Tompkins, Travis M.
Army Sergeant
Travis M. Tompkins, age 31, from Lawton, Oklahoma, Comanche county.
Service era: Afghanistan
Spouse: Candy (married 10 years)
Children: Two daughters
School: MacArthur High (1999)
Military history: Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combate Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, Louisiana. Enlisted in January 2000. Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Date of death: Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Death details: Died in Logar Province, Afghanistan of injuries sustained on March 15, 2011 when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade.
Source: Department of Defense, Tulsa World, Military Times
Like many early news releases the real story wasn’t there . The Army is the blame as they released due to first reports . His squad was moving mounted into a blocking position at night . Shortly before midnight 15 March 2011 the convoy was ambushed with small arms and RPG’s . Ssg Tompkins MRAP was struck by two RPG’s at the same time just below the right side of the windshield . Directly in front of the right seat where he sat . He was killed instantly while the four members of his team all received non life threatening wounds . His remains did not get to a hospital until well after midnight now the 16th where a Doctor called his death . I have spoken to all of the team and squad members that were present . I still keep in touch with many soldier’s from the MP Platoon . Military History for Ssg Tompkins : First assignment to 59th MP Bn Ft Carson , Deployed to Saudi Arabia 11 Sept 2001 in what turned into a combat mission providing security to a Headquarters supporting operations into Afghanistan . Returned to Ft Carson until being assigned to NATO Armed Forces North in the Netherlands for three years supporting OEF . Assigned next to Ft Sill , OK 40th MP Detachment 2006 – 2009 . He then was assigned to Ft Polk and the 4th BCT of the 10th Mountain Division in the MP Platoon . They deployed to Afghanistan in Oct 2010 . Awards : BSM,PH,JSCM,ARCM,AAM w/2stars,GCM 3d ,NDSM,AFEFM,ACM,TM and NATO Afghanistan M . He is buried in the Fort Sill National Cemetery near Elgin , Oklahoma .