Schad, Rex Lloyd

Staff Sergeant Rex Lloyd Schad was killed on March 11, 2013, in the Jalrez District of Afghanistan's Wardak province. He died from wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device, according to a U.S. Department of Defense news release. The Jalrez Valley was a known insurgent transit route and a frequent site of clashes during that period of the war.

Schad was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. His unit was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led coalition mission in Afghanistan that began in October 2001.

His death occurred during the final phase of the U.S. troop surge, a period marked by intensified combat as international forces prepared to transition security responsibilities to Afghan troops. The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team had deployed to eastern Afghanistan in the spring of 2012 for a nine-month tour focused on training and advising Afghan forces.

Schad, a native of Edmond, Oklahoma, was 26 years old. He was posthumously promoted from the rank of Sergeant to Staff Sergeant. The Army did not release details of his specific role or the exact circumstances of the patrol that led to the attack.

His death was one of thousands recorded during the nearly 13-year conflict. Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan formally concluded in December 2014, transitioning to the follow-on mission, Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led combat mission in Afghanistan, began in 2001 and 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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