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Immediate Release

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

Staff Sgt. Matthew V. Thompson, 28, of Irvine, California, died Aug. 23 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, of injuries caused by an improvised explosive device that detonated near his patrol while conducting dismounted operations. The incident is under investigation.

Thompson was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

For more information, media may contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at 910-432-6005, or pao@soc.mil