Sgt. 1st Class Ramon Sheldon Morris was on his fifth deployment when he was killed Friday in Afghanistan, the Defense Department reported Monday.
Morris, 37, and Spc. Wyatt Joseph Martin, 22, were killed Friday in Parwan province when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle.
The two combat engineers were assigned to 2nd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Morris, whose home of record is listed as New York, New York, joined the active-duty Army in February 1996.
He was assigned to 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, in March 2012.
His deployments include serving in Korea from February 2002 to February 2003; supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom from July 2003 to April 2004, March 2005 to March 2006 and November 2007 to February 2009; and supporting Operation Enduring Freedom from June to December this year.
Morris' awards include a Bronze Star Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, four Army Commendation Medals, six Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medals, Afghan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, three Overseas Service Ribbons, NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge and the Driver and Mechanic Badge with Driver Wheeled Vehicle.
Martin, from Mesa, Arizona,entered active duty in August 2012 as a combat engineer. He was assigned to 1st Cavalry Division in June and deployed that month.
Spc. Wyatt Martin
Photo Credit: Army
His family and friends say he had a "bigger than life" personality. He loved his job and saw it as a way to give back, his mother, Julie Martin, said in a report on azcentral 12 News in Arizona.
"It's what he wanted to do" Martin said. "He always felt good about what he did and I felt good about who he was and how he represented us, his country and the military."
Wyatt, the youngest of three, loved fishing and hunting, and wanted to work in the Game and Fish Department, his father, Brian Martin, said in the local news report.
Jordan Williams, Wyatt's childhood friend, described him as "easily the greatest man I've ever met."
"He always found a way to brighten people's days no matter what," he said. "It was what drew people to him."
His awards include an Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer ordered that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff on Monday in honor of Martin, and on the day of his funeral service, according to a statement from the governor's office. the date had not been announced.
