A local soldier was killed Monday after an IED exploded while he was on patrol in Afghanistan.
Second Lt. Justin Lee Sisson graduated from Blue Valley West High School in 2007 and Florida State University in 2012.
His uncle, Lance Liming, said Sisson was following in his grandfather's footsteps when he joined the Army in May 2012.
"Everybody loved being around him. He was fun to be around. He raised everybody's energy level. Just being around him was a lot of fun," said Liming.
Sisson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) as an assistant operations officer out of Fort Campbell, Ky.
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According to a news release from the 101st Airborne Division, his honors include one Bronze Star Medal (posthumous), an Army Achievement Medal, a National Defense Service Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, an Army Service Ribbon, a Overseas Service Ribbon and the Sapper Badge.
Spc. Robert Allan Pierce of Panama, Okla., also died in Monday's attack.
Sisson's funeral will be held early next week.
