Army Specialist Michael D. Elm, 25, of Phoenix, AZ was assigned to 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, KY. On October 14, 2011, while serving his first deployment in the Middle East, SPL Elm’s unit encountered an insurgent attack while conducting combat operations near Khowst, Afghanistan. The enemy used small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades and Improvised Explosive Devices to attack Elm’s patrol group.

CPL Elm attended Greenway High School where he played an active role in clubs including Youth in Government. During that time, he engaged in debates on the local and state levels. He then attended the University of Maryland, prior to enlisting in the Army in February of 2009. He completed basic training at Fort Benning, GA where he was named “Honor Graduate.” CPL Elm was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and an Army Achievement Medal.

According to his aunt, Debbie Samson, everyone loved Michael. “He was very bright and analytical. He was just a good guy all around.” she said, “When he attended Maryland University, he was the Terrapin mascot – a fact he kept secret from his classmates.”