Spino, Ronald Jay

Staff Sergeant Ronald Jay Spino was a 45-year-old surgical technician assigned to the 274th Forward Surgical Team, a U.S. Army unit based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. His unit was deployed to western Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the American-led military campaign that began in October 2001.

By late 2009, the conflict had entered a period of intensified combat. Insurgent forces had regrouped, and the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against coalition and Afghan forces was increasing annually. U.S. and NATO operations were expanding in southern and eastern regions, while western provinces like Herat also saw significant military activity.

On December 29, 2009, SSG Spino died from wounds sustained in Herat province, Afghanistan. The Department of Defense announced his death the following day, stating he was killed while supporting combat operations. No further specifics regarding the incident were released in initial reports.

Spino's death was recorded in the Defense Casualty Analysis System on the day he died. He was one of 317 U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan in 2009, a year that saw a sharp rise in casualties compared to earlier periods of the war.

Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan formally concluded in December 2014, transitioning to the follow-on mission, Operation Freedom's Sentinel. SSG Spino is memorialized on casualty lists and by veterans' organizations from his home state of Connecticut.

Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led war 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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