PIGEON, WV, USA
U.S. Army
CPT, COMPANY C, 5TH BATTALION, 5TH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP, FORT CAMPBELL, KY
BAGHDAD, IRAQ 11/07/2007
Benjamin Tiffner wanted to be a military officer since he was a young man and in 1996, Benjamin was nominated to the US Military Academy in West Point by WV Senator Robert Byrd.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2000. After Infantry Officer’s Basic Course, Airborne School and Ranger School, he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, at Fort Lewis, Washington, and served as an infantry platoon leader, reconnaissance platoon leader, and company executive officer. He served in Iraq from November 2003 to March 2004.
Upon graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course in April 2006, he was assigned to 5th SFG(A). He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Arabian Peninsula. This was his second deployment to Iraq in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be here (Iraq)”, he told his mother just before he died. A few hours from his death in Iraq, Tiffner had a final request for his parents. He wanted them to pray for the men who served under him.
Family friend Randy Curry says he’ll never forget Tiffner’s smile and his leadership abilities that were evident from a very young age.
“He would do anything they would ask him to do and he would do it with every bit of his energy and effort. He really enjoyed training and working hard,” Curry said.
One of Captain Tiffner’s instructors at West Point years ago wrote a message about him in an internet Guest Book Monday:
“To the family and friends of CPT Tiffner, my condolences to you. I was shocked to hear of Ben’s passing this morning. Though it has been many years since Ben was assigned to me as a plebe at West Point, I will always remember his uncommon qualities. He was honest, hardworking, loyal, good humored, and a fine friend. I will never forget Ben.”
Ben was born in Ohio but spent much of his childhood in the Philippines where his parents served as missionaries.
Benjamin Tiffner was killed by an IED attack on November 7th 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq. He was 31 years old.
He is survived by his mother, Judith, and father, Timothy.