Staff Sgt. Anton R. Phillips, 31, of Inglewood, California, died December 31, 2009, at Forward Operating Base Methar Lam, Afghanistan.  Phillips was assigned to G Forward Support Company, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Task Force Wildhorse, Forward Operating Base Methar Lam, Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, of Waterbury, Connecticut, died December 29 in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was shot while unloading supplies. Spino was assigned to the 274th Forward Surgical Team, 44th Medical Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Spc. Jason M. Johnston, 24, of Albion, New York, died December 26 in Arghandab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. Johnston was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, New Carolina.

Staff Sgt. David H. Gutierrez, 35, of San Francisco, California, died December 25 at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his dismounted patrol with an improvised explosive device in Howz-e Madad. Gutierrez was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Lance Cpl. Omar G. Roebuck, 23, of Moreno Valley, California, died December 22, as a result of a non-hostile incident in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.  Roebuck was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, New Carolina.

Pfc. Serge Kropov, 21, of Hawley, Pennsylvania, died December 20 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.  Kropov was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.

Sgt. Albert D. Ware, 27, of Chicago, Illinois, died December 18 in Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.  Ware was assigned to the 782nd Combat Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Tech. Sgt. Anthony C. Campbell Jr., 35, of Florence, Kentucky, died December 15 of wounds suffered from the detonation of an improvised explosive device in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.  Campbell was assigned to the 932nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

Pfc. Jaiciae L. Pauley, 29, of Austell, Georgia, died December 11 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. Pauley was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Pvt. Jhanner A. Tello, 29, of Los Angeles, California, died December 10 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. Tello was assigned to the 3rd Aviation Support Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Staff Sgt. Dennis J. Hansen, 31, of Panama City, Florida, died December 7 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit December 3 with an improvised explosive device in Logar Province, Afghanistan. Hansen was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York.

Sgt. Elijah J. Rao, 26, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, died December 5 in Nuristan, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  Rao was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Soldier Falls to Enemy Fire in Kunar Province

Sgt. Kenneth R. Nichols Jr., 28, of Chrisman, Illinois, died December 1 in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires.  Chrisman was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.