Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy W. Griffin, 40, of Greenbrier, Tennessee, was killed in action by small arms fire, September 16, 2019, while engaged in combat operations in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

Born in Cristobal, Panama, December 7, 1978, Griffin enlisted into the U.S. Army April 6, 2004. He had previous assignments in the 82nd Airborne Division and 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) prior to attending and graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course on September 18, 2014. He served as a Special Forces communications sergeant to 3rd Battalion, 1st SFG (A) at Joint Base Lewis-McCord, Washington.

Griffin deployed with the 82nd Airborne Division to Iraq in 2006 and Afghanistan in 2009. He deployed again to Afghanistan in 2016 with 1st SFG (A), He also served on an overseas rotation to Korea in 2018. He was on his fourth combat deployment.

He graduated from the Basic, Advanced, and Senior Leader Courses; U.S. Army Basic and Advanced Airborne Schools; Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Basic Korean Course; Ranger School; Basic and Advanced Military Free Fall Parachutist Course; Military Freefall Advanced Tactical Infiltration Course; Special Operations Joint Terminal Attack Controller Course; Special Forces Intelligence Sergeants Course; and Special Forces Qualification Course.

Griffin’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal; Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster); Army Achievement Medal (3 OLC); Army Good Conduct Medal (fifth award); National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal (3 Campaign Stars); Iraq Campaign Medal (2 Campaign Stars); Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Korea Defense Service Medal; Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 3); Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Medal; Army Marksmanship Qualification Badge (Expert); Parachutist Badge; Master Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge; Combat Infantry Badge; Combat Action Badge; Ranger and Army Special Forces Tabs.

Sgt. 1st Class Griffin was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.