Army Sgt. Federico G. Borjas

Died October 16, 2008 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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33, of San Diego; assigned to 416th Civil Affairs Battalion, 351st Civil Affairs Command, U.S. Army Reserve, San Diego; died Oct. 16 in Bermel District Center, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from small-arms fire during a dismounted patrol.

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Army Sgt. Federico G. Borjas remembered

The Associated Press

Federico G. Borjas was someone who lived with a single-minded determination to give of himself at every level, whether for family, community or country.

“He was very driven to be a protector,” San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne said. “He told me personally that he wanted to make sure everyone had the same chances that he’d had, and that you had to fight to make that happen.”

Borjas, 33, of San Diego, Calif., died Oct. 16 in Bermel District Center, Afghanistan, of wounds from small-arms fire. He was assigned to San Diego.

Borjas joined the Marines at 18, then joined the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and later was a corrections deputy in Otay Mesa. Then he joined the San Diego Police Department, eventually joining the SWAT team and color guard. He most recently served as a patrol officer in the department’s central division.

“He touched everyone he worked with and worked around. He was the sort of guy who really left an impression on people,” San Diego police Capt. Chris Ball said. “We all respected him for who he was as a person and as a man.”

Borjas leaves behind a daughter, Yvette.