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IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 843-11
September 30, 2011

DOD Identifies Marine Casualties

                 The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. 

                Staff Sgt. Nicholas A. Sprovtsoff, 28, of Davison, Mich., and Sgt. Christopher Diaz, 27, of Albuquerque, N.M., died Sept. 28 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  

                Sprovtsoff was assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Pendleton, Calif.  For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command public affairs office at 910-440-0770. 

                Diaz was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.  For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the MCAGCC Twentynine Palms public affairs office at 760-830-6213.