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SSG Paul C. Mardis JR.
SSG Paul C. Mardis was born on March 10th 1979.
He was raised in Coshocton Ohio,where both his parents died by the time he was fourteen years old.
Paul lived with his oldest sister and her husband in Coshocton Ohio, and moved to Palmetto Florida in 1996 where he graduated from Palmetto High School.
Paul loved the game of football,and his dream to play for a Divison Three or Four College. Due to his financial situation,he could not afford a small, private college even with some athletic scholarships. He enlisted in the Army in the fall of 1998 to earn the GI Bill to help him finish his Bachelors Degree in Criminology that he began at Manatee Community College in 1997.
SSG Mardis excelled in every aspect of his life in the Army. He attended Basic Training and Advanced InfantryTraining in Co. 1/ 50 INF BN at Fort Benning GA as a combat infatryman. He then PCS' to HHC,1/502nd INF,Fort Cambell Kentucky in 1998. He was selected for Air Assult School and combat Lifesave Course in 1999, and Combat Communications Course in 2000.
Having served with distinction in the infatry,Paul was selected for the 18C Special Forces Engineer Course after completing 3 weeks of Special Forces Selection at Fort Bragg NC. As a prelude to Special Forces Training, he attended The Basic Airborne School (where he was honor Graduate) and Primary Leadership Development Course in 2000.
SSG Mardis then moved to Fort Bragg,NC and started his officail Special Forces Training including Special Forces Engineer Course, the Basic Non-Commmision Officer Course, Defense Arabic Language School, And SERE training. He was assigned to the 3RD Battalion. 5th Special Forces Group in December 2002, and was further assigned as the Junior Engineer Segeant on the 3rd Battalion Scuba Team,ODA 585.
Pauls first deployment with the 3rd Battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom was in January of 2003. He served with distinction and was awarded both the Bronze Star for Valor and the Purple Heart for his actions in a raid against AlQaeda terrorists in northern Iraq.
SSG Mardis deployed a second time with the same 3rd Battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in May of 2004. Less than two days into his second depolyment, the convoy he was riding in was attacked by an IED( road side bomb).
Paul sustained a head injury from the attack. After the initial brain surgery to relieve swelling, Paul contracted pneumonia and other combat injury complications during his two month fight to recover. The complications of his injuries eventually took his life on July 15th 2004. SSG Mardis was awarded thr Meritorious Service Award, a second Purple Heart and a second Bronze Star Posthumously.
SSG Mardis' awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Award, the Bronze Star with Valor Device, The Bronze Star, The Purple Herat (with Oak Leaf Cluster), The Army Commendation Metal, The Army Achievement Metal, The NCO Professional Development Ribbon, The Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, The Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, The ArmyService Ribbon, The Expert Infantryman Badge, The Special Forces Tab, The Parachutist Badge, And The Air Assault Badge.
Paul Married His Wife, Kacey Carroll, on October 26th,2002. He is Survived by his widow Kacey, sisters Sherri Lawrence and Cindy Corder, Extended Family Members And Several Close Friends.
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