US Army Specialist James Burnett Jr., age 21, was killed in action on 16th November 2011 in Kandahar when an insurgent bomb blast hit the patrol vehicle he was in.
Spc. Burnett, from Missouri, had joined the army at the age of 17 and was serving with an Alaska-based Infantry regiment. He deployed to Afghanistan in April 2011.
He had returned to the US in July for two weeks leave and became engaged to his girlfriend. On his return to Afghanistan he had spoken with his father and step-mother a few weeks ago and had told them: "I'm in a bad place. Pray for me."
Spc. Burnett leaves behind his father and stepmother, James and Cheri Burnett, his mother and stepfather, John and Rebecca Rogers, his grandparents, Neil and Sally Rogers, fiancee Amy Keeler and eight siblings.