U. S. Air Force Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell, of Harborcreek Township

Bryan was an active member of the Fairfield Hose Co. (Harborcreek Township, PA) before joining the Air Force in 2007. On January 5, he was one of three Airmen killed in Afghanistan when an IED went off near their vehicle.

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012301069904
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012301179953

Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Dodds Dudley

Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Dodds Dudley, 29, of Tega Cay, S.C., died July 7 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Air Group 26, 2nd Marine Air Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station New River, Jacksonville, N.C.

Dudley was also a firefighter with the Haws Run Volunteer Fire Department in Jacksonville, FL where he was stationed.

http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=14640
http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/07/08/3205687/marine-from-fort-mill-dies-in.html

US Army Specialist Benjamin Moore

Hope Hose Humane Co#1 Bordentown City, NJ regrets to announce the passing of Firefighter/EMT and US Army Specialist Benjamin Moore.

Bordentown City native Ben Moore, 23, was one of three U.S. soldiers killed Wednesday in an insurgent attack in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan. All three soldiers were members of the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division based out of Fort Drum, NY. They died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device that detonated near their vehicle. Benjamin Moore was posthumously promoted to the rank of specialist. His Army awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the NATO Medal. Ben joined the company at age 16. He was dedicated to serving the community, people and his country. Ben was a past Fire Lieutenant. Ben will be sorely missed by all.

Daniel Greer - Ashland City firefighter and U.S. Marine reserve

An Ashland City firefighter who was a U.S. Marine reserve died Sunday from injuries sustained in Afghanistan. Daniel Greer, who was deployed in January, was involved in an IED accident on Friday morning, Fire Chief Chuck Walker told The Ashland City Times. "Daniel has been a true hero, not only in serving his country, but in serving his community as an Ashland City firefighter," Walker said. Details of the accident and funeral arrangements are not known at this time.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100808/ASHLANDCITY01/100808005/Ashland-City-firefighter-dies-from-injuries-in-Afghanistan

http://www.fdnntv.com/Ashland-City-Firefighter-Daniel-Greer-US-Marine-Killed-Afghanistan

Polk will be honored as a hero

Volunteer firefighter at the North Gulfport Fire Station.

By MARY PEREZ - meperez@sunherald.com

GULFPORT The Patriot Guard Riders are preparing to honor Army Staff. Sgt. Johnny Roosevelt Polk as a hero when he is returned to Gulfport for burial.

The Department of Defense Monday said Polk, 39, who grew up in North Gulfport, died July 25 at a German hospital from wounds he suffered when his vehicle was struck by an anti-tank grenade on July 23 in Kirkuk, Iraq.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, at Fort Hood, Texas, and died supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. His family said Polk told them if anything happened to him while he was serving in the Army, he wanted to be buried at home on the Coast.

Please stand by to render honors to Army Staff Sgt. Johnny Roosevelt Polk, of Gulfport, MS, was posted on the Patriot Guard Web site Monday. The Patriot Guard Riders are a diverse group of motorcycle riders across the country, who honor those who risk their lives and die for America's freedom and security.

Ed Baker, Mississippi PGR state captain, said when they receive permission from the family, they will meet the airplane bringing Polk home and escort him to the church or funeral home. They will set up a flag line for funeral services and at the cemetery.

We can expect anywhere from 30 to over 100 PGR members to attend, Baker said.

A press release issued by Fort Hood Monday said Polk entered the Army in March 1992 as a cannon crewmember. He had been assigned to his team since December 2008 and had been deployed to Iraq since January.

Among his awards and decorations are: the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon.

Among Polk's survivors are a daughter, Mary, and a son, Antoine, who family said also serves in the military.

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Dill

FF Engine Co. 21 Buffalo, N.Y. F.D.nda, N
N.Y. reservist killed in Iraq

2nd FIREFIGHTER KILLED IN IRAQ-WAS WITH Sgt KRAMER....
REST IN PEACE Sgt. ROGER ADAMS.

There was another Firefighter killed with Sgt 1st class Kramer. He is Sgt. Roger Adams of the Half Moon VFD. An improvised explosive device detonated near their Humvee in Baghdad on Monday, killing the 2 of them, as a part of the four soldiers who were lost-assigned to the 120th Combined Arms Battalion in Wilmington.

