Gunnery Sergeant Christopher Eckard, 30, of Hickory, NC was assigned to the 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. On February 20, 2010, GySgt Eckard died while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

In 1998, he graduated from St. Stephen’s High School and joined the Army National Guard. However, he never forgot his lifelong dream of being a Marine and made the decision to join on May 7, 2001. GySgt Eckard started out as a combat engineer but became a specialist in IEDs, finishing at the top of his class.

GySgt Eckard had a total of four tours of duty in Iraq and was on his first tour in Afghanistan. In 2004 alone he decommissioned 240 bombs. In 2007, he took part in the Battle of Donkey Island near Ramadi and earned a Bronze Star and a Navy Commendation Medal for aiding a wounded teammate. When he finished this tour, he had planned to change his career field to the classroom and teach other Marines about bombs.

Those who knew him remember what an awesome friend he was, what a loving and dedicated husband to his wife, Ashley, and a devoted father to their two sons.