Tonight we mark the passing of Sgt. Dillon B. Foxx, 22, of Traverse City, Mich., once and always an Eagle:
As a young boy, Dillon was a student at Andrew Jackson Elementary School in Old Hickory, TN. He was one of our AJS Eagles. Our young eagle gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country and our freedom. Thoughts and prayers from this community and our school go out to his family and friends at this most difficult time. At Andrew Jackson School, we will never forget. Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle. -- Ms. Floyd -teacher (Old Hickory, TN)
Sgt. Dillon B. Foxx, 22, of Traverse City, Mich., and of the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. The Department of Defense says that he died Feb. 5 in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan, "of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device."
"In my eyes, he will always be my hero," said Trina Pfua, his mother.
Like so many of the men and women profiled in "I Got the News Today," Dillon Foxx enlisted young; he was barely finished with classes at Kingsley High School and West Senior High School in Traverse City when he joined the Army. The 18-year-old Foxx trained at Oklahoma's Fort Sill, and then Georgia's Fort Benning. He had one more stint stateside, at Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, before deploying to Afghanistan in 2007, says the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
Eight months after the completion of his 15-month tour, he was promoted to sergeant. Eight months after that, he was on his way to Afghanistan again. Almost six months later, a bomb went off in western Afghanistan's Murghab District and Foxx died of the injuries he received in the explosion.
A reporter for the Record-Eagle spoke with Foxx's mother, Trina Pfua:
"In my eyes, he will always be my hero," said Trina Pfua, his mother.
Pfua recently moved to Manton from Traverse City. She said Foxx's loss is "very difficult" for his family, including his two brothers and two sisters.
"He's just deeply missed," Pfua said. "He had this personality where everyone was drawn to him. He just had a big heart. He was an awesome person."
When a reporter for the Fayetteville Observer talked with Staff Sgt. Matthew Fitzgerald, Foxx's squad leader, he heard about Foxx's sterling qualities as a solider. "He will be missed by everyone that knew him... He was always the first person I would come to for help to get things done. He made my job easy, knowing that I could count on him to get the job done. I know that he made a difference in my life, and I will try to live my life to the fullest for him," said Fitzgerald. Capt. Aaron White, Foxx's company commander, also praised Foxx, saying "He was a self-starter and always got the job done. I am blessed to have served with heroes like Sgt. Foxx. He will be missed by the entire company, and we pray for his son, Levi, and his family." The Observer also notes the recent heavy toll on Fort Bragg, which lost its third paratrooper in Afghanistan last week.
According to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division's Facebook page, "Foxx’s awards and decorations include an Army Commendation with Valor Device, the Army Commendation with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, and the Basic Parachutist Badge."
The Record-Eagle writes that, in addition to his mother, he is survived by "his 7-month-old son, Kaiden Levi Foxx, of Ohio, and his father, Robert Lentz, of Tennessee."
The Unknown Soldiers blog notes that Foxx is also survived by a brother, Chad Stewart, "getting set to deploy overseas with the Marines." "Honestly, it just gives me more of a purpose then just what we originally [went] in for," Stewart said. "So it's more heartfelt, more meaningful now."
A memorial service was held in Afghanistan, and though funeral arrangements are not yet complete, the Patriot Guard will ride in his honor.
Photo by Leopoldo Miranda, USFWS
Godspeed, Sgt. Dillon B. Foxx.
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About "I Got the News Today" (IGTNT)
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor service members who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. 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.
Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno, and which is maintained by Sandy on Signal, monkeybiz, blue jersey mom, twilight falling, joyful, roses, Chacounne, JeNoCo, SisTwo, SpamNunn, a girl in MI, JanosNation, Proud Mom and Grandma and True Blue Majority. Timroff created the IGTNT logo.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service members chronicled here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.