Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Zane Craig | The firing party fires a volley of rounds at the memorial service for Staff Sgt....... read more read more
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JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - A memorial service was held Nov. 22 at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation building for Staff Sgt. Loleni Gandy, a motor sergeant with the 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and a Samoa native. He died Nov. 19 of a non-combat related injury.
“Gandy is what I call a great American soldier,” said Col. Kenneth Jones, deputy commander of the 103rd ESC and a Berryton, Kan., native. “His personality was such that he always made you feel special. He was so likeable and quickly became part of the 103rd family upon joining the unit.”
Soldiers in his unit describe Gandy as quiet, family-oriented and spiritual, but also with a great sense of humor and a big, contagious laugh.
“He was like a father to us,” said Spc. Stacey Hunnell, a force generation plans specialist with the 103rd ESC, and a Des Moines, Iowa, native. “We went to him for advice about anything.”
Gandy joined the U.S. Army, active duty, in 1993 and transferred into the Reserves in 2004. This was his second deployment to Iraq. His soldiers said he was so dedicated to his job that he slept in the motorpool at home station until deployment.
“He took a squad with basically no leadership and taught them everything to do with maintenance,” said 1st Sgt. Glen Burgett, first sergeant of the 103rd ESC, and a Des Moines, Iowa native. “He took those soldiers in as his kids.”
Gandy had received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Bronze Star Medal (posthumous), Army Commendation Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal, among others.
“He was definitely about putting us before himself,” said Spc. Cierra Splettstoesser, support operations land mobility specialist with the 103rd ESC logistics and a native of Ottumwa, Iowa. “He will be missed.”
Gandy is survived by his wife, Faautaimanu Gandy, sons Amadeus, Alexander, Tyler, and Lawrence Gandy ,and his mother and father, Uti and Larry Gandy. He will be greatly missed by his friends and family at home and here in the 103rd ESC.
| Date Taken: | 11.22.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.29.2010 13:09 |
| Story ID: | 61040 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 189 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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