Army Specialist Armer N. Burkart December 10, 1979 - May 11, 2006 Army SPC Armer Burkart, 26, died of injuries sustained in Baghdad, Iraq on May 11th, 2006 when an improvised explosive device blew up near his vehicle. SPC Burkart was a gunner riding in a turret of a high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) which was on combat patrol when it was attacked in Baghdad. He was serving as a cavalry scout assigned to B Troop, 1st Squadron, 71 Cavalry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, New York. He served in Afghanistan from August 2003 to April 2004 and Iraq and earned multiple awards and medals, including the Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. SPC Armer Burkart was a 1997 graduate of Colonel Zadok Magruder High School in Rockville, Maryland. Burkart joined the Army JROTC program in his sophomore year; his enthusiasm for the program convinced him that he wanted to be in the Army since joining the program. He was appointed assistant squad leader six months after joining JROTC. Armer held every leadership position from assistant squad leader, squad leader, platoon sergeant, platoon leader and company commander which he held in his senior year. He attended JROTC summer camp “Camp Vigilance” in the summer of 1995 and 1996 conducted at Fort Indian Town Gap, Pennsylvania. While in high school he divided his time between JROTC and the school’s marching band, he played the saxophone. Burkart excelled in military leadership, earning him a four year Army scholarship to Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Burkart enlisted in the US Army in July 2000. According to Armer’s father Mr. John Burkart, “Regardless of the sacrifices, Armer loved the Army and was willing to give up everything, including his college scholarship, to be in the Army. Armer was respected by his military instructors in high school and the senior program in college. Armer, you will be missed – We Salute You.