Army Sgt. Aaron J. Blasjo, 25, of Riverside, Calif., and his Military Working Dog, Hunter, assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.; both died May 29 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device while on patrol in a Humvee. There were also two other Green Berets in the vehicle that were killed along with Sgt. Blasjo, Captain Joseph Schultz,36, of Port Angeles, Washington and Sgt. Martin R. Apolinar, 28, of Glendale, Arizona . Sgt. Blasjo entered the Army in July 2004 and was selected for the elite Green Berets after extensive testing and training in 2006 . After completing basic training and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga., Blasjo was assigned to 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) where he completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in December 2006 as a Special Forces communications sergeant. Upon completion of SFQC, he was assigned to Group Support Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C. Blasjo had deployed three times to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His military education includes: Basic Infantry Course, Warrior Leader’s Course, Advance Leader’s Course, Basic Airborne Course, Advanced Pistol Marksmanship, SOC AM General Driving Course, Special Forces Qualification’s Course, Special Forces Communication Sergeant’s Course, and Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape Course. Blasjo’s military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart; Army Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal; Special Forces Tab; Combat Infantryman Badge; Parachutists Badge. He was laid to rest in North Carolina at Riverside National Cemetery. He is survived by wife Crystal, and son Talon, eight weeks old. On May 1, 2011, Aaron Blasjo left for a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan when his son Talon was only 5 weeks old.
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