"PK"

Named in Captain Andrew Michael Pedersen-Keel

US Army 06/08/84 – 03/11/2013

Andrew spent his childhood in Connecticut.  In May 2006 he earned a BS in American Legal Studies from the United States Military Academy and was commissioned as an Infantry 2^nd Lieutenant Officer.  After graduation from Ranger School in March 2008, Andrew deployed to Afghanistan where he served as a second platoon leader with 3^rd Platoon, B Company. In Afghanistan, he led his platoon in over 150 combat foot patrols and three air assault operations in the Kandahar Province.

“PK” as Andrew was known, earned his Special Forces tab in June 2012 and he was assigned to the 1^st Battalion, 3^rd Special Forces Group.  As team leader of ODA 3126, Andrew was concluding a patrol briefing on March 11, 2013 when he was gunned down by enemy fire.

Posthumously, Andrew received a third Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and a Purple Heart.  He loved to spend his free time with friends, traveling and fixing up his new home in NC.