The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Aaron J. Ward, 19, of San Jacinto, Calif., died May 6 in Al Anbar, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came under small arms fire while conducting cordon and search operations. He was assigned to the 170th Military Police Company, 504th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.

For more information media may contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at (253) 967-0147; after hours (253) 278-5491.