Maj. Andrew David Byers was killed in action, Nov. 3, 2016, in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan from small arms fire.
Byers was born, September 2, 1986, in New York. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and was selected as a General Wayne Downing scholar.
After commissioning as an infantry officer, he served with the 1st Battalion, 138th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, where he completed a combat rotation to Iraq as a rifle platoon leader during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Byers joined the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in the summer of 2014 and served as the executive officer for Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th SFG (A), where he supported a successful company deployment for training to the Joint Readiness Training Center.
After serving as the executive officer for four months, Byers was assigned as the detachment commander in October of 2014. During his tenure as the detachment commander, he led the detachment on a deployment to Chad, Africa. He then deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel in June 2016. In Afghanistan, Byers trained, advised, and assisted the Afghan Ktah Khas (KKA) unit. Byers conducted seven Afghan-led, 13 enabled, and five partnered operations with the KKA.
Byers’ military education includes: Modern Army Combatives – Level 1 Certification, Infantry Basic Officers Leader Course, Airborne School, Ranger School, Maneuver Captains Career Course, Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape School, Special Forces Qualification Course, Detachment Leaders Course, Military Freefall School, and Static Line Jumpmaster Course.
Byers’ awards and decorations include: Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with one Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Military Free-Fall Parachutist Badge, and Parachutist Badge.
He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart.
