Department of Defense identifies the Special Forces soldier killed in Afghanistan

According to the Department of Defense, Staff Sgt. Mark R. De Alencar, 37, of Edgewood, Maryland was killed when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. Yesterday, U.S. Navy Captain Bill Salvin, spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, stated that Staff Sgt. Mark R. De Alencar was killed while fighting ISIS in Nagarhar Province, Afghanistan.

De Alencar was a weapons sergeant assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group.

The Edgewood, Maryland native, whose father is an Army veteran,  enlisted in 2009 and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2016, according to his bio.

His awards include the Purple Heart, five Army Commendation Medals, six Army Achievement Medals, the Iraq Campaign Medal with two stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Special Forces tab, the Ranger tab, the Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.” –Army Times

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Staff Sgt. Mark R. De Alencar leaves behind a wife of 15 years and five children.

Image courtesy of US Army