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WMU alumnus Douglas Sloan killed in Afghanistan

Nov. 10, 2006

KALAMAZOO--U.S. Army Maj. Douglas E. Sloan, a graduate of Western Michigan University, died Oct. 31, while on active duty in Afghanistan.

In Sloan's honor and by order of Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. flags throughout Michigan will be lowered for one day, Tuesday, Nov. 14. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Sloan earned a bachelor's degree from WMU in 1996 with a major in history and minors in French and military science.

"To the best of our knowledge, Maj. Sloan was the first graduate of our ROTC program to die in combat since the Vietnam War," says Lt. Col. Brett E. Johnson of the WMU Department of Military Science," and we know of only one graduate of our program who died in Vietnam."

Born May 14, 1966, in Duluth, Minn., he was the son of Emory C. and Wendy J. (Knudsen) Sloan. Formerly of Charlevoix, Mich., Sloan, age 40, graduated in 1985 from Charlevoix High School, where he lettered in football, basketball, track and cross-country.

He received many commendations during his Army career, including the Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Bronze Star and Tenth Mountain Combat Patch and will posthumously be awarded the Purple Heart. He was also awarded the Order of Saint Maurice for his personal contributions to the infantry.

Sloan is survived by his wife, Kerry (Turner) Sloan, by their four children and several other family members, including his parents.

A service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, at Veteran's Park in Charlevoix under the auspices of the Charlevoix area veterans. The Rev. Tim Wright of the Greensky Hill United Methodist Church will officiate. In case of inclement weather, the service will be held in the Charlevoix Middle School gymnasium. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery.

The Rotary Club of Charlevoix has established a Doug Sloan Children Endowment fund through the Charlevoix State Bank to assist the family. Contributions are being accepted.

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Flags lowered for three fallen sons of Michigan

Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu

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