U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
On the Web:
http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=14544
Media contact: +1 (703) 697-5131/697-5132
Public contact:
http://www.defense.gov/landing/comment.aspx
or +1 (703) 571-3343

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 478-11
June 07, 2011

DOD Identifies Army Casualties

            The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

            They died of wounds suffered June 4, in Laghman province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 793rd Military Police Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska

            Killed were:

            Sgt. Christopher R. Bell, 21, of Golden, Miss.;

            Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, 28, of Quitman, Texas;

            Spc. Devin A. Snyder, 20, of Cohocton, N.Y.; and

            Spc. Robert L. Voakes Jr., 21, of L’Anse, Mich.

            For more information, the media may contact the U.S. Army Alaska public affairs office at 907-384-2072 or 907-384-1542.

            UPDATE:  June 9, 2011 – Pfc. Robert L. Voakes Jr. was posthumously promoted to specialist.