Honor your hero with thoughts, memories, images and stories.
Staff Sergeant Rusty Hunter Christian, 24, of Greenville, Tennessee, died when an improvised explosive device exploded during a patrol Jan. 28, 2010 in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
His military education also includes the U.S. Army Airborne School, Advanced Leaders Course, Warrior Leaders Course, Combat Life Savers Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, Defense Language Institute Indonesian Course and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
Christian's awards and decorations include two Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2 device, Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Valorous Unit Award and the Meritorious Unit Citation, Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge and the Special Forces tab.
He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one campaign star and the Meritorious Service Medal. (arlingtoncemetery.net)
Our hero, son, husband, father, brother, nephew, cousin and friend. Your smile was so contagious and you were a true lover of life. We love and miss you deeply.