NM soldier killed in Afghanistan

Posted at: 08/20/2009 4:23 PM | Updated at: 08/21/2009 7:32 AM
By: Austin Reed, Eyewitness News 4; Charlie Pabst, KOB.com

The Navajo Nation is mourning after one of its young men is killed by a bomb in Afghanistan.

Family members say Troy Tom wanted to be a soldier since he was just a little boy, so they were prepared, but coming to terms with the fact that he's no longer here is not easy.

Tom's cousin, Valora Tom, said Thursday, "He meant so much. Just by him enlisting in the Army showed how much potential he had, and how much dedication he had and how, overall, he was just a beautiful person."

Troy graduated from Aztec High School in 2006 and joined the Army right after getting his diploma.

The Beclabito native had been serving in Afghanistan for the last year.

Late Monday night, he and four other American soldiers were killed in a bombing.

Flags across the Navajo Nation will be flown at half-staff in Troy's honor.

His funeral will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. inside the Farmington Civic Center.

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