Staff Sgt. Jeremy E. Bessa, 26, of Woodridge, Illinois, died February 20, 2009, in Khordi, Afghanistan, when his military vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device followed by small arms fire attack by enemy forces. Staff Sgt. Bessa was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

PFC Cwislyn K. Walter, 19, of Honolulu, Hawaii, died February 19, 2009, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. PFC Walter was assigned to the 29th Special Troops Battalion, 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Hawaii National Guard.

Sgt. 1st Class Raymond J. Munden, 35, of Mesquite, Texas, died February 16, 2009, at Forward Operating Base Tillman in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using indirect fire. Sgt. 1st Class Munden was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Staff Sgt. Sean D. Diamond, 41, of Dublin, California, died February 15, 2009, in As Salam, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Staff Sgt. Diamond was assigned to the 610th Engineer Support Company, 14th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, Fort Lewis, Washington.

Cpl. Stephen S. Thompson, 23, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, died February 14, 2009, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a gunshot wound. Cpl. Thompson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Staff Sgt. Daniel L. Hansen, 24, of Tracy, California, died February 14, 2009, while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Hansen was assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Air Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Iwakuni, Japan.

Staff Sgt. Marc J. Small, 29, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, died February 12, 2009, at Faramuz, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and small arms fire. Statt Sgt. Small was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Sgt. Joshua A. Ward, 30, of Scottsville, Kentucky, died February 9, 2009, in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Sgt. Ward was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Spc. James M. Dorsey, 23, of Beardstown, Illinois, died February 8, 2009, in Kamaliyah, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident. Spc. Dorsey was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.