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Flags to fly at half-staff to honor Kansas soldier killed in Afghanistan

By Staff Report - | Oct 7, 2010

? Gov. Mark Parkinson has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from sunup to sundown on Friday, Oct. 8, throughout Kansas in honor of Sgt. Justin Officer of Wichita.

“Sergeant Officer deserves the utmost respect and appreciation for his ultimate sacrifice and commitment to our country,” said Parkinson. “On behalf of all Kansans, our thoughts and prayers go out to Sgt. Officer’s family and loved ones.”

Officer, 26, died Sept. 29 from injuries sustained during an improvised explosive device attack while serving in Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

Survivors include his mother and father.

Officer is the 16th Kansan to die in the line of duty in Afghanistan, according to the website icasualties.org.

Since 2007, national policy has allowed the flags of the United States and the state of Kansas to be displayed at half-staff throughout the state when a member of the Kansas National Guard or Kansas Air National Guard is killed in the line of duty, or when a Kansas resident serving as a member of the United States armed forces is killed in the line of duty. In each instance, the governor will designate the date for flags to fly at half-staff.