BY 26th "Yankee" Brigade Public Affairs
NORTH FORT HOOD, Texas – An Upton resident has been training at Fort Hood, Texas, for a deployment to Afghanistan.
Army Spc. Daniel H. Lopez, 26th “Yankee” Brigade, Massachusetts Army National Guard, is slated to deploy for one year to Kabul, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Lopez and more than 180 soldiers from the 26th have been training at Fort Hood since Feb. 15 for their mission.
Lopez is a logistical clerk planning to oversee contracts to help encourage socio-economic development in order to provide a secure and stabile environment for the Afghan people.
Lopez, a 19-year veteran and Guardsman, has served for the past 12 years with the 26th. He works full time as an EMT and fire fighter for the town of Upton’s Fire Department. Lopez also works for Armstrong Ambulance Service as an EMT in Upton.
Lopez is the son of Ann Marie and Luis A. Lopez, and the father of two eight-year old daughters, Victoria and Alexandria. He lives with his girlfriend Tina Deloia.
Lopez graduated from the U.S. Army’s Infantry School, Light-wheeled Mechanic Course and Logistics School. He also holds an associates degree in criminal justice from Quinsigamond College and graduated from Assabet Valley Vocational Regional High School in 1989 with a specialty in electrical wiring.
The 26th “Yankee” Brigade Headquarters will assume command of the Kabul Base Cluster, which is compromised of 11 U.S. bases operating in Regional Command Capital, Kabul province. The 26th is a multi-functional command providing command, control, security and support for the KBC.