Rafael Alicearivera

Thursday, February 07 2008 @ 08:45 AM EST

News & Observer -- A paratrooper with ties to North Carolina died Tuesday while overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

Sgt. Rafael Alicearivera, 30, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, died of noncombat injuries at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq, on Tuesday. He was assigned to the 307th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg.

His death is under investigation.

Alicearivera joined the Army in November 2002. He completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Knox, Ky., and the Power Generation Equipment Repairer Advanced Individual Training in 2003. He completed the Warrior Leader Course at Fort Bragg and was assigned to his unit in 2006.

"His quiet personality with his motivated, charming smile always seemed to brighten the moment," Staff Sgt. Robert Davis said in a prepared statement. "My best memory of him was his ability to maintain his physical condition. When we performed physical training, he often called cadence on some of our longest runs. He knew his accent would butcher the cadence, but he would continue on as we ran, making us all laugh."

Alicearivera's awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Mechanic's Badge, and the Driver's Badge.

Alicearivera is survived by his mother, Carmen Lozada, and his sister, Wanda L. Alicearivera, both of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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