Honoring Illinois' Fallen: US Army Special Operations Command - Sergeant Joshua P. Rodgers - Flags at Half-Staff

Honoring Illinois' Fallen

Governor Bruce Rauner is directing that all persons or entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act are to fly the flags at half-staff in honor of:

Sergeant Joshua P. Rodgers (Please read more below about SGT Rodgers)
United States Army
Hometown: Bloomington, Illinois

Please lower the United States flags and the State flags from:

Sunrise: Thursday, May 4, 2017 until
Sunset: Saturday, May 6, 2017

NOTE: If you cannot place your flag at half-staff because it is fixed to the staff, the appropriate action is to attach a black ribbon at the top of the staff. Please see the attached picture for an example. Questions on flag etiquette? Please ask Jac.Charlier@gmail.com

**More about SGT Rodgers from US Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office**

Sgt. Joshua P. Rodgers, 22, who was assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Sgt. Rodgers was killed while conducting combat operations in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan.

Rodgers was born on Aug. 22, 1994 in Normal, Illinois. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army from his hometown of Bloomington, Illinois, August 2013, and completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, as an infantryman. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 1, also at Fort Benning. Rodgers graduated from RASP 1 and was then assigned to Company C, 3rd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment where he served as a machine gunner, semi-automatic gunner, gun team leader and Ranger team leader.
This was Rodgers third deployment to Afghanistan.

His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 1, the U.S. Army Ranger Course and the Basic Leader Course.

His awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, the Parachutist Badge and the Marksmanship Qualification Badge Expert-Rifle.

Rodgers has also been awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, and the NATO Medal.