2 of the lost were Firefighters, Sgt. Roger L. Adams Jr., 36, of Jacksonville and Sgt. 1st Class Edward C. Kramer, 39, a Firefighter of Wilmington. Kramer and Adams were former Marines as well.

Adams served as a Marine infantryman for 13 years before joining the National Guard in 2006. As a Marine he completed tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He leaves behind a wife and four sons.

I lost the love of my life, the boys lost their dad, said Teresa Adams, his wife. We were his world. His sons were his passion. He was the most selfless person I ever knew or ever will know.

His family describes Adams as selfless and family oriented.

Adams was EMT certified and worked with the Half Moon Volunteer Fire Department. His wife became a volunteer fire fighter and they answered his last call before deployment together.

We paid tribute to Sgt Kramer earlier this week.

Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Sgt Roger Adams.

By Carolyn Thompson
Associated Press
BUFFALO, N.Y. Flags flew at half-staff above fire stations Tuesday in honor of a firefighter and decorated Army reservist who was killed while training security forces in Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Christopher Dill, 32, who was assigned to the Rochester-based 98th Division, was fatally shot Monday during an attack on his unit, a spokesman for the 98th said.

Here's Chris, who not only fought for his country as a soldier, but he fought for his community as a Buffalo firefighter, said Fire Commissioner Michael D'Orazio, who ordered the flags lowered.

Our family is pretty proud, said Dill's father, William Dill, himself an Air Force veteran and retired firefighter.

Dill joined the Reserves after serving in Desert Storm with the 24th Infantry. A drill sergeant, he was mobilized with the 98th Division in October.

He was a kid that loved what he was doing, William Dill said Tuesday from his Tonawanda home.

Christopher Dill received the Bronze Star for valor late last year following a mission in Fallujah with some of the Iraqi troops he had trained, his father said.

Of the 150 troops, only 50 had shown up for the mission, Dill had told his father. But since the Iraqi elections, he had noticed a change in the Iraqis, one he hoped would speed his return home.

Our Iraqis are pretty much squared away. Much of the chaos is gone and they are running somewhat of a professional unit, Dill wrote in an e-mail to his father March 25.

His mission was to get them prepared. He saw some light at the end of the tunnel, the father said.

Besides his father, Dill is survived by his wife of five years, Dawn, and his mother and two sisters.

"AMERICAN FIREFIGHTERS KILLED AT WAR"

....In Time Of Peace: FIREFIGHTERS
....In Time Of War: SOLDIERS

PLEASE NOTE:
While this section is not directly related to our mission at FirefighterCloseCalls.com, we felt strongly that there should be a spot somewhere on the "fire service" Internet where American Firefighters serving in our armed forces are honored...should they give their lives in the line of duty.

This section of our site will respectfully and simply list the firefighter name and his home fire department with any additional info as it is available.

....Remember Those Serving...and Remind Those Who Forget.

Ed Hanzel, former Chester fire chief, killed in Iraq

Friday, January 04, 2008
Patrick O'Donnell
Plain Dealer Reporter
Former Chester Township Fire Chief Ed Hanzel has been killed in Iraq while working for a private contractor.

Details of his death were unavailable Thursday, but township fire officials expect his body to be brought back to Cleveland Saturday for services on Tuesday.

Hanzel served as chief in the Geauga County township from 1998 through 2002 and served as a part-time firefighter for 32 years before retiring in 2005. He also was a full-time firefighter in Beachwood for 25 years. He left Beachwood in 2002.

He joined the private security firm Wackenhut Services Inc. in 2006. According to the firm's Web site, it provides fire services to 20 Department of Defense locations in Iraq.

Family members could not be reached Thursday. But according to earlier posts by his wife, Denise, on a firefighting Web site, Han zel joined WSI to earn extra money in re tirement.

When he was first sent to Iraq in November 2006, Denise Hanzel said in the posts that she was nervous and worried for his safety.

Though she has since moved to Michigan, their son Jason lives in the family's Chester Township home.

