Wisconsin soldier killed in Afghanistan

APPLETON, Wis. — A soldier from Wisconsin has died while serving in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense says 25-year-old Sgt. Garrick Eppinger Jr. of Appleton died Saturday in Parwan province in eastern Afghanistan. No details were given of his death.

Eppinger’s mother, Linda Eppinger, says her daughters are flying to Dover Air Force Base to accompany their brother’s body. Eppinger was one of more than 100 Army reservists from the Appleton-based 395th Ordnance Co. who headed to Fort Hood, Texas in July before being deployed to Afghanistan.

WLUK-TV (http://bit.ly/pkvEoj ) reports it was Eppinger’s third deployment. He had served two other times in Iraq.

In a statement, Gov. Scott Walker says Eppinger “willingly risked his life for our freedom and security.”

Funeral arrangements are pending.