMaster (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP.


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## tova (Oct 8, 2013)

RIP, Godspeed, PBS....


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## JHD (Oct 8, 2013)

Rest in peace, and prayers for their family, friends, and loved ones.


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## Tropicana98 (Oct 8, 2013)

It was a shitty night RIP brothers your sacrifice will not be forgotten.


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## policemedic (Oct 9, 2013)

RIP Warriors.


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## racing_kitty (Oct 9, 2013)

Fair winds and following seas, brave ones.


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## Muppet (Oct 9, 2013)

R.I.P. warriors.

F.M.


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## TheSiatonist (Oct 9, 2013)

Rest in peace, brave warriors.


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## Red Flag 1 (Oct 9, 2013)

Rest In God's Own Peace, Heros.


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## lancero (Oct 9, 2013)

I spent some time in Bco. Historically, October has always been a bad month for Bco 3/75.  RIP Rangers.


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## SkrewzLoose (Oct 9, 2013)

Fair winds and following seas, Warriors.


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## SIG (Oct 10, 2013)

Rest easy..


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## Gypsy (Oct 10, 2013)

Rest in Peace, prayers to your families and friends.


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## surgicalcric (Oct 10, 2013)

Blue Skies....


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## Centermass (Oct 10, 2013)

Tragic day all around for those who went back into harms way (_*I WILL NEVER LEAVE A FALLEN COMRADE*_) 

CSM Gentry said it almost 40 years ago and still holds true today. They never wavered. 

~S~


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## TB1077 (Oct 10, 2013)

RIP and prayers to tbeir friends and families.


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## Squidward (Oct 11, 2013)

Once more into the great, black night....

Rest in peace Warriors.


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## KiwiRecce63B (Oct 12, 2013)

Rest in Peace warriors, blue skies..


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## goon175 (Oct 14, 2013)

From one of the wounded Rangers' wife:



> I received this pictures today along with a letter from the commander of the team Josh was a part of on the night of his injuries. A letter to explain to me what kind of man I have the privilege of being married to. He explained to me what happened and what was going on in the picture.
> 
> "Josh was seriously wounded as you know and survived for almost two hours after his injury before arriving to the hospital. Josh was immediately pushed through a series of surgeries and emerged hours later into an intensive care unit here at our base in Afghanistan. Despite being in intense pain and mental duress, Josh remained alert and compassionate to the limited Rangers that were allowed to visit him bedside. Prior to Josh being moved to Germany for his eventual flight to America, we conducted a ceremony to award him with the Purple Heart for wounds received in action. A simple ceremony, you can picture a room full of Rangers, leaders, doctors, and nurses surrounding his bedside while the Ranger Regimental Commander pinned the Purple Heart to his blanket. During the presentation the Commander publishes the official orders verbally and leaned over Josh to thank him for his sacrifice. Josh, whom everybody in the room (over 50 people) assumed to be unconscious, began to move his right arm under the blanket in a diligent effort to salute the Commander as is customary during these ceremonies. Despite his wounds, wrappings, tubes, and pain, Josh fought the doctor who was trying to restrain his right arm and rendered the most beautiful salute any person in that room had ever seen. I cannot impart on you the level of emotion that poured through the intensive care unit that day. Grown men began to weep and we were speechless at a gesture that speak volumes about Josh's courage and character. The picture, which we believe belongs on every news channel and every news paper is attached. I have it hanging above my desk now and will remember it as the single greatest event I have witnessed in my ten years in the Army."


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## ZmanTX (Oct 14, 2013)

Rest in Peace to those who gave everything.



Thanks for sharing the above post @goon175 .


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## Poccington (Oct 15, 2013)

Jesus Christ... RIP Warriors.


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