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Staff Sgt. Alexander Warren Conrad was killed in action in Somalia on June 8, 2018. Alex was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. He was 26. He is survived by his grandparents, Raymond and Justine Conrad and Richard and Mary Brown; parents, Roy Conrad and Diane Brown; his brother Jacob Conrad, sister Christie Palcisko and brother-in-law Jordan Palcisko as well as cousins, aunts, uncles and two nephews, Jack and Tommy. Alex was born on May 11, 1992 in Mesa, Arizona. He grew up in Chandler and graduated from Hamilton High School. Alex joined the Army in 2010 and served two prior deployments to Afghanistan before deploying to Africa in January 2018. Alex loved Buzz Lightyear, Pokemon, and Harry Potter. He was a kid at heard but showed maturity and leadership beyond his years. Alex's smart humor, sly smirk, and kind heart will be missed by all who knew him. He would want us to remember the words of his favorite philosopher, J.K. Rowling: "To have been loved to deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever."
To the parents of SSG Alexander Conrad. I did not personally know your son. I served in his command and followed the events of that day. That night we piled into a small bus and met Alex’s posthumous arrival in Djibouti. We saluted his flag draped coffin as it transferred on the airfield. There is not a Memorial Day that goes by that I forget that night, or the ultimate sacrifice Alex paid. It comes back to me often in fact. I just want you to know that I honor his sacrifice as I know many others do. Blessings to your family this Memorial Day. We do not forget.