Army Spc. Christopher A. Landis

Died February 10, 2014 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

27, of Independence, Ky.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.; died Feb. 10 in Bagram, Afghanistan, from wounds caused by a rocket-propelled grenade in Kapisa province, Afghanistan.

Independence soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Cincinnati Enquirer

An Independence solider died Feb. 10 while on duty in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense said Spc. Christopher A. Landis, 27, died Feb. 10, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, from wounds received when the enemy attacked his patrol with a rocket-propelled grenade in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan.

He is the second Army solider from Northern Kentucky who has died in Afghanistan in less than a month.

Landis was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and deployed to Afghanistan in the fall.

"He gave his life to protect us and our freedom," said Independence Mayor Donna Yeager. "We mourn for him and his family."

Kenton Judge-executive Steve Arlinghaus directed that flags at all county office buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor Landis.

Landis enlisted as a cryptologic linguist in the Army in March 2011. He completed initial entry training at Fort Jackson, S.C., followed by Arabic language training at the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey, Calif., and then advanced individual training for Cryptologic Linguist at Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas. He had already received a Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star among others.

He is survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister. His family declined any interviews.

Fort Wright native Daniel Tyler Lee, 28, died Jan. 15, in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, according to the defense department. He was shot in the chest while on a mission, his family said. He was also assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.