42, of Scottsboro, Ala.; assigned to the 79th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; died Sept. 22 in Baghdad of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

 

 Lankford remembered as model soldier

 

By Hollice Smith
The Daily Sentinel      

 

Published September 27, 2007

No official ruling has been made on the exact cause of death for Command Sgt. Major Jonathan Miles Lankford Sr. other than it was from natural causes. Sources reported that it is believed the 42-year-old career soldier died from a heart attack.

Lankford had received numerous medals during his 23 years in the U.S. Army.

He had been in Iraq for about a year and was scheduled to return home in January, 2008.

He was assigned to the 79th Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) out of Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where his wife and three-year-old son were residing and had lived there prior to his deployment to Iraq.

CSM Lankford was born in Scottsboro April 16, 1965. He enlisted in the U.S. Army May 11, 1984 and volunteered for Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

He and his wife, Cheryl, were married in August 1999 and have a three-year-old son, Jonathan M. Lankford Jr. He is also survived by his mother, Mary Jo, formerly of Scottsboro and two brothers, Taylor and Cam.

Lankford’s assignments included EOD instructor, First Sergeant for the Technical Escort Unit, and 47th OD CO (EOD) Fort Hood, Texas, and finally 79th OD BN

(EOD) as the CSM. He had served in Iraq from July to December of 1998 and again in 2003. He also served in Saudi Arabi.

Lankford was highly decorated. His awards included a Bronze Star Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Joint Service Achