Families and soldiers at Fort Bliss are mourning the loss of three soldiers with the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

The Department of Defense announced Staff Sgt. Eric D. Cottrell., 39, of Pittsview, Ala, Pfc. Juan M. Lopez Jr., 23, of San Antonio, TX, and Pfc. Paulomarko U. Pacificador., of Shirley, N.Y., died Monday in Qayyarah, Iraq, of wounds they suffered when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.

This brings a total of 23 casualties under the 4th brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

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