Army Sgt. Jeffrey A. Reed

Died March 2, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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23, of Chesterfield, Va.; assigned to the 411th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas; died March 2 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle was struck by a grenade in Taji, Iraq.

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Sergeant remembered as motivated, ‘tenacious’ individual

Growing up, Sgt. Jeffrey A. Reed “was short for his size and rather chunky,” said his father, Mark Reed. As a teenager, Jeffrey resolved to do something about it. He lost 40 pounds through a combination of exercise and a strict diet.

That helped him on the soccer field, where he played for his high school team. His father recalled the end of a close game.

“Jeffrey just got the ball and dribbled through the whole team,” Mark Reed said.

Reed, 23, of Chesterfield, Va., died March 2 of wounds suffered when his vehicle was struck by a grenade in Taji. He was assigned to Fort Hood.

Reed joined the Army shortly after he graduated in 2004, following the example of his older brother, who left college to sign up with the Army after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

His father described his son as “tenacious,” someone who wouldn’t back down until he reached his goal.

In Iraq, he noticed Iraqi children playing soccer with paper bags and soda bottles when he first arrived in the country. He organized friends and family back home to collect soccer balls for the children.

He also is survived by his wife, Ashley.