Since 2001, 1936 U.S. troops have lost their lives while serving in Afghanistan, and since 2003, 4486 U.S. troops have lost their lives while serving in Iraq.
The IGTNT (I Got The News Today) series is a reminder that nearly every day, somebody gets the heartbreaking news that a beloved family member, friend, or former classmate will not be coming home from war.
~ Photo Credit Timroff
The Department of Defense has announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Tanner S. Higgins, 23, of Yantis, Texas, died Apr. 14 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, GA.
Please join me below for a remembrance of his life.
Sgt. Tanner S. Higgins
Since he was a child in his small East Texas town of Yantis, Sgt. Higgins wanted to be a soldier. According to his father, Danny Higgins:
“We’d be camping. And he’d put his camos on and paint his face up. We’re sitting around the camp fire, and he’d be real low, crawling through the woods, sneaking up on us.”
After graduating from Sulphur Springs High School in 2007, Higgins immediately joined the Army. A 2009 newspaper article quoted Higgins:
“I grew up knowing I would go into the military. I was always interested in it from the time I was little. Fightin’ is kind of in my nature, and I liked the idea of doing something cool and getting paid for it. What could be better than serving your country?”
Two years later, he became one of the youngest members accepted into the elite Army Rangers. The average age of an Army Ranger is 24 years and older, but Sgt. Higgins earned his tan beret and scroll at age 19. Sgt. Higgins said at the time:
“Ranger School truly taught me what it is to be a man. It taught me that I wasn’t nearly as tough as I acted — but that I was a lot tougher than I thought....It’s a good feeling to be a part of the best unit in the world.”
His grandfather, Gerald Higgins, said Sgt. Higgins always wanted to be "the best." His military education included the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, U.S. Army Ranger Course, Emergency Medical Technician Basic Course, U.S. Army Sniper School, and he was a Warrior Leader Course Distinguished Leadership Awardee.
Col. Michael Foster, the Commander of 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment said of Sgt. Higgins:
“Sgt. Higgins epitomized the Ranger Fire Team Leader, and was admired and respected by everyone. A skilled warrior, who always led from the front, he is a hero to his family, 1st Ranger Battalion and our Nation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Higgins family.”
This was his third deployment to Afghanistan; he deployed once to Iraq. He married Shelby Lynn in October 2011, and shortly afterward was again deployed to Afghanistan. Higgins was leading an assault against an enemy compound on April 14 when he was mortally wounded by small arms fire.
His father Danny believes that serving his country is "the only way his son would have wanted to go." His grieving father said,
“I knew there was a chance of this, but you never can quite prepare for it....Every few minutes I just start crying thinking I’m never gonna see him again.”
Sgt. Higgins' parents were at Dover AFB today to receive their son's body.
An Army carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Sgt. Tanner S. Higgins Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at Dover Air Force Base, DE.
Awards and decorations earned by Sgt. Tanner Higgins include the Ranger Tab, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge.
Higgins has also been awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon.
He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Purple Heart.
Higgins is survived by his wife Shelby Lynn Higgins of Savannah, Georgia, his father Danny R. Higgins of Hurst, Texas, and his mother Patti D. Sells of Tybee Island, Georgia.
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Rest in peace, Sgt. Tanner S. Higgins. You have served with honor.
About the IGTNT series:
"I Got the News Today" is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remind us of the sacrifice of our US troops. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, noweasels, monkeybiz, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, SisTwo, SpamNunn, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, Kestrel9000, TheFatLadySings, JaxDem, and me, Ekaterin. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for them.
Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories. The US Department of Defense news releases are found at defense gov/releases. Icasualties lists the names of those killed, and shows the number of wounded. Published AP photos of the returning war fatalities are found on the Dover AFB site. Click the IGTNT tags below for previous diaries in the series which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by monkeybiz, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, joyful, roses, SisTwo, a girl in MI, Spam Nunn, JeNoCo, Janos Nation, True Blue Majority, Proud Mom and Grandma, Sandy on Signal, Wide Awake in Kentucky, Ms Wings, maggiejean, racheltracks, ccasas, JaxDem, CalNM, TheFatLadySings, and me, Ekaterin. These diaries are heartbreaking to write, but are an important service to those who have died, and show our community’s respect for our fallen brothers and sisters.
If you would like to contribute to the series, even once a month, please contact Sandy on Signal.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members mentioned here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.