I Got The News Today (IGTNT), which is one of the oldest continuous series on Daily Kos, provides members of this community a venue to pay their respects to those who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, in Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and in Operation Inherent Resolve. The IGTNT title is a reminder that far too often the family of an active duty service member receives the terrible news that their beloved has died.
The Department of Defense has announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
Sgt. Leandro A.S. Jasso, 25, from Leavenworth, Washington, died Nov. 24, 2018, in Garmsir District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, as a result of wounds sustained while engaging enemy forces in Khash Rod District, Nimruz Province, Afghanistan. The incident is under investigation.
He died after being evacuated to the Garmsir district of Helmand Province, where U.S. forces operate an expanded forward operations base known as Camp Dwyer and a smaller military installation known as Camp Garmsir.
Jasso was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
Earlier this year, Sgt. Jasso and some of his closest friends reunited at a bar, just before Jasso left on his third deployment overseas. His friends feared for his safety and asked him not to go, but to no avail. His longtime friend, David Sorenson said,
“I knew he was doing what he loved. He always wanted to go and save people.”
Sgt. Jasso was born and raised in Leavenworth, WA, and attended Cascade High School. His former seventh grade teacher, Andrea Brixey, described Jasso as someone who had a lot of questions, and liked to respectfully challenge authority. She shared that on the first day of school, he called her by her first name:
"He wasn’t busy being a ringleader and trying to torment me. That was just how he rolled. He was never disruptive or difficult, but he always questioned authority on every level. But once he got the answers, he was the best kid to have on your team….It is heart wrenching. He was an incredibly charismatic human being… and it’s hard to imagine someone like that gone. It’s like you feel a hole open inside of you that you didn’t even know was there. He was a wonderful kid.”
In his short life, Sgt. Jasso left a lasting impression on his hometown in central Washington state. He was remembered in the small town of Leavenworth as a bright, funny, driven and loving friend who made everyone feel special.
In elementary school, Jasso played with dinosaur toys while most kids ran outside during recess. He was an Eagle Scout who talked about joining the Army since he was a child. His nickname, which sometimes became “Lando Calrissian” for the character from his beloved Star Wars movies, resulted in part because some friends couldn’t pronounce his first name Leandro.
His friend Sorensen said,
“He loved everybody, you will not meet one person who was his enemy. From the second you met him, you just loved him. …He was incredibly smart. The other guys wanted to be cool and popular and he could care less about that.”
Former teachers and friends recalled a quiet young man who enjoyed the discipline and experiences the Army provided. They said everyone seemed to have a connection to Sgt. Jasso in the Chelan County city of about 2,000 people. Elia Ala'ilima-Daley, principal of Cascade High School, said:
"You hear the stories of kids enlisting and going off to war and then losing their life, but it really hits home with us, being a small town. Everybody knows everyone."
Sgt. Jasso was described as humble and professional by the commander of his battalion. Gen. Austin “Scott” Miller, the top US officer in Afghanistan, said:
"The loss of Sgt. Jasso is felt by his family and loved ones, by all who served with him and by all on this mission to protect our country and our allies.”
Sgt. Jasso was a team leader, and was on his third deployment to Afghanistan.
His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Expert Infantryman's Badge and Expert Rifle Marksmanship Badge.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
Rest in peace, Sgt. Leandro A.S. Jasso, you have served with honor and will be greatly missed.
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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 in 2004 and now is maintained by Sandy on Signal, i dunno, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, SisTwo, SpamNunn, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, JaxDem, Joy of Fishes, SARBill 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.