Army Master Sgt. Jared N. Van Aalst
Death: Aug 04, 2010
of Laconia N.H.; assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Fort Bragg N.C.; Died July 29 at Kunduz province Afghanistan of wounds sustained while his unit was conducting combat operations. Army master sgt. remembered for his determination The Associated Press Jared Van Aalst’s high school wrestling coach said he wasn’t an instant wrestling success at Plymouth Regional High School in his hometown of Laconia N.H. “Basically he spent three years with the J.V. team. Not too many guys stay with it for that long” said Cam Sinclair. But as a senior in 1993 he became the co-captain of the Plymouth Bobcats wrestling team and according to Sinclair was one of the top wrestlers in his class in the state. Van Aalst34 had a similarly determined career in the Army. He attended Ranger and sniper school. He served as a team leader squad leader instructor and shooter in the Army Marksmanship Unit. He was deployed to Afghanistan for the first time in 2003 and then to Iraq. After his promotion to platoon sergeant he was deployed twice to Iraq in 2005 and to Afghanistan in 2006. He was on his sixth deployment from Fort Bragg when he Died Aug. 4 in the Kunduz province Afghanistan from wounds sustained during combat operations. He leaves behind his wife Katie Van Aalst and daughters Kaylie and Ava. Operation Enduring Freedom