Chief Petty Officer Michael E. Koch of State College, Pa., moved frequently as a child because of his father's assignments. He graduated from Maurice J. McDonough High School in Pomfret in 1996. For the next year and a half, he attended Penn State University. He left to enlist in the Navy in 1998 and entered SEAL training in 1999. Joining the elite Special Forces unit was always his goal. He graduated from the rigorous SEAL training in 1999. He enlisted in the United States Navy July 9, 1998, and graduated from boot camp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill., in September 1998. Chief Koch entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, Calif, Class 224 in January 1999 and graduated in August. He also served his entire career with East Coast-based SEAL Teams. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, three Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, five Sea Service deployment awards, NATO Medal, and the Expert Rifle Medal, Expert Pistol Medal. His commitment to military service appeared to run in the family. His brother, Matthew, served in the Navy for four years, and works as a private contractor in Iraq. He flew back with Michael's body. His father has also worked as a contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan since retiring from the Air Force. And his mother has an accounting job with a U.S. contractor in Afghanistan. Michael is survived by his fiancé, his parents, a brother and sister. He died from wounds suffered from small arms fire during combat operations in Iraq at age 29.

Navy
East Coast SEAL team