Master Sergeant Joshua L. Wheeler was a highly decorated soldier and had been deployed 17 times with most being in support of combat operations. He has received 11 Bronze Stars. Four of the 11 Bronze Stars are with Valor. He was a master parachutist, and began his Army career immediately following his graduation from Muldrow High School, OK in 1994.<br />Wheeler was assigned to headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. He is the first American service member killed in action while fighting Islamic State militants. The Army said that Wheeler, who joined the military as an infantryman in 1995, was assigned to U.S. Army Special Operations Command in 2004, and deployed 11 times in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Master Sergeant Joshua L. Wheeler was a highly decorated soldier and had been deployed 17 times with most being in support of combat operations. He has received 11 Bronze Stars. Four of the 11 Bronze Stars are with Valor. He was a master parachutist, and began his Army career immediately following his graduation from Muldrow High School, OK in 1994.
Wheeler was assigned to headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. He is the first American service member killed in action while fighting Islamic State militants. The Army said that Wheeler, who joined the military as an infantryman in 1995, was assigned to U.S. Army Special Operations Command in 2004, and deployed 11 times in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.