Justin M. Whitmire ,20, of Easley, South Carolina died December 27, 2011 Paktya, Afghanistan, of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.
Whitmire had been in Afghanistan for about 19 days and in the military for a little over a year, according to family friend Terry Rogers, pastor of Faith Renewed Outreach Center in Mauldin South Carolina.
“The reason he went there was just because he wanted to help people, and he felt like he was doing that,” he told local media.
Rogers said he last spoke with Whitmire on Skype on Christmas Eve. Whitmire talked about how he felt he was making a difference, he said.
“He was excited about what he was doing there,” Rogers said.
Whitmire was the middle child of three, Rogers said. His 21-year-old brother, 16-year-old sister and his parents live in Simpsonville South Carolina, he said.
Whitmire’s Facebook page was filled with those remembering him and thanking him for his service. His grandmother requested prayers for the Whitmire family on her page.
“Please remember our family in your prayer. Our grandson, Justin Whitmire, was killed in Afghanistan today,” she wrote.
“He was supposed to be in a safe location. But it appears that it is not safe anywhere over there. He was only 20 years old and had been over there for three weeks. Thank you for your prayers.”
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