IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 1040-08
December 26, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Dec. 24 in Baghdad, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. The soldiers were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Christopher G. Smith, 28, of Grand Rapids, Mich.

Spc. Stephen M. Okray, 21, of St. Clair Shores, Mich.

Spc. Stephen G. Zapasnik, 19, of Broken Arrow, Okla.

The incident is under investigation.

For more information media may contact the Fort Carson public affairs office at (719) 526-4143; after hours (719) 526-5500.