SSG David T. Brabander

Distinguished Member of the Regiment

NAME: David T. Brabander

PLACE OF BIRTH:

DATE OF BIRTH: 24 Oct 1993

DATES OF SERVICE: 00 Mar 2012 - 11 Dec 2017

UNIT ASSIGNED: 3-509th Infantry

CAMPAIGNS: Operation Freedom Sentinel

AWARDS: Purple Heart Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

SSG David Brabander enlisted into the United States Army in March 2012, attending One Station Unit Training at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Upon graduating he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; where he served as an assistant machine gunner, scout, rifleman, and grenadier. In 2015, Staff Sergeant Brabander graduated from the United States Airborne School, and was assigned in November 2015 to 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry (Airborne) at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. While assigned to 3-509th IN (ABN), SSG Brabander served as a team leader, and squad leader. He deployed in September 2017 in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in support of the Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan. SSG David Brabander made the ultimate sacrifice on 11 Dec 2017 and was killed during combat operations in Nangahar Afghanistan.

Brabander was deployed as part of Operation Freedom's Sentinel, which has a dual mission of counterterrorism and training and aiding Afghan security forces. He was an airborne infantryman in the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.

"He really believed in the cause that he was fighting for," Hunnings said. "He told me upon arriving at his destination that it was tragic to see the reality of what these people had been through and that he really believed he could help them."

He switched schools a few times in high school — went to Highland Academy charter school in Anchorage for most of his sophomore year, his sister said, and he attended other schools too. His senior year he enrolled at East High but ultimately dropped out, according to the Anchorage School District.

In March 2012, he enlisted in the Army in Anchorage. He soon was stationed in Hawaii.

In November 2015, Brabander was assigned to U.S. Army Alaska.