#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Christopher Goeke

Veteran of the Day graphic created by Alexandra Craig for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Christopher Goeke. Chris served during the War on Terror.

In 2008 after graduating sixth in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point, Chris was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army. After completing his training, Chris was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

In 2010, Chris was serving with the 1st Battalion on a combat deployment in Afghanistan. There he and his fellow soldiers were stationed at a forward operating base, where they engaged in frequent firefights with insurgent forces.

On July 13, 2010, Chris and his unit responded to an attack on an Afghan National Army facility near Kandahar City, Afghanistan. During the course of the engagement, Chris and his fellow soldiers came under heavy rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. Chris ultimately passed from wounds sustained during the engagement.
Chris is interred at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For actions during his service, Chris was presented the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He is remembered as a caring individual, a servant leader and an exceptional soldier.

We honor his service.

Memorial Day Awareness

This month, the VA’s National Cemetery Administration is partnering with Carry the Load, a nonprofit organization that connects Americans to the sacrifices made daily by the U.S. military, Veterans, first responders and their families to commemorate the “Memorial May” awareness campaign. The VA will share the stories of service members and Veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice in “Veteran of the Day” posts leading up to Memorial Day 2019.

Contributors

Editor: Geoffrey Townsley

Fact checker: Jordan Gossett

Graphic design: Alexandra Craig