Arrangements will be handled by Gattozzi & Son Funeral Home in Chester Township.

Current Fire Chief John Wargelin said Hanzel was always a friendly person with an infectious smile who preferred that his men just call him "Eddie."

"He was almost embarrassed sometimes if you called him chief," Wargelin said.

Though details are still pending, Wargelin said he expects his department, joined by a color guard from the Beachwood Fire Department, will escort his body back to Chester Township on Saturday.

After calling hours on Monday, a memorial service is tentatively set for 11:30 a.m. at St. Anselm Catholic Church, 12969 Chillicothe Road (Ohio 306), Chester Township.
A Fort Bragg-based Special Forces soldier was killed in Afghanistan. Sgt. Timothy P. Padgett, 28, of DeFuniak Springs, Fla., died Tuesday in Tarin Kwot, Afghanistan. He suffered fatal wounds when his unit was attacked by enemy forces during combat patrol operations. Padgett was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg. Padgett was an Army Ranger Medic and a South Walton Fire District firefighter and paramedic.

It is with deep regret we inform you that Tristan Smith from the Bryn Athyn. Fire Company (PA) was Killed In Action in Iraq. We offer our sympathy to the family and have already offered Bryn Athyn Fire any assistance they need.

Michigan Firefighter Killed In Iraq

Funeral Information In Bold Below

BISI ONILE-ERE
Courtesy of WJRTY

Courtesy of Swartz Creek Area Fire Department

Brandon Webb was both a firefighter and a Marine.

Courtesy of Swartz Creek Area Fire Department

SWARTZ CREEK - (06/20/06)-- A Mid-Michigan family is mourning the loss of a United States Marine killed in Iraq.

Lance Cpl. Brandon Webb, 20, of Swartz Creek, was killed early Tuesday morning. The vehicle he was riding in was struck by a roadside bomb just outside of Fallujah.

Tuesday night a mother was trying to come to grips with losing her youngest son.

"I wasn't expecting this. I don't think any parent does," said mother Ann Marie Christofferson.

Christofferson spoke to her son five days ago. It was the last time she would ever speak to him again alive.

"I always had the philosophy that as long as I didn't see the Marine Corps pull up in my driveway or get a call from Red Cross, I knew he was OK," she said.

The day she dreaded since her son became a Marine two years ago is here.

"(Tuesday) I sent him a huge package, and I came home to see the Marine Corps sitting in their truck, waiting for me," she said.

Webb and his unit were on road patrol in Fallujah when their vehicle was struck by an Improvised Explosive Device. The 20 year old died several hours after the blast.

Two others from his unit were also killed.

"That was my baby," Christofferson said. "He's always wanted to be a Marine -- ever since he was a kid for one, but then he wanted to fight for the country and make the country a better place."

Webb was to return home Aug. 2. His bedroom is just as he left it. He had plans to work alongside his mother as a firefighter at the Swartz Creek Fire Department like he had in the past.

"He was probably the best kid you would want to be around. He never met anybody that didn't think he was awesome," Christofferson said.

Now instead of preparing for his homecoming, this mother of two is mourning the loss of one son.

"You just hope that they come home safe," Christofferson said. "I think God wanted him more than he wanted him here."

Funeral arrangements have not yet been set. The Pentagon says it plans to send more troops into Iraq. Another 21,000 U.S. troops will apparently be deployed by the end of the year.

The Swartz Creek Area Fire Department's memorial website laments the following:

"Although you were with us only a short time, you touched us in a way that will not be forgotten.

"Thank you Brandon for being a part of the SCAFD and serving your country so honorably."

The following funeral information is posted on the Swartz Creek Area Fire Department's website:

Swartz Funeral Home, G1225 W. Hill Rd., Flint, MI 810-235-2345 Visitation will be Wednesday, June 28, 1700 to 2000 Thursday, June 29, 1400 to 1600 and 1800 to 2000 Friday, June 30, 1400 to 1600. Funeral services will start at 1600.

