Dustin Ross Donica

NAME: Dustin Ross Donica

PLACE OF BIRTH: Houston, Texas

DATE OF BIRTH: 11 Jul 1984

HOME OF RECORD: Spring, Texas

DATES OF SERVICE: 30 Dec 2003 to 28 Dec 2006

UNIT ASSIGNED: Company A, 3rd BN, 509th (ABN)

CAMPAIGNS: Operation Iraqi Freedom

AWARDS: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Medal, and Parachutist Badge

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

11 July 1984 - Corporal Dustin Ross Donica of Spring, Texas was born in Houston, Texas.

2002 - He graduated from Klein High School

He attended the University of Texas at Austin majoring in engineering

30 Dec 2003 - He joined the Army and was assigned to Alpha Company, 30th AG BN, ITB, Fort Benning, Georgia. Where he completed Basic Training and Basic Airborne School

00 May 2004 - CPL Donica was assigned to D Company, Special Troops Unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

00 Apr 2005 - CPL Donica arrived at Fort Richardson, Alaska where he was assigned to Able Company, 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry (Airborne)

00 Oct 2006 - He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is a graduate of Combatives Level 1.

CPL Donica is survived by his mother Judy, and father David, and sister Courtney.

Spc. Dustin R. Donica, 22, of Spring, Texas. Donica was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

28 Dec 2006 - Army Spc. Dustin R. Donica, assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division died in Baghdad of wounds received from small arms fire while conducting combat operations while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“He was an American Soldier, a warrior,” said Lt. Col. Val Keaveny, Donica’s battalion commander. “He was honorable, brave and noble. He was a patriot. He was a Paratrooper. He gave his life and service to our nation.” Keaveney described Donica as a Soldier who genuinely believed in a life of service to his nation and his fellow Soldiers. He said actions he performed the day he was killed were testament to the dedication he had to his brothers-in-arms. “He was improving his position and standing guard on his company’s recently occupied post,” he explained. “He spent that day improving the defensive capability of his company’s new camp and preparing for combat operations with his brothers in A Company. He lived, patrolled, fought with and was committed to his comrades.” “He never complained,” said Keavenly. “He could accomplish anything. He was known to have literally walked the sole off his foot on a 30-mile foot march and never mentioned it until the march was over.”

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