Army Master Sgt. Jared N. Van Aalst

Died August 4, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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34, of Laconia, N.H.; assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Aug. 4 at Kunduz province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained while his unit was conducting combat operations.

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Army master sgt. remembered for his determination

The Associated Press

Jared Van Aalst’s high school wrestling coach said he wasn’t an instant wrestling success at Plymouth Regional High School in his hometown of Laconia, N.H.

“Basically, he spent three years with the J.V. team. Not too many guys stay with it for that long,” said Cam Sinclair.

But, as a senior in 1993, he became the co-captain of the Plymouth Bobcats wrestling team and, according to Sinclair, was one of the top wrestlers in his class in the state.

Van Aalst, 34, had a similarly determined career in the Army. He attended Ranger and sniper school. He served as a team leader, squad leader, instructor and shooter in the Army Marksmanship Unit.

He was deployed to Afghanistan for the first time in 2003 and then to Iraq. After his promotion to platoon sergeant, he was deployed twice to Iraq in 2005 and to Afghanistan in 2006. He was on his sixth deployment from Fort Bragg when he died Aug. 4 in the Kunduz province, Afghanistan, from wounds sustained during combat operations.

He leaves behind his wife, Katie Van Aalst, and daughters, Kaylie and Ava.