ARLINGTON -- A local soldier serving in Iraq died Monday from injuries received from an improvised explosive device.

Spc. Christopher J. West, 26, of Arlington, was wounded Sunday while walking during a combat mission in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. West was taken to the U.S. Army hospital at Balad, Iraq, where he died.

Spc. West was a combat medic, and was scheduled for rest and relaxation at his family's home in Arlington this weekend, according to his sister, Lauren West, 27.

"It was going to be his last mission before he came home," she said. "He loved what he was doing. He said he felt like he had found his calling. He thought that it was very possible that he could make the Army a lifelong career."

Spc. West arrived in Iraq four months ago and was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, N.C.

Spc. West was fourth-generation Army, his family said. His father, John West, served in Vietnam as a Ranger and Green Beret. Spc. West was 4 years old when he made the decision to join the Army, Lauren West said.

Spc. West grew up in Arlington and attended Sam Houston High School before graduating from Bowie High School in 2000. He graduated with honors in 2004 from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in marketing, said Hattie West, his mother.

"He graduated from jump school at Fort Benning August 17, 2007," she said. "This was his first year in."

Army testing revealed Spc. West's aptitudes for the Signal Corps and for medical training, Lauren West said.

"After he graduated from A&M, he wanted to go in- to law, but something kept pulling him toward the Army," Lauren West said. "He felt like he had to do it."

Spc. West's girlfriend also is deployed in Iraq, his sister said. Family members said Tuesday that they were trying to get in touch with her to make sure that she was aware of his death.

==Additional story==

Sir, tonight our hero tribute is in honor of Specialist Christopher J. West.

Christopher, or CJ, as he was known to his family, was only 4 years old when he first said that he
wanted to be like his dad and join the Army. When he enlisted a few years ago he became the fourth
generation of his family to serve in the Army.

He received a bachelor's degree in marketing from Texas A&M University, graduating with honors in
2004. After graduation, CJ still wasn’t sure about what he wanted to do with his life. He tried a variety of
things and considered going to to law school, but something kept pulling him toward the Army. His big
sister, Lauren West said, "he felt like he had to do it.

His family remembers CJ as something of a history buff that loved his family and the country he served.
One of his fellow soldiers said, that he, “brought an upbeat attitude to the platoon that spread to
everyone he met.”

His sister went on to say that CJ was smart and funny. She called him “the life of the party. He loved
hard, he played hard, he fought hard. He loved his country. He was so proud to be an American.”
“He died doing what he loved. It was the only thing in his life that he felt was challenging for him, and he
loved it. He felt like he had found his life’s calling.”

Sir, tonight our hero tribute is in honor of Specialist Christopher J. West.