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FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 3, 2012) – Gov. Steve Beshear today recognized the sacrifice of a Fort Campbell soldier who died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense, Sgt. 1st Class Aaron A. Henderson, 33, of Houlton, Maine, died Oct. 2, at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit on Sept. 30 with an improvised explosive device in Zombalay Village, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 2, 2011) – Gov. Steve Beshear today recognized the sacrifice of a Fort Campbell soldier who died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense, Sgt. James M. Darrough, 38, of Austin, Texas, died Oct. 29, in Kabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. He was assigned to 101st Finance Company, 101st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Governor Beshear Recognizes Sacrifice of Fort Knox Soldier

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 19, 2011) – Gov. Steve Beshear today recognized the sacrifice of a Fort Knox soldier who died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense, Spc. Michael D. Elm, 25, of Phoenix, Arizona, died Oct. 14 in Khowst, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 10, 2012) – Gov. Steve Beshear today recognized the sacrifice of a Kentucky soldier who died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. 

According to the Department of Defense, Pfc. Dustin P. Napier, 20, of London, KY, died Jan. 8 in Zabul province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from enemy small-arms fire.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

(FRANKFORT KY Aug. 27, 2012) – Gov. Steve Beshear today recognized the sacrifice of a Fort Campbell soldier who died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense, Pfc. Patricia L. Horne, 20, of Greenwood, Mississippi., died Aug. 24 in Bagram, Afghanistan.  She was assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. 

The Governor will order that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on the day of Pfc. Horne’s interment for which arrangements are still pending.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 27, 2011) – Gov. Steve Beshear today recognized the sacrifice of a Fort Knox soldier who died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. 

According to the Department of Defense, Spc. Mikayla A. Bragg, 21, of Longview, Washington, died Dec. 21 in Khowst province, Afghanistan.  She was assigned to the 201st Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

Governor Beshear Recognizes Sacrifice of Kentucky Marine

FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 17, 2012) – Gov. Steve Beshear today recognized the sacrifice of a Kentucky Marine who died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense, Cpl. Aaron M. Faust, 22, Louisville, Kentucky, died April 15 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

According to the Department of Defense, Lt. Col. John D. Loftis, 44, of Paducah, Kentucky, died Feb. 25 from wounds received during an attack at the Interior Ministry, Kabul, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 866th Air Expeditionary Squadron, Kabul, Afghanistan.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 9, 2012) – Gov. Steve Beshear today recognized the sacrifice of a Kentucky soldier who died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense, Pfc. Dustin D. Gross, 19, of Jeffersonville, Kentucky died May 7, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

America just went through a peaceful election.  While there were winners and losers, there was no violence. Not many countries in the world can make that claim.  

We here at West Kentucky Journal invite our readers to pause for a few minutes to study on the faces of those who in the past year made the ultimate sacrifice to serve our country. 

We welcome your thoughts. Send me an email editor@westkyjournal.com or use the "Letters to the Editor" on the top navigation bar.

Reminders, with pictures of now-dead soldiers, of "Operation Enduring Freedom" make me very sad.

When we consider the route that was taken by W. and his cadre of Neo-cons that lead us out of Afghanistan and into Iraq we wonder "What were they thinking?"

Some hypothecate that it was to support our military-industrial complex, of which we were warned by President Eisenhower.

We are not quite satisfied with that; perhaps it was essentially high-minded, i.e., some baffling idea of instilling peace in that "other" part of our world.

In any case, it was an egregious decision. We continue to long for an explanation, rational or not. We are NOT, at this time in our history, anticipating any forthcoming truth.

Sadness overwhelms me!

Paul