15th Arkansas Guardsman Dies In Iraq

The Department of Defense announced the death of an Arkansas Army National Guard soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Lyle Wyman Rymer II, 24, died January 28 in Baghdad, Iraq, when he was shot by an enemy sniper. Rymer was assigned to the Arkansas Army National Guard`s 239th Engineer Company in Booneville, AR. Spc. Rymer was born Oct. 19, 1980 in Fort Smith, Ark., and graduated in 1999 from Roland High School in Roland, Okla. He is survived by his wife, LaTisha, son, Sean, 2, and ten-month-old daughter Jasmine. Spc. Rymer is the 15th Arkansas Army National Guard soldier to die in Iraq. The family has selected the Edwards Funeral Home in Fort Smith to handle the memorial services. The interment is scheduled to take place at the National Cemetery in Fort Smith. Details of the memorial services will be published as soon as they become available. The 239th Engineer Company is a subordinate unit of the 39th Infantry Brigade. The 39th Brigade Combat Team (as it is termed while mobilized) is comprised of 4,200 Soldiers from 10 states. Nearly 2,800 Soldiers are from the Arkansas Army National Guard`s 39th Infantry Brigade, which has units in 47 different locations across the state of Arkansas. The 39th Brigade Combat Team is attached to the Army`s 1st Cavalry Division.