KABUL, Afghanistan – The U.S. Department of Defense said one the two soldiers killed in Afghanistan Tuesday was stationed at Fort Carson.
The DOD announced 32-year-old Micheal B. Riley was killed by small arms fire in the Uruzgan Province on Tuesday. The Taliban reportedly claimed credit for the attack. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) assigned to Fort Carson. Riley was from Heilbronn, Germany.
“It is with a heavy heart that we learn of the passing of Master Sgt. Micheal Riley in Afghanistan,” Ferguson said. “Mike was an experienced Special Forces noncommissioned officer and the veteran of five previous deployments to Afghanistan. We will honor his service and sacrifice as we remain steadfast in our commitment to our mission,” according to the commander of 10th SFG (A), Col. Lawrence G. Ferguson.
He was on his sixth deployment to Afghanistan at the time of his death. He joined the U.S. Army in March 2006 and was a Bronze Star recipient.
The other soldier killed in the attack was identified as 24-year-old James G. Johnston, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas where he was assigned to the 79th Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 71st Ordnance Group.
Johnston entered active duty in July 2013 as an explosive ordnance disposal specialist. He earned numerous awards and honors that include a Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal among others.
Johnston was from Trumansburg, N.Y.
The DOD has not released any additional information about the incident that led to their death, but officials say it is under investigation.
It’s the second time in recent months that a member of the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group was killed in action alongside a member of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit.
In March, Fort Carson soldiers 29-year-old Spc. Joseph P. Collette and Sgt. 1st Class Will D. Lindsay were killed in action by enemy fire. Spc. Collette was assigned to the 242nd Ordnance Battalion, 71st Explosive Disposal Group at Fort Carson. Lindsay, a Cortez, Colorado native, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, Colorado.
