The wife of a Fort Bragg soldier who was killed in Baghdad said her husband had planned to start a family once he was done serving his country.
Staff Sgt. Justin Bauer, 24, of Berthoud, Colo., was killed by an explosion near his patrol Saturday, the Defense Department said.
Bauer was a section sergeant with the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
“He was a model husband, loving and compassionate, and a son who never gave his family any problems when he was growing up,” said his wife, Kari Bauer, in a statement issued by her and Bauer’s parents.
Bauer joined the Army in October 2004. He completed Infantry One Station Unit Training and the Basic Airborne Course in March 2005 at Fort Benning, Ga., the military said.
He reported to the 82nd Airborne Division in August 2005 and was assigned as an assistant gunner.
“Staff Sgt. Bauer was an exceptional leader, twice tested in combat deployments with the battalion over the last two years,” said Lt. Col. Louis Zeisman, commander of the battalion.
“While this loss will be long and deeply felt by all of us, his legacy will remain; measured by the high caliber of the soldiers he led and the tremendous respect he had earned from his peers and superiors alike,” Zeisman said in a statement.
A 2002 graduate of Berthoud High School north of Denver, Bauer planned to move back to Colorado to be with his family when he got out of the Army, his family said.
Bauer was a standout lineman while playing for the school’s football team and also wrestled.
Kari Bauer said her husband wanted to start a family and rejoin the local fire department.
She said her husband would be remembered for his humor, among other qualities.
“He always made people laugh and kept us all entertained,” she said. “Everyone enjoyed being around him.”
In addition to his wife and parents, Gregory Bauer, of LaSalle, Colo., and Connie Haddock, of Loveland, Colo., Bauer is survived by two younger brothers.
His unit will hold a memorial service in Iraq on Friday. A funeral will be held in Colorado at a later date.
“Words cannot express how proud we are of him and he will always be our hero,” Bauer’s family said. “He will always be with us in our hearts and minds and will never be forgotten.”
Bauer’s father, Greg, told the Greeley, Colo., Tribune that his son was due to leave the military in May. He said his son flew to Iraq just before Thanksgiving.
Greg Bauer told the paper that his son’s grandfather also died while serving as a member of the 82nd Airborne.
“I couldn’t be a more fortunate father,” he told the paper. “He was such a good son and a good mentor to his two younger brothers.”
Bauer’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.