Master Sgt. Joseph J. Andres, Jr

 A Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.

KIA Sunday, 24 December 2005 

in central Iraq while assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company

U.S. Army Special Operations Command  at Fort Bragg

Special Forces Condolences Book

Awards and Decorations    * Bronze Star Medal * Meritorious Service Medal * Army Commendation Medal, the * Army Achievement Medal * 3 Army Good Conduct Medals * National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star * Global War on Terrorism  * Expeditionary and Service Medals * Noncommissioned Officer  * Professional Development Ribbon with numeral three * Army Service Ribbon * Overseas Service Ribbon * Special Forces Tab * Ranger Tab * Combat Infantryman’s Badge * Expert Infantryman’s Badge * Expert Field Medic Badge * Military Freefall Badge * Parachutist Badge * Driver/Mechanics Badge

His military training includes the U.S. Army Airborne Course, the U.S. Army Ranger Course, the Military Freefall Course, the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Static Line Jumpmaster Course and the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course.

KIA when his unit was attacked with enemy small arms fire during combat operations in central Iraq. He died of injuries he sustained during the attack.

A native of Garfield Heights, Ohio, Andres graduated from Padua Franciscan High School in Parma, Ohio, and enlisted in the Army Reserve as a combat medic on Feb. 18, 1992. On April 21, 1993, he volunteered for active duty service and was assigned as a combat medic to the 42nd Medical Company, 68th Medical Group, Wiesbaden, Germany. He later served as a medical noncommissioned officer in A Company, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, Texas, and as a Special Forces communications noncommissioned officer in A Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash. Andres has been assigned to USASOC since Dec. 2003.