A Fairbanks-based Army soldier was killed Sunday night in Iraq, military officials said today.
The soldier's name has not been released pending a mandatory waiting period that allows the family time to grieve privately.
The soldier was assigned to the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team and stationed at Fort Wainwright, according to a statement today from U.S. Army Alaska spokesman Kirk Gohlke. The soldier died of wounds suffered during a combat patrol in Mosul, the statement said.
The death is the 15th for the Stryker brigade since the 3,800-person unit arrived in Iraq in early September from bases in Anchorage and Fairbanks. The brigade the 172nd replaced in Iraq lost more than 30 soldiers during its yearlong tour. The 172nd is more than halfway through its tour; it is due back this fall.
The soldier's family has been notified. The Army waits 24 hours after delivering the news to the family to release the names of deceased soldiers publicly.
