Staff Sgt. Raphael A. Futrell, 26, of Anderson, South Carolina died in Bagdad, Iraq on 3/25/09. Futrell was a explosive-detector dog handler for his MP unit, which deployed in November to Iraq from Fort Shafter, Hawaii. He was a dual canine operator – bomb-sniffing dogs and attack dogs. He died of injuries received in a noncombat-related incident, which is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Defense. Futrell was assigned to the 13th Military Police Detachment, 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, Fort Shafter. Raphael enlisted on July 17, 2001, right after graduating from high school. Futrell was stationed in Hawaii twice. The first time was in 2001 at Schofield Barracks. He was deployed to Afghanistan in April 2004 for a year, returned to Fort Belvoir, Va., and came back to Hawaii last November. His Awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, six Army Achievement Medals, two Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/Campaign Star, Iraq Campaign Medal w/Campaign Star, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon w/numeral 2, Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, Air Assault Badge and Driver Badge. On April,4, 2009 Sgt. Futrell’s funeral service was held at the Civic Center in Anderson, South Carolina where approximately two hundred people attended his service. He was given full military honors at his burial at New Holly Light Missionary Baptist Church cemetery in Pendleton. Sgt. Futrell is survived by his 3-year-old son, Chance Jerome Futrell, with his former wife Angela, and K9 Jofa.
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