SSG Christopher Michael Ward, age 24, died Saturday, April 6, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Chris was the son of Joyce Marie Scott Ward and Michael Howard Ward, who both survived him. He was born April 20, 1988, in Arcadia, Fla., and attended Desoto High School until his sophomore year, when he first became involved with ROTC.

He moved to Oak Ridge with his mother and attended Oak Ridge High during his junior year and enlisted in the Army at age 17. He embraced the military life with enthusiasm. Even as a fresh recruit, he was viewed as a leader. Chris was proud to be an American and proud of his country. He often said he worked for the people of the United States, and his service overseas was for the freedom of the American people.

Chris was very athletic and enjoyed all types of sports, including baseball, football, track, and weight lifting. He also enjoyed playing the video game World of Warfare. [Read more…]