A 22-year-old soldier from Poway died during combat in Afghanistan, the Defense Department said on Saturday.
Sgt. Clinton Keith Ruiz died Thursday.
The Murrieta Valley High School graduate enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 2009 as a psychological operations specialist.
He was assigned to Alpha Company, 9th Military Information Support Battalion (Airborne), 4th Military Information Support Brigade, in Fort Bragg, N.C., in February 2012.
Sgt Ruiz deployed to Afghanistan in September 2012.
Ruiz attended the Psychological Operations Advanced Individual Training and Korean Language
School at Ft. Bragg, N.C., graduating in August 2010.
His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan
Campaign Medal (Campaign Star), Global War on Terrorism Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army
Service Ribbon, and the Parachutist Badge.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
Ruiz is survived by his spouse Kira Ortega and son Caleb.
