Georgia soldier killed in Iraq

An Army paratrooper from Georgia was killed in Iraq on Saturday.

1st Lt. Weston C. Lee, 25, of Bluffton, died while conducting advise and assist support in Mosul, Iraq, according to a U.S. Department of Defense release. Bluffton is about 45 miles west of Albany.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Fox 8 in High Point, North Carolina, reported that Lee was killed by an improvised explosive device that detonated while he was on patrol.

“1st Lieutenant Wes Lee was an extraordinary young man and officer. He was exactly the type of leader that our paratroopers deserve,” Col. Pat Work, commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, told Fox 8 in a prepared statement. “Our sincere condolences and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”

Fox 8 reported that Lee joined the Army in March, 2015 and deployed to Iraq in December, 2016. He had been the recipient of a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and a Meritorious Service Medal.

This story was originally published April 30, 2017 at 7:55 PM with the headline "Georgia soldier killed in Iraq."