Ochsner, James Scott

Sergeant First Class James Scott Ochsner was a Special Forces soldier assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. According to unit records, his service included deployments to Afghanistan, the Philippines, and the Horn of Africa prior to his final assignment.

On November 15, 2005, Ochsner died from wounds sustained during a firefight with enemy forces in Orgun-E, a district in Afghanistan's Paktika province near the border with Pakistan. He was part of a U.S. Special Operations task force conducting operations in the region.

His death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001 following the September 11 attacks. The operation aimed to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban from power, evolving into a protracted counterinsurgency.

The Department of Defense announced his death the following day. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Meritorious Service Medal. He was survived by his wife and children.

Ochsner's name is inscribed on the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Army Special Operations Command headquarters at Fort Bragg. He is also memorialized on Panel 6 of the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, which honors those killed in the 2001 attack and the subsequent wars.

SFC James Ochsner was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.

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