Elmendorf officials mourn loss of Airman

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ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Elmendorf Air Force Base officials will hold a memorial service this week to honor an NCO killed at 12:30 a.m. March 15 supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Eastern Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Timothy Bowles, 24, was killed when his vehicle was destroyed by an improvised explosive device while on a four-vehicle patrol checking on a local school.

He deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Nov. 1, 2008, and was scheduled to be deployed for nine months. He was assigned to the 755th Air Expeditionary Group's Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

Sergeant Bowles was a fire truck mechanic assigned to the 3rd Logistics Readiness Squadron. He arrived to Elmendorf AFB in July 2007 and was assigned to the Vehicle Management Flight.

Sergeant Bowles was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and grew up on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., where his father was stationed. He graduated from Tucson High School in 2002.

"The 3rd Wing and all of Team Elmendorf feel the pain of losing Sergeant Bowles," said Col. Richard Walberg, the 3rd Wing vice commander. "He was always ready to go beyond what was merely expected of him. In fact, on Sunday he filled in for a comrade who was not feeling well in Afghanistan. He was a living embodiment of our Air Force core values of integrity, service before self and excellence. Raised in a military family, he knew the cost of freedom. He did not falter and he did not fail. Our prayers are with Tim's family, friends and professional colleagues."

Information on the Elmendorf AFB service will be released when it becomes available.