The Army never forgets; each member of our team is always a member of our team — Fort Sill Garrison Commander, Col. Jim Peay.
FORT SILL, Okla. (July. 10, 2023) — Fort Sill leaders and community members honored the life and service of a local Soldier killed in Afghanistan in 2012 by naming a bridge in his honor.
In a solemn and emotional ceremony held at the Hall of Remembrance, family members, leaders from Fort Sill and the local community came together to pay tribute to the life and service of 2nd Lt. Tobias Alexander, a field artillery officer who made the ultimate sacrifice during his second deployment to Afghanistan in 2012.
Friends, family, and distinguished guests gathered at Fort Sill's Hall of Remembrance Monday to witness the unveiling of a bridge sign commemorating the heroic service of Alexander. Born in Germany and raised in Lawton, Oklahoma.
Alexander graduated from the Cameron University ROTC in 2001 under the ‘Green to Gold’ program, earning his commission as a second Lieutenant that same year. He was assigned to Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment.
"The Army never forgets; each member of our team is always a member of our team," said Fort Sill Garrison Commander, Col. Jim Peay. "We will always remember 2nd Lt. Alexander's exceptional courage, his unwavering dedication and his selfless service. It is an honor for us to memorialize him and ensure that his memory lives on."
The Alexander family expressed their gratitude to Fort Sill, the United States Army and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, for naming the bridge, located in Medicine Park on State Highway 49 and crosses Medicine Creek, after their beloved son.
“We deeply appreciate this dedication to the future generations of our family and the assurance that the local community will forever remember the name of our fallen hero,” said Bill Alexander, father of Tobias Alexander's. “Our hope is that people will come to understand the extraordinary sacrifice he made for his country.”
The senior Alexander, a retired Soldier himself, reminisced about some of his fondest memories of his son, including rendering his son’s first salute during his commissioning ceremony.
“I was really proud of him when he went into the ‘Green to Gold’ program,” said Alexander. “I got to give him his first salute and that’s one of my biggest, fondest memories of him. I couldn’t have been prouder of him because I was military myself.”
Alexander was on his second deployment to Afghanistan. He was leaving a meeting with Afghan leaders near Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan Province, when an insurgent wearing a suicide vest, detonated himself.
Alexander’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal (Posthumous); Purple Heart (Posthumous); Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal, second award (Posthumous) Army Achievement Medal, second award; Army Good Conduct Medal second award; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/Bronze Service Star; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Korean Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Medal (Posthumous); Combat Action Badge (Posthumous);and the Overseas Service Bar.
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