A paratrooper from the 82nd Airborne Division died Thursday in Ghazni, Afghanistan, the Defense Department has announced.
Spc. Brian Arsenault, 28, of Northborough, Massachusetts, died from injuries sustained when his unit was engaged by enemy small-arms fire, according to information released Friday by DoD.
Arsenault was a grenadier assigned to 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
"We have suffered a great loss in [the battalion] and express our deepest condolences," said Lt. Col. Chris Hockenberry, Arsenault's battalion commander, in a statement. "Spc. Arsenault was an exceptional paratrooper and a valued member of our team. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time."
Arsenault joined the Army in November 2011. He completed one-station unit training and the basic airborne course at Fort Benning, Georgia. He arrived at Fort Bragg in 2012 and was assigned to 1st Brigade in November 2013.
His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Afghanistan Campaign medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Basic Parachutist Badge.
