VICENZA, Italy — Soldiers, civilians and families attended a memorial ceremony held Dec. 10 for Army Sgt. 1st Class Armando Arteagaharo at the Caserma Del Din chapel here.
Arteagaharo, 45, was assigned to Company A, 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) as a water treatment senior noncommissioned officer. He was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries sustained from a single-car accident Nov. 17 near Trunstadt, Germany.
A native of Mexico City, Arteagaharo enlisted in the Army in 1987 as a petroleum laboratory specialist. During his 25-year career, Arteagaharo spent most of his time at Fort Bragg, N.C., with stints in Korea and Virginia. He also deployed multiple times to both Afghanistan and Iraq, and participated in the Liberation of Kuwait.
During the ceremony, leaders and Soldiers remembered Arteagaharo as a talented performer who dedicated time to his paratroopers.
“Sgt. 1st Class Arteagaharo would truly listen to Soldiers,” said Spc. Stacy Englert. “He would stand and talk with Soldiers for hours at a time. He was the kind of NCO who saw to it that his Soldiers always took away new skills and new experiences.”
Englert said that Arteagaharo was one of her first mentors in the Army, who created a family atmosphere and passed along career advice to his paratroopers.
Arteagaharo is survived by his fiancée, father and son.
“No matter what our struggles may be, we can be assured that Sgt. 1st Class Arteagaharo touched us all,” said Capt and complete it with honor, as his presence may. (Chaplain) Joel Britton. “It is also a challenge to us to continue our dedication to the mission have vanished, but his impact to this unit will never vanish.”