US Army Private 1st Class Neil Turner, from Tacoma, Washington, died in a training accident in Afghanistan this week.
His father, Leland Turner, posted on Facebook 12th January: "My son, Neil, was killed during a training exercise yesterday in Afghanistan. When I get all the findings, I will post them."
The announcement rippled through a community of east Tacoma families who watched Neil grow up. He was the oldest of four brothers, and neighbors saw him keeping an eye out for his siblings.