A Combat Controller with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, SSgt Sather was the first enlisted Airman killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for his leadership and bravery during the initial invasion. Operating deep behind enemy lines in the opening days of the Iraq War, SSgt Sather led reconnaissance elements and coordinated devastating airstrikes that dismantled Iraqi defenses and cleared the way for conventional forces. He was killed in action on April 8, 2003, while engaging Iraqi forces. SSgt Sather's dedication to duty and ultimate sacrifice set a standard for the Special Tactics community throughout the ensuing two decades of conflict in the Middle East.