Army Pfc. Scott G. Barnett

Died January 28, 2010 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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24, of Concord, Calif.; assigned to the 412th Aviation Support Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Katterbach, Germany; died Jan. 28 in Tallil, Iraq, of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations.

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GI enlisted in Army last year

The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Military officials say a soldier from Concord has been killed in Iraq.

The Department of Defense says Army Pfc. Scott Barnett died Jan. 28 of injuries he suffered while supporting combat operations in Tallil, Iraq, a city about 160 miles southeast of Baghdad.

Barnett, 24, joined the Army in 2009. He was assigned to the 412th Aviation Support Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Katterbach, Germany.

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‘We had everything going’

The Associated Press

In high school, Scott Barnett fell in love with Nikki Gill, his future wife, went to Linkin Park concerts with her and participated in walks to raise cancer awareness.

Now Nikki Barnett, the 24-year-old soldier’s wife — who battled non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a teenager — says he was her “soul mate.”

“We loved each other so insanely much,” she said.

Scott Barnett of Concord, Calif., died Jan. 28 in Tallil, Iraq, of injuries sustained while supporting combat operations. He was based at Katterbach, Germany.

“He had his ups and downs, but he was proud to be fighting for his country,” Nikki Barnett said. “We always told each other it was temporary. ‘You’ll be home soon. You’ll be back.’ ”

Scott Barnett attended Olympic High School in Concord, where the two had a math class together. It was 2003. They started talking after he made her laugh.

“We just started talking, and we never stopped,” she said.

Five years later, Scott Barnett enlisted in the Army, saying it was what he wanted.

“We knew the risk. We didn’t take it as seriously as we should have,” she said. “We didn’t think it could happen to us. We were young, in love. We had everything going.”