All emergency personnel and apparatus will muster at the Home Depot parking lot across the street from Swartz Funeral Home by 1500. At 1530, a procession will start that will circle the funeral home. A group of apparatus may be parked on the north side of Hill Rd. to block anticipated protestors. This aspect and the number of apparatus needed will be determined by the number of apparatus that show up for the funeral. Following the procession, uniform personnel will line up outside the funeral home entrance. A filing past the casket will commence just before the funeral, after which uniform personnel will be seated in a designated area. Communication will be held on the 800 MHZ radio system. The specific talk group will be announced by Genesee Central Dispatch just prior to the June 30, 1500 muster.

SWARTZ CREEK, MI - It's a dark kind of deja vu for this community.

Tuesday's death of Marine Lance Cpl. Brandon Webb, 20, means the community is mourning yet another soldier. Webb is the fourth serviceman with ties to Swartz Creek to die in Iraq. Details of his death remain undisclosed.

Webb was a Swartz Creek firefighter before joining the Marines. Fire Lt. Mike Treiger said word of his death slowly spread among firefighters Tuesday after military representatives stopped by looking for Webb's mother, Ann Christofferson, who also is a Swartz Creek firefighter.

"It was devastating," he said quietly, his voice cracking.

Hundreds attend service for FireFighter/Soldier Jeremy Loveless

There is also a memorial for Jeremy at: www.estacadafire.org

June 9, 2006

- BORING, Ore. - A funeral was held Friday for U.S. Army field medic Jeremy Loveless, who was killed in Iraq, near Mosul, in late May.

The 25-year-old's funeral was held in Boring at the Good Shepherd Community Church at 1 p.m.

Loveless was training to become a paramedic in civilian life when he was killed.

Loveless leaves a wife, Melissa, and a 4-year-old daughter, Chloe.

Family members say Loveless had been in the Army for about two years.

According to Governor Kulongoski's office, Loveless was the 61st person from Oregon or with close ties to the state to die in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Loveless was reportedly shot by a sniper when he exited a

I want to tell you about a friend of mine who deserves to be added to your memorial to Firefighters who died in war. His name is HM2 Jeff Wiener. He and I served together as Navy reserve Hospital Corpsmen assigned to the the 3rd Bat. 25th Reg. Marines serving in Iraq last year (2005). He was killed in Haditha during a battle with insurgents on May 7, 2005. I would like to paste here below info from his obituary:

Beloved husband. Devoted father. Dedicated firefighter. Faithful
friend. All these words - and more - have been used to describe Jeffrey L.
Wiener, who on May 7 gave his life serving the in U.S. Navy in Iraq.

Wiener, a former resident of both Lynbrook and Valley Stream, and an
11-year veteran and ex-captain of Lynbrook's Tally-Ho Engine Company No.
3, was killed in what Pentagon officials described as a "combat-related
incident." Subsequent reports indicate that Wiener was killed during a
four-hour firefight that erupted after insurgents used a suicide bomb
to level a civilian hospital.
Wiener was buried in Calverton National Cemetery on Monday after
a heartfelt wake and ceremony at O.B. Davis Funeral Home in Miller
Place. Ten ladder trucks dotted the entrance to the cemetery, with American
flags hanging between two extended ladders forming a fitting archway
for a fallen hero. Local firefighters and EMS personnel, as well as
representatives from Wiener's Louisville, Ky., neighborhood attended the
funeral to pay their respects.
Wiener leaves behind his wife and high-school sweetheart, Maria,
as well as their two daughters, Mikayla Lynn, 5, and Theodora Rose, 2.
On May 15, the Tally-Ho Company and the Lynbrook Fire Department
held a memorial service in Wiener's honor. Josh Felix, captain of
Tally-Ho, offered a glimpse into the man who meant so much to so many.
Wiener was born on May 26, 1973, and grew up in Hutcheson Place
in Lynbrook. He displayed a passion for volunteer work at age 14, when
he joined the Lynbrook Junior Fire Department. In 1991, shortly after
turning 18 and graduating from Lynbrook High School, Wiener joined
Tally-Ho.
His dedication took him up through the ranks quickly, and he was
elected second lieutenant of Tally-Ho in April of 1997 and captain in
2000.
Felix said that Wiener was so affected by the events of Sept. 11,
2001, that he joined the Navy and became a corpsman. In the Navy,
Wiener showed the same dedication he displayed as a firefighter. "Jeff and
his family always knew there was a possible chance of injury or death in
joining the military, and a chance he would be sent to war," Felix
said. "But Jeff was never one to shy away from his duties or his dreams.
"Whether it was with Tally-Ho, leading the members in fighting a
fire, or directing the extrication of an injured person from a car
wreck - or later saving lives in war - Jeff was dedicated to every job or
assignment that he took on."

