Sgt. 1st Class Nathan L. Winder

A Special Forces Medical Sergeant

C Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.

KIA  26 June 2007 

from small arms fire north of Dinwaniyah, Iraq

Special Forces Condolences Book

Awards and Decorations   Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Good Conduct Medal National Defense Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korean Service Medal Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon Expert Infantryman Badge Parachutist Badge Driver/Mechanics Badge Special Forces Tab Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart Meritorious Service Medal Iraqi Campaign Medal Combat Infantryman Badge.

Nathan is survived by his wife, Mechelle, of South Africa and his son, Logan, of Herkimer, N.Y. He is also survived by his parents, Tom and Terri Winder of Blanding, Utah.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Winder, 32, was raised in Utah. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Lewis, Wash. and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Arabian Peninsula.

Winder enlisted in the Army August 31, 1993, as a mechanized infantryman. After completing basic and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment at Fort Riley, Kan. He later served as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle section leader with 1st Bn., 9th Infantry Regiment at Camp Hovey, Korea and as a dismounted squad leader with 1st Bn., 5th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas. 

In 2003, he was selected to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, to become a Special Forces medic. He earned the coveted Green Beret in 2006 and was assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Lewis, Wash. 

Winder’s military education also includes the Warrior Leaders Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, and Basic Airborne Course.