There is some terribly sad news out of Fort Bliss today - one the post's top leaders, Command Sergeant Major Martin R. Barreras, has died in San Antonio from wounds he received in Afghanistan earlier this month. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, and the troops on Fort Bliss.

Fort Bliss Commander Dies
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CSM Barreras, was from Tuscon, and was the highest ranking non-commissioned officer with the 2nd Battalion 5th Infantry Regiment 'Bobcats,' which is part of the Bulldog Brigade, 1st Armored Division. He was serving in Afghanistan when he was reportedly struck by a sniper on May 6th. He was taken to a military hospital in Germany, and then transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He passed away early Tuesday morning.

He is best known as the leader of the battalion that conducted a successful rescue of Jessica Lynch from an Iraqi hospital on April 1st 2003. It was the first successful rescue of a female POW in history.

CSM Barreras served in the Marine Corps for five years before joining the Army in 1988. He served in every position including squad leader, platoon sergeant, first sergeant, Regimental Reconnaissance Company sergeant major, and Joint Special Operation Task Force sergeant major. He deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan and had been awarded a Bronze Star with Valor, three Bronze Star Medals, a Purple Heart, and numerous other citations.

CSM Barreras is survived by his parents, one brother, his wife Melinda, their children Victoria and Calvin, and a grandson Noah Barreras. Please pray for all who knew CSM Barreras. He was a hero to our Country. May he rest in peace.

 

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