Army Cpl. Christopher J. West

Died February 4, 2008 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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26, of Arlington, Texas; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 4 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained on Feb. 3 in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat operations.

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Fallen soldier had ‘found his calling’

The Associated Press

Army Spc. Christopher J. West was smart and funny, “the life of the party,” said his sister, Lauren West. “He loved hard, he played hard, he fought hard. He loved his country. He was so proud to be an American.”

West, 26, of Arlington, Texas, died Feb. 4 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered from an explosive in Muqdadiyah. He graduated with honors in 2004 from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C.

West was a combat medic who “brought an upbeat attitude to the platoon that spread to everyone he met,” said 1st Lt. Rich Demarais, West’s platoon leader. “He was loved by his brothers in the platoon.”

West was fourth-generation Army, his family said. His father, John West, served in Vietnam as a Ranger and Green Beret.

Christopher West was 4 years old when he made the decision to join the Army, his sister said.

“He died doing what he loved,” his sister said. “It was the only thing in his life that he felt was challenging him, and he loved it. He felt like he had found his calling.”

He also is survived by his mother, Hattie.