Army Sergeant First Class Eric Emond

Sergeant First Class Eric Michael Emond, 39, of Brush Prairie, Washington, was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was killed on November 27, 2018, in Andar District, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, when a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near his vehicle during combat operations.

Born September 23, 1979, SFC Emond grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts, and attended B.M.C. Durfee High School. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1997, serving as an infantryman before joining the Army National Guard in 2005. He completed Special Forces training in 2006 and later became a Green Beret and senior weapons sergeant. During his 21-year military career, he completed seven overseas deployments. Severely wounded in a 2009 ambush, he overcame brain and spinal injuries to return to active duty.

Emond was remembered as a courageous soldier, devoted father, and compassionate advocate for military families. His friend Dan Magoon described him as "Selfless, fearless, honorable, and consistently humble."

SFC Emond was survived by his wife and three daughters.