Fort Bragg Soldiers Killed in Green on Blue Attacks in Afghanistan

According to the Department of Defense two Fort Bragg soldiers died on Thursday.

U.S. Army Sgt. Clinton Keith Ruiz, 22, of Murrieta was killed by small arms fire when his unit was attacked in Khas Uruzgan, Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C., with the 9th Military Information Support Battalion (Airborne), 8th Military Information Support Group (Airborne).

The attacks that took their lives were a Green on Blue attack according to a family member. The attack also killed Staff Sgt. Kashif M. Memon, 31, of Houston. He was also stationed at Fort Bragg.

Ruiz graduated from Murrieta Valley High School in 2008 and enlisted in the Army in May 2009 as a psychological operations Specialist.

He completed basic training Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. in August 2009 and the Basic Airborne School at Ft. Benning, Ga. in October 2009. Ruiz later attended the Psychological Operations Advanced Individual Training and Korean Language School St Ft. Bragg, where he graduated August 2010.

The Alpha Company where Ruiz was assigned was deployed to Afghanistan in September of this year.

During his tour of service, Ruiz was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghan Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Parachutist Badge.

Ruiz is set to be returned home from Dover Air Force Base, according to the Department of Defense.

He is survived by his wife Kira Ortega and his 14-month-old son Caleb.

Memon was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom after enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2007.

Prior to that, Memon was with the Marine Corps. Memon is survived by his wife and two children. The couple is expecting their third child.