Army Staff Sgt. Brock A. Beery

Died March 23, 2006 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

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30, of White House, Tenn.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor Regiment, Kentucky Army National Guard, Bowling Green, Ky.; killed March 23 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his LMTV followed by enemy small arms fire during combat operations in Habbaniyah, Iraq.

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Ky. guardsman: ‘Brightest and best’

By Jeffrey McMurray

Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Kentucky National Guard soldier has died in Iraq, guard officials announced Friday.

Staff Sgt. Brock A. Beery, 30, of White House, Tenn., was killed on Thursday when his armored vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device near Habbaniyah, about 80 miles west of Baghdad.

Beery was driving a fully armored light medium tactical vehicle when the explosion occurred. Two other soldiers were injured in the attack, which happened in one of the most dangerous areas of the war-torn country.

“We’re dealing with an enemy that changes tactics too,” said Maj. Gen. Donald C. Storm, Kentucky adjutant general. “Sometimes these explosions are so powerful, there’s no way to protect yourself.”

Beery was a member of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor, based in Bowling Green. He is survived by his wife, Sara, and a 7-year-old daughter.

“Brock was a loving husband, and a very devoted dad. He enjoyed his family, off road four wheeling adventures, collecting guns and hunting,” Sara Beery said in a statement. “Brock was devoted in the business of taking care of his soldiers and meeting their needs.”

A native of Warsaw, Ind., he was a full-time soldier with the Kentucky Army Guard and on his third tour of overseas military duty. He previously toured in Egypt with the Indiana National Guard and Bosnia with the Kentucky Guard.

“He was one of our brightest and best,” Storm said. “He was a fine soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice for his nation.”

He will be posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher ordered flags at state office buildings to be lowered to half-staff until sunset on the day of Beery’s funeral, which was pending arrangements.

“Staff Sgt. Beery bravely choose to serve his country with the Kentucky National Guard, and we honor him for that service,” Fletcher said in a statement. “His courage and bravery will always be remembered.”

Beery is the ninth Kentucky National Guardsman to die in the Iraq war since it began three years ago. Staff Sgt. William A. Allers III, who died in October, was the last member of the Kentucky National Guard killed in the war.

There are about 550 Kentucky National Guardsmen in or on their way to Iraq, said Col. Phil Miller of the National Guard.

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Ky. guardsman killed on voluntary Iraq tour

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — A Kentucky National Guard soldier originally from Indiana who was killed in Iraq last week will be buried in Bowling Green later this week.

Staff Sgt. Brock A. Beery, of White House, Tenn., was killed Thursday when his armored vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device near Habbaniyah, about 80 miles west of Baghdad.

Beery, 30, a native of Warsaw, Ind., will be buried with full military honors at Fairview Cemetery in a section for veterans. A funeral service will be held Friday at J.C. Kirby and Son funeral home at 10 a.m. CST. Visitation will be at the home on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Beery was a member of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor, based in Bowling Green. He is survived by his wife, Sara, and a 7-year-old daughter.

His wife said in a statement issued when his death was announced last week that Beery became dedicated to the military at an early age and enjoyed his family, off road four-wheeling adventures, collecting guns and hunting.

The voluntary assignment to Iraq was Berry’s third deployment, after one to the Sinai and another to Bosnia, friend and colleague Sgt. 1st Class Douglas Pollard said.

Beery worked as a petroleum supervisor, overseeing distribution of bulk fuel oils, and also as a mortar direction chief, he said.

“He was a real intelligent guy, articulate, a sharp soldier,” Pollard said.

He previously toured in Egypt with the Indiana National Guard and Bosnia with the Kentucky Guard.

— Associated Press