DENVER – A highly-decorated U.S. Army Special Forces soldier based at Fort Carson was killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan Tuesday.
The Department of Defense announced Wednesday that Staff Sgt. Adam S. Thomas, 31, of Tacoma Park, Maryland died after the device went off in Nangarhar Province.
Thomas and others were conducting dismounted operations at the time, the DoD said.
Thomas was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, with the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) based at Fort Carson.
He joined the Army in April 2008 and arrived at Fort Carson in February of this year.
He was deployed to Iraq for nearly a year from December 2008 to November 2009, and to Afghanistan from May 2011 to February 2012, then again on June 19.
During his service, Thomas earned numerous awards, including a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, four Army Commendation Medals and several others.
He also earned his Special Forces and Ranger tabs, and was an expert parachutist and marksman.
"The 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) wishes to express deepest sympathies and condolences to the Family and friends who have been tragically touched by the loss of Staff Sgt. Adam Thomas. Staff Sgt. Thomas epitomized what it is to be a professional Green Beret and Soldier. His loss from our organization and his memory will not be forgotten,” Col. Isaac Peltier, 10th SFG (A) Commander said in a news release.
A GoFundMe page has been established for his family.
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