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03/12/10 DoD:
Marine Casualty Identified
Lance Cpl. Garrett W. Gamble, 20, of Sugarland, Texas, died March 11 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

03/11/10 DoD:
Army Casualty Identified (2 of 2)
Pfc. Jason M. Kropat, 25, of White Lake, N.Y...died March 9 in Khowst province, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using small-arms, indirect and rocket-propelled grenade fires. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Pfc. Kropat joined the Army in October 2008, and had already served a tour in Afghanistan. He deployed on his second tour to Afghanistan in early January. "He loved life," his mother said. "He loved his family. He loved his country." Jason had just visited his family and friends during the Christmas holidays. Kropat's long-time girlfriend described him as an "all-American Boy Scout," who loved the outdoors and was an avid fisherman. Kropat joined the Army to provide for a more stable life for the couple. And to prove to himself he could survive the deployment despite being terribly homesick. C Company's 1st Lt. John Limauro told the Leaf Chronicle that Pfc. Jason Kropat was "the battle buddy that everyone wanted" who was "quick with a joke when everyone was down."

03/11/10 DoD:
Army Casualty Identified (1 of 2)
Sgt. Jonathan J. Richardson, 24, of Bald Knob, Ark...died March 9 in Khowst province, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using small-arms, indirect and rocket-propelled grenade fires. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Sgt. Jonathan J. Richardson was a 24 year old fire support specialist from Bald Knob, Arkansas. Richardson joined the Army in June 2006 after graduating from high school, and he arrived at Fort Campbell in January 2007. He spent a tour in Iraq before deploying to Afghanistan. Last year Sgt. Richardson and his wife bought their first home together, near his grandparents house. Richardson's grandfather remarked about the marriage, "They loved each other so much. It was no puppy love. They were deeply, genuinely in love."

The Department of Defense confirmed that Army Pvt. Nicholas "Nick" Cook, 19, died March 7 in Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents ambushed his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Camp Ederle, Italy. Pvt Cook had been in Afghanistan for two months when he was killed in action. He was due to return home in two weeks to visit his family and go snowboarding for a few days in Alaska.