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Stafford airman killed in Afghanistan Date published: 5/31/2009
BY RUSTY DENNEN AND CATHY JETTAir Force Lt. Col. Mark E. Stratton II, who lived in Austin Ridge in Stafford County, was killed in Afghanistan May 26, according to the Department of Defense. Stratton, 39, and a colleague, Senior Airman Ashton L.M. Goodman, 21, of Indianapolis, died near Bagram Airfield of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. Stratton was commander of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team. He was assigned to the Joint Staff at the Pentagon as an executive assistant for the deputy director for politico-military affairs, Asia. A senior navigator for the RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft, Stratton had served on the staff at Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. Stratton was raised in Foley, Ala., and graduated from Foley High School. He received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1992 following his graduation from Texas A&M University in 1991. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children, Delaney, Jake and A.J. Stratton. Stratton's father-in-law, contacted yesterday at the home, said the family did not want to talk to the media. Buddy York, Stratton's stepfather, told WKRG-TV in Mobile, Ala., "The three things that were more important to him were God, his family and the military." Other survivors include his mother, Janice York of Foley, Ala.; his stepmother, Debby Young of Houston; three brothers, Michael and Steven Stratton, both of Houston, and Frank Little of Foley; and his grandparents Frances Harrell, Gene and Dolly Little, and Buzz and Ellen Goins. A funeral will be held at 3 p.m. June 7 at Mount Ararat Baptist Church in Stafford. Burial will be at 11 a.m. June 9 in Arlington National Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Covenant Funeral Service, Stafford Chapel. The family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to Stafford Baptist Church, 2202 Jefferson Davis Highway, Fredericksburg, Va. 22554, or United Service Organizations, uso.org.
Godspeed Col. Stratton. Our prayers are wtih your family as they go through this difficult time.
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