Jeff was originally from New York, the departments identified in his early career (Tally-ho and Lynbrook) were in New York, he had moved to Kentucky just before our deployment to Iraq.

For his mother's birthday, Wilfredo F. Urbina sent fond wishes from Iraq. "He sent me the last postcard for my birthday and he said everything over there was OK," said Jeanette Urbina. "It said, 'Don't worry Momma, please take care of yourself.'" Urbina, 29, died on Nov. 29 when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb. He was based in New York and lived in Baldwin, N.Y., with his parents and younger sister directly behind the firehouse where he was a volunteer firefighter for six years. Firehouse Capt. Ed Colon said Urbina was always the first man dressed and ready to go in an emergency. "He took his duties real seriously and he did what he had to do," Colon said. "But he always made everybody laugh in the firehouse." Urbina's other passion was the military, and he served about four years in the Air Force before joining the National Guard around 1999. "He very much enjoyed the structure, that was my brother," said Urbina's younger sister, Jeanin. "Ever since he was young he loved helping out people." Urbina is also survived by his father, Agustin.

Baltimore firefighter dies in Iraq
Man was serving in National Guard

By Gina Davis
Sun Reporter
Originally published October 16, 2005

A Baltimore Fire Department lieutenant was killed in Iraq last
week while serving with the Maryland Army National Guard, city
Fire Department officials confirmed yesterday.

Fire Lt. Brian Conner, 32, of Baltimore was in Iraq with the
243rd Infantry Division when he was killed Thursday, said Fire
Department spokesman Kevin Cartwright. No further details
about Conner's death were available last night.

Conner, who joined the Fire Department in 1993, had been an
emergency vehicle driver before being promoted to lieutenant,
Cartwright said. His first assignment was as a firefighter recruit
with Truck Company 9.

Yesterday afternoon, outside the fire station in West Baltimore
where Conner worked, members of Engine Company 20 flew a
flag at half-staff in Conner's honor.

"He was an upbeat, jovial person. He liked to joke around,"
Cartwright said. "But when it came time to getting serious with
the job ... he kicked it into gear.

"He was tenacious," Cartwright said. "He would go in there and
confront the fire with no problem."

Late yesterday, Department of Defense officials had not
confirmed Conner's death, but Cartwright said Conner's family
had notified fire officials of the death Friday.

Lt. Col. Barry Venable, a spokesman with the Department of
Defense, said he could neither confirm the death nor provide
details about Conner's military service until the department
officially releases the information. He gave no date for when
that might happen.

Conner is survived by a daughter, Adrianna, 10, and his
mother, Cartwright said. He did not have the mother's name.
He said that a Fire Department commander had been
dispatched to assist the family.

Pickerington Marine Dustin Derga killed Sunday in
Iraq

May 12, 2005
By MACKENZIE FRY
ThisWeek Staff Writer

A Pickerington Marine who wrote recently in a Web
site posting that he was "so ready to come home"
was killed Sunday in Iraq. Cpl. Dustin A. Derga,
24, died in Ubaydi as the result of enemy fire,
the Department of Defense reported Monday. Derga,
a 1999 graduate of Pickerington High School, was
assigned to Marine Forces Reserves 3rd Battalion,
25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division.

Arkansas firefighter killed in Iraq bombing

The Associated Press May 8, 2005

A Russellville firefighter working for a contractor in Iraq was among two Americans killed when a bomb exploded in Baghdad, killing 22 people in all.

The contractor, CTU Consulting of Fayetteville, N.C., said Todd James Venette was killed in the Saturday bombing. Venette moved to Arkansas a number of years ago from his native Colorado because his mother had moved to the state, near White Hall, according to people who knew him.

Also killed was Brandon Thomas, CTU said, declining to release the hometown of either victim.

The Russellville Fire Department said Sunday that Venette had worked as a firefighter and built a reputation as an eager member of the team. The Pope County Sheriff's Department said Venette also worked for a time as a reserve deputy. Spokesmen for both agencies said people who knew Venette were feeling the loss.

Fire Capt. Richard Setian remembered Venette as a "gung ho" firefighter who approached his job and service in Iraq with enthusiasm.

Venette had served in the Marines, and took a leave from the department in 2003 to go to Baghdad as a marine reserve. After that stint, he returned to Russellville only to leave in March 2004 and return to Iraq as a contractor, Setian said.

"He knew the risk," Setian said. "The excitement that was portrayed, he liked that. He always liked things that were exciting."

Setian said members of the department would watch Venette's belongings for him while he was away, including his Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Venette's mother requested a firefighter's funeral in Russellville, Setian said. The protocol for the service calls for Venette's body to be carried by the fire engine from his station and for a procession of firefighters.

There was no word Sunday on when that service would be.

Survivors include Venette's father, Paul Venette of Brighton, Colo.; mother Debby Casida and stepfather Dennis Casida of White Hall, Ark. Venette also had a brother and a set of grandparents in Russellville.

Died: February 13, 2005

Air Force Staff Sgt. Ray Rangel

29, of San Antonio; assigned to the 7th Civil Engineering Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; killed Feb. 13 while performing a canal rescue mission in Balad, Iraq.

Airman dies trying to rescue soldiers in Iraq

Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO A 29-year-old San Antonio airman died in Iraq while trying to rescue soldiers from a military vehicle that rolled into a canal.

Staff Sgt. Ray Rangels mother, Cynthia Rangel, said that her son who has three sisters was both disciplined and tender.

I had to have surgery two years ago, and he took leave to be with me, Cynthia Rangel said. He was our only son, and hes been taken away.

Ray Rangel was a firefighter with the 7th Civil Engineer Squadron, based at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene. He was killed Sunday in Iraq.

The former defensive back at a San Antonio high school was known to teammates as Crazy Ray. He was deployed to Iraq in late September, spending Thanksgiving and Christmas apart from his family for the first time.

Family members are awaiting autopsy results to see if hypothermia played a role in the death of the 1994 high school graduate. He apparently drowned after disappearing in the water near Balad, about 50 miles north of Baghdad.

According to Defense Department officials, three U.S. service members died in the rollover. Five military members of a rescue crew were treated at a military hospital and are expected to recover.

Rangel married and enlisted after high school and bought a house in Abilene just before deploying. He coached his oldest sons youth football team, while his wife, Selena, coached cheerleaders. Their three sons, ages 7 to 11, played football, and their daughter, 5, cheered on the sidelines.

He told me, If anything should happen to me, remember I was doing what I wanted to do, said his father, Federico Rangel.

He said, Dad, every night before I go to bed, I read a psalm, said the father, a Christian Pentecostal minister.

NJ VOL. FF/MARINE KILLED AT WAR

A North Carolina-based Marine in line to receive a medal for valor died in Afghanistan on Thursday, according to the Defense Department and media reports.

Sgt. Christopher R. Hrbek, 25, a field artillery cannoneer with 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, was killed in Helmand province, according to the Defense Department.

The New Jersey Bergen County Record reports that Hrbek was killed when he stepped on an improvised explosive device.

The Westwood, N.J., native was going to be awarded a Bronze Star with combat �V� for saving the life of his sergeant major, who stepped on an IED under enemy fire Dec. 23, the paper reported.

�I told him, we are proud of you for doing the right thing,� Hrbek�s step-father, Jaymee Hodges, told The Record. �He didn�t think about it, he just did it. He loved being a Marine.�

Hrbek was a local firefighter who joined the Corps in January 2003 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks. His two step-brothers are New York City firefighters, according to The Record.

He served two tours in Iraq between September 2007 and March 2009, according to a II Marine Expeditionary Force release.

He planned to become a drill instructor when he returned from deployment this spring, his step-father said.