Army Green Beret from Wash. killed in Afghanistan

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) – The Army says a Green Beret from Joint Base Lewis-McChord died from injuries sustained in an explosion while serving in Afghanistan on his fourth combat deployment.

The News Tribune reports 36-year-old Staff Sgt. Reymund Rarogal Transfiguracion was on patrol in Helmand province when he was wounded by an improvised explosive device last Tuesday.

Special Forces spokeswoman Beth Riordan wrote in a news release that Transfiguracion died Sunday in a civilian hospital in Germany.

Transfiguracion was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at JBLM.

The soldier was born in Sarrat Ilocos Norte, Philippines, in 1982, and moved to Hawaii in 2001.

Transfiguracion was posthumously promoted to sergeant first class and awarded a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal.

An investigation into Transfiguracion’s death is ongoing.

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Information from: The News Tribune, http://www.thenewstribune.com