Community Corner

Bucks County Man, Special Forces Member, Killed in Afghanistan

Liam Nevins was one of three soldiers killed during an enemy attack on Sept. 21.

A 2000 Bristol Borough High School graduate is one of three National Guard soldiers killed in Afghanistan during an attack Sept. 21.

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Defense, Staff Sgt. Liam Nevins, 32, died from wound sustained when enemy combatants attacked his unit with small arms fire while conducting range training in Gardez, Paktia Province, Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Timothy McGill, 30, of Ramsey, N.J., and Spc. Joshua Strickland, 23, of Woodstock, Ga., were also killed.

“The Board of Bucks County Commissioners extends its deepest condolences to Staff Sgt. David Nevins, his family and friends," said Bucks County Commissioner Robert Loughery in a statement. "Our Office of Military and Veterans Affairs will work with them to ensure that he is honored for his service and sacrifice. We have lost yet another ‘Hometown Hero.'“

A member of the Colorado Army National Guard, Nevins was on his fourth deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is the 21st soldier from Bucks County killed during the Global War on Terror.

Prior to graduating from Bristol Borough High School in 2000, Nevins enlisted in the United States Army under the Delayed Entry Program. According to a release from the Colorado National Guard, it was always his dream to be an elite member of the Special Forces.

Upon entering active duty, Staff Sergeant Nevins was assigned to Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Fort Bragg, N.C. Shortly after being promoted to the rank of Sergeant, he deployed with Alpha Company in 2003 as a rifle team leader to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. 

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Subsequently, he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant as a Sniper/Reconnaissance Team Leader in Headquarters Company, then as a Weapons Squad Leader in Charlie Company. He completed two more deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan in 2004 and 2005.

Shortly after leaving active duty service, Staff Sergeant Nevins attended Metropolitan State College of Denver from August 2006 to May 2009, where he studied for a Bachelor’s of Science with a focus on Business Finance. 

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In May of 2009, he enlisted into the Colorado Army National Guard as a Special Forces Communications Sergeant. Staff Sgt. Nevins attended the Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, N.C. from January 2010 until his successful graduation in August of 2011. 

Then he was assigned to Operational Detachment Alpha in Bravo Company, 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group in Fort Carson, Colo.

Nevins was born in Vermont and spent most of his early life in New England before his family moved to Pennsylvania. He initially attended Owen J. Roberts in Pottstown before transferring to Bristol Borough High School.

He is survived by his mother Victoria Nevins, fiancée Julie Huynh, sisters Maeve Nevins and Raven Henin, brother-in-laws Karl Lavtar and Rafael Henin, nephews Lyric Nagy and Keegan Henin and Father William Nevins.


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