Devin's Story

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 Sergeant Devin Snyder, U.S. Army, was lost on June 4, 2011 by aa IED explosion in Laghman province, Afghanistan when insurgents attacked their unit  that also killed three of her fellow soldiers. She was the first female soldier from western New York to die in the war. She was assigned to the 793rd Military Police Battalion, 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Born on August 7, 1990 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Devin entered the United States Army on August 11, 2008 in Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. She was part of Company D, 787th Military Police Battalion as a Private (E-2) and graduated on January 15, 2009, receiving the certificate for exceptional achievement in obtaining a score of 297 on the Army Physical Fitness Test. She then was transferred and stationed in Fort Richardson, Anchorage, AK in February, 2009. Shortly after her arrival at Fort Richardson, she received the honor of Solider of the Month and attended four promotion boards, winning two, with the ranks of PFC and Specialist, as well as obtaining a 300 point score numerous times, which were the highest point total in her 164th MP Company, 793rd Military Police Battalion, in Fort Richardson. Devin was deployed to Afghanistan in 

March 2011.

 Sergeant Snyder’s personal decorations include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Army Commendation with “V” device, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Valorous Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal and the Combat Action Badge.