Green Beret, 31, is killed in combat operations in Afghanistan leaving behind his pregnant wife and young daughter – as his devastated father pays tribute to ‘the finest man I’ve ever known’
- Sergeant Dustin Ard, 31, died Thursday from wounds sustained during combat operations in Zabul Province, Afghanistan
- The Green Beret, who hailed from Idaho, was preparing to welcome his second child with wife, Mary
- He is the 15th American service member to die in Afghanistan this year
- 2019 has been the deadliest year for US troops in Afghanistan since operations were scaled back in the country at the beginning of 2015
A Green Beret from 1st Special Forces Group has died during combat operations in Afghanistan – making him the third American soldier to be killed in the country in the past eight days.
Sergeant Dustin Ard, 31, died Thursday from wounds sustained during operations in Zabul Province, Afghanistan.
Ard was reported to be on a joint operation with a unit of Afghan commandos at the time of his death, but additional details have not yet been made available to the media.
The Idaho native leaves behind his wife, Mary, who is currently pregnant with their second child.
The couple already have a three-year-old daughter, Reagan.
Sergeant Dustin Ard, 31, died Thursday from wounds sustained during operations in Zabul Province, Afghanistan
![The Idaho native leaves behind his wife, Mary, who is currently pregnant with their second child](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/08/31/21/17919792-7414863-image-a-13_1567284040137.jpg)
The Idaho native leaves behind his wife, Mary, who is currently pregnant with their second child
Ard’s father, Bruce, is mayor of Ammon, a town of 15,000 located a short distance east of Idaho Falls.
On Friday, the devastated dad paid tribute to his son in a post shared to Facebook by Idaho State Representative Rod Furniss .
‘My heart has a hole so big I can hardly stand it. He [Dustin] was the finest young man I have ever known. Not because he was my son but because of the person he was,’ Mayor Ard wrote.
‘A great son, brother, father and husband. He loved his country and was the kind of person we should all be. Son, I love you and know we will see each other again. I will miss you every day I live without you,’ he continued.
![Ard is pictured with his family in a recent Facebook photo](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/08/31/21/17919624-7414863-image-a-14_1567284045978.jpg)
Ard is pictured with his family in a recent Facebook photo
2019 is the deadliest year for US troops in Afghanistan since operations were scaled down in the country by the Obama Administration in 2015.
So far this year, 15 Americans service members have been killed. Two American service members were killed in combat last Wednesday during an arms fire.
More than 2400 American troops have been killed since the Afghanistan war began in 2001.
Approximately 14,000 US troops are currently stationed in Afghanistan, with President Trump recently claimed his administration has plans to scale back the number of American service members in the country to 8,600.
!['A great son, brother, father and husband. He loved his country and was the kind of person we should all be': Ard is pictured with his wife Mary, who will give birth to their second child as a widow](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/08/31/21/17919796-7414863-image-a-15_1567284379896.jpg)
‘A great son, brother, father and husband. He loved his country and was the kind of person we should all be’: Ard is pictured with his wife Mary, who will give birth to their second child as a widow