Joshua T. Brazee
Specialist, United States Army
September 3, 1979 – May 23, 2005
Age – 25
Sand Creek, MI
Operation Iraqi Freedom
1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, CO
Died from non-combat related injuries in Qaim, Iraq
Specialist Brazee was a 1998 graduate of Sand Creek High School. Brazee was a good student and played football in high school. After graduating, Brazee joined the Navy as a way to go to college. He was looking for education to further him in life, and the Navy offered the best program. He was in the Navy for four years and tried to find a job in his hometown, to no avail. While in the Navy, Joshua served in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan aboard the USS John F. Kennedy.
His father said at that point his son decided to re-enlist, this time in the Army. He planned to go to college and study computers and engineering after he finished his tour in Iraq. “That was something he was training to do through the Army,” his father said. “He could make the computers talk, squeak, sing and dance.”
He joined the Army after his first military commitment expired because he wanted to further his education and technical training. He died from non-combat related injuries.
While serving, Joshua was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, the First Good Conduct Medal for period ending June 22, 2001, and the National Defense Ribbon. He was also awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star Posthumously.