Summerville, SC, US
U.S. Air Force
Airman 1st Class, 39th Security Forces Squadron
3/27/2012, Adana, TK
Airman 1st Class Joel Barrow, 20, a security forces defender of the 39th Security Forces Squadron died at approximately 4:30 p.m. March 27, 2012 at the Adana Training and Research Hospital in Adana, Turkey.
Joel was born in Summerville, South Carolina on March 3rd, 1992, an only child, to Troy and Angela Barrow. Throughout his life, Joel also lived in Newport, North Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina; New Bern, North Carolina; Grand Lake, Louisiana and Ragley, Louisiana. Joel graduated from South Beaureguard High School in 2010 in Longville, Louisiana. During his high school years, he loved sports, which included racquetball at Court Plus in New Bern, track with the Lake Area Express Track Club, Lacrosse, and football which was his favorite. He also played on his high school football team as a wide receiver and corner back.
Joel left for Basic Training at Lackland, AFB in September of 2010. He graduated from 323 TRS Honor Flight in November. His Security Forces Tech School training was also at Lackland AFB. He graduated tech school on March 15th, 2011. His first and only duty station was Incirlik AFB in Adana, Turkey where he was to serve for 15 months. He left in March of 2011 and came home for leave in November.
Four months after his return to Turkey, on March 27th, he was electrocuted during an off-base trip when he took shelter from rain in an unmarked shed that housed an electricity junction. He received CPR at the scene until transported to a local hospital by ambulance where medical officials pronounced him dead. Joel had always wanted to join the military. He did what he had always dreamed of doing, serving his country, and he did it well. He wouldn’t have had it any other way. Joel brought happiness to everyone he met; He never knew a stranger. He had a smile that instantly drew you to him, and a personality that kept you around.
Joel is survived by his Father and Mother, Troy and Angela Barrow; Grandparents John and Patricia Hoffman; Grandmother Bertha Barrow; Fiancee, Lenae Cordell, and was anxiously awaiting the arrival of his unborn son, Emmett.
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