The Pentagon has identified the soldier killed in Afghanistan on Monday as Sgt. 1st Class Michael James Goble.
Military officials announced that a service member was killed during combat operations on Monday. The officials withheld the name until the family of the soldier could be notified.
Goble, 33, was a Green Beret from Washington Township, New Jersey, the Department of Defense said in a statement. He died from “injuries sustained while his unit was engaged in combat operations” in Kunduz province, Afghanistan. The Taliban has claimed credit for the attack on Goble’s unit.
The soldier was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He was first deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 and went on to receive a Bronze Star Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, and several other awards and decorations.
“Sgt. 1st Class Goble was more than just a member of the 7th Special Forces Group, he was a brother to us, and a beloved family member to the Northwest Florida community,” Col. John W. Sannes, 7th SFG (A) commander, said. “We will honor our brother’s sacrifice and provide the best possible care to his family. We ask that you keep his family and teammates in your thoughts and prayers.”
Goble’s death is the 20th of U.S. service members stationed in Afghanistan, making 2019 the deadliest year for U.S. forces since 2015. The United States currently has about 13,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan.
The Afghanistan War is the longest running war in U.S. history.
