Defense Department confirms 8 soldiers killed in Afghanistan firefight were from Fort Carson

Pentagon: Carson soldiers killed in Afghanistan

FORT CARSON, Colo. — The Defense Department has confirmed that the eight soldiers killed in an attack on an U.S. outpost in Afghanistan were all from Fort Carson.

The military identified them as:

— Staff Sgt. Vernon W. Martin, 25, of Savannah, Ga.

— Sgt. Justin T. Gallegos, 27, of Tucson, Ariz.

— Sgt. Joshua M. Hardt, 24, of Applegate, Calif.

— Sgt. Joshua J. Kirk, 30, of South Portland, Maine.

— Sgt. Michael P. Scusa, 22, of Villas, N.J.

— Spc. Christopher T. Griffin, 24, of Kincheloe, Mich.

— Spc. Stephan L. Mace, 21, of Lovettsville, Va.

— Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson, 22, of Reno, Nev.

They were all assigned to the same squadron at the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson outside Colorado Springs.