Kentucky-based soldier from New York killed in eastern Afghanistan

June 11th, 2010 - 4:36 am ICT by BNO News  

FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY (BNO NEWS) — A Kentucky-based soldier from New York was killed in an accident on Tuesday, the U.S. Army confirmed on Thursday.

Sergeant Erick J. Klusacek, 22, of Calcium, New York was killed in a vehicle accident in Gerdai Serai, a district in eastern Afghanistan’s Paktia Province. Klusacek was a cavalry scout assigned Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Klusacek joined the Army in May 2007 and arrived at Fort Campbell in October 2007. He received numerous awards and decorations, including the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medial, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and others.

Klusacek is survived by his wife Amber L. Klusacek and daughter; Makella L. Klusacek of Watertown, New York. He is also survived by his parents Shelia D. Kusacek and Ronald E. Klusacek of Evans Mills, New York.

He was the 238th coalition service member to have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year. Most of them, 150, were from the United States and died in hostile incidents in southern Afghanistan.

Also on Thursday, an unidentified NATO soldier was killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in southern Afghanistan, raising the total coalition death toll to 244 so far this year.

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