 Reporter News -- ROSCOE -- Gary Wayne Jeffries was a quiet teenager who showed an interest in the military at a young age, according to people who remember the slain soldier from his years at Roscoe High School.
The 37-year-old Army staff sergeant was identified Wednesday as one of five soldiers killed Monday in Mosul, Iraq. The soldiers died from wounds suffered when an improvised bomb hit their convoy, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
The soldiers were assigned to Fort Carson, Colo.
A memorial service is set for 1 p.m. Feb. 13 at Fort Carson. Services will be determined by the families, a base spokeswoman said.
Jeffries is the 20th person with Big Country ties to be killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He graduated in 1990 from the high school in Roscoe, a town of 1,380 people 50 miles west of Abilene.
In the school yearbook, Jeffries jokingly "willed" to underclassmen his camouflage jacket, his intelligence, ability to fix a carburetor and change oil, and his cowboy boots.
Former classmate Chas McGlothlin of Swee*censored*er said Jeffries was a quiet kid who was "always in the weight room." He remembers Jeffries showing an interest in the military in high school and frequently wearing camouflage.
Roscoe High School Principal Frank Young was a football coach for the Plowboys when Jeffries was a student-athlete. Young remembers him as a "really quiet kid who did what he was supposed to." He said Jeffries was a good person and hard worker who was part of a good class.
Jeffries joined the Army in 1997 and was on his fourth deployment overseas when he died, according to records from Fort Carson.
He served in Korea from March 2000 to March 2001 and joined the 3rd Brigade Combat team in April 2001. Jeffries deployed to Iraq from March 2003 to March 2004 and from December 2005 to November 2006. He returned to Iraq in December for his third deployment.
He was awarded several medals, including the Army Commendation Medal with the valor device, the Army Commendation Medal (2), the Army Achievement Medal (5), the Army Good Conduct Medal (3) and the National Defense Service Medal. |
I would just like to say thank you to you and the other four soldiers who were also killed in that blast for your service and sacrifice for our Country. And to your family and loved ones, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.
"Patriae Fidelitas"(Loyalty To Country)
8th Inf. Motto