The Hanscom Family Weblog

GI Dies Near End of Tour in Iraq

March 07, 2009
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Chesterfield, Va. - Army Sgt. Jeffrey Alexander Reed of Chesterfield County still hadn’t made up his mind about re-enlisting. But he enjoyed his work with the military police so much that his parents figured he would make it a career.

“He shared how rewarding it was to be spreading democracy and freedom and helping people who so desperately needed it,” Mark Reed said of his youngest child. “He was very proud of his job, of his country and what we stand for.”

His 23-year-old son was killed Monday when his vehicle was struck by a grenade in Balad, Iraq, just north of Baghdad, the Department of Defense said yesterday.

When he died, Reed was 15 days away from completing his second 15-month tour in Iraq, his father said yesterday.

Reed was assigned to the 411th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, in Fort Hood, Texas.

Reed joined the Army after graduating from L.C. Bird High School in 2004. He was followed that year by his brother, Sgt. Christopher Reed, 25, now a chemical weapons specialist serving in Afghanistan.

“I think a lot of it had to do with 9/11 and service to country and what we were going through in defending the nation,” said their father, a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier.

Reed’s father said he is comforted by conversations he has had in the past several days with Soldiers who worked with his son.

“He was just beloved. Three of his Soldiers called me yesterday on speakerphone to express their sadness and to let us know how much he meant to them. They told me they were devastated. That meant a lot to us as parents,” he said.

The Soldier also leaves behind a wife, Ashley Robbins Reed; his mother, Mary Reed; and a sister, Cynthia Reed, all of Chesterfield.

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