Politics & Government

Illinois Soldier May Have Been Killed By Friendly Fire: Pentagon

Sgt. Joshua P. Rodgers, 22, was part of anti-ISIS operations, the Pentagon said.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN — A decorated U.S. Army sergeant from Illinois was killed Thursday during his third tour of Afghanistan in what officials are now saying may have been a friendly fire incident. Sgt. Joshua P. Rodgers, 22, of Bloomington, was killed while conducting combat operations in Nangarhar Province, according to Army officials. Another U.S. serviceman, Sgt. Cameron H. Thomas, 23, of Kettering, Ohio, was also killed during what the Pentagon called "anti-ISIS operations."

Officials said the Army Rangers' families had been notified they may have been victims of friendly fire. A third soldier was injured in the raid but was able to remain with the unit.

Rodgers was a Ranger team leader assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia, according to the Army. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 1, also at Fort Benning.

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He was on his third deployment to Afghanistan.

Born on Aug. 22, 1994, Rodgers enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2013 after graduating from high school. According to his U.S. Army bio:

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Following graduation from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 1, Sgt. Rodgers was then assigned to Company C, 3rd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment in May 2014 where he served as a Machine Gunner, Semi-Automatic Gunner, Gun Team Leader and Ranger Team Leader.
His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 1, the U.S. Army Ranger Course and the Basic Leader Course.
His awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, the Parachutist Badge and the Marksmanship Qualification Badge Expert-Rifle.
Sgt. Rodgers has also been awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, and the NATO Medal

"Fighting alongside their Afghan partners, Josh and Cameron proved themselves willing to go into danger and impose a brutal cost on enemies in their path," Secretary of Defense James Mattis said in a statement Friday. "They carried out their operation against ISIS-K in Afghanistan before making the ultimate sacrifice to defend our nation and our freedoms. Our nation owes them an irredeemable debt, and we give our deepest condolences to their families."

Nangarhar is the same province where another soldier was killed earlier this month. Staff Sgt. Mark R. De Alencar, 37, of Edgewood, Maryland, died April 8 from injuries sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations.


Photo: Sgt. Joshua P. Rodgers/U.S. Army


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