Military deaths

The Defense Department last week identified the following American military personnel killed in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait:

Adrian L. Avila, 19, of Opelika, Ala.; specialist, Army National Guard. Avila was fatally injured Oct. 29 in a noncombat-related accident at Khabari Crossing, Kuwait, at the northern border with Iraq. He was assigned to the 1343rd Chemical Company, 151st Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Battalion, 115th Fires Brigade in Ft. Payne, Ala.

Julian L. Berisford, 25, of Benwood, W.Va.; specialist, Army. Berisford was killed Wednesday when insurgents attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire in southeast Afghanistan’s Paktika province, on the Pakistani border. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at Ft. Richardson, Alaska.

Christopher M. Cooper, 28, of Oceanside, Calif.; specialist, Army. Cooper died Oct. 30 of noncombat-related injuries in Iraq’s Babil province, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry, 172nd Infantry Brigade in Schweinfurt, Germany.

Lukas C. Hopper, 20, of Merced, Calif.; private first class, Army. Hopper was killed Oct. 30 when his Humvee overturned in a noncombat-related accident in Baghdad’s Karada neighborhood. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

Cesar B. Ruiz, 26, of San Antonio; sergeant, Marine Corps Reserve. Ruiz was killed Oct. 31 when he stepped on a land mine in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on the Pakistani border. He was an Individual Ready Reservist assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 1, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade.

Jonathon M. Sylvestre, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; specialist, Army. Sylvestre died Monday of noncombat-related injuries in Kut, Iraq, south of Baghdad. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Amy C. Tirador, 29, of Albany, N.Y.; staff sergeant, Army. Tirador died Wednesday of noncombat-related injuries in Kirkush, Iraq, northeast of Baghdad. She was assigned to the 209th Military Intelligence Company, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

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Sources: Department of Defense, Times staff reports and the Associated Press

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War casualties

TOTAL U.S. DEATHS*

* In and around Iraq: 4,360

* In and around Afghanistan: 835

* Other locations: 72

* Includes military and Department of Defense-employed civilian personnel killed in action and in nonhostile circumstances as of Friday

Source: Department of Defense