Army Spc. Albert R. Jex

Died February 9, 2009 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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23, of Phoenix, Ariz.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Feb. 9 in Mosul, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed was Lt. Col. Garnet R. Derby, Sgt. Joshua A. Ward and Pfc. Jonathan R. Roberge.

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Respected soldier ‘was there for everybody’

The Associated Press

Daniel Aureli, the brother of Albert R. Jex’s mother, Cathleen MacFarlane, recalled a man skillful with a hammer and wrench.

“When it seemed like things weren’t going to get fixed, Albert always said, ‘Putty and paint makes it what it ain’t,’” Aureli recalled.

Jex, 23, of Phoenix, was killed Feb. 9 when a suicide car bomber blew up his vehicle at a police checkpoint in Mosul. He was assigned to Fort Hood

“Specialist Jex was a tremendous soldier. Only the best of the best serve on teams like the Personal Security Team, and that was Albert: all-American, the best of the best,” Brig. Gen. Thomas Cole said.

He was named after his great-uncle Albert Jex, who was killed while in the service of his country, and then was nicknamed “Albie” after a video game puppet.

Jex would make a joke in the most tense moments and make everyone around him feel more at ease. “He was a sweetheart,” said classmate Cassandra Trautwein. “He was there for everybody. He really was. It didn’t matter who you were, what your social, political goal was, he was there for you. He accepted everybody.”

He also is survived by his wife, Monica.