The Pentagon has identified the U.S. soldier killed in Operation Freedom’s Sentinel as Army Staff Sgt. Adam Thomas of Takoma Park, Md., according to a press release issued Wednesday evening.

The 31-year-old soldier was killed Oct. 4 in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, “from injuries caused by an improvised explosive device that exploded during dismounted operations.” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said on Wednesday that “this is someone who was in harm’s way, a combat situation to be sure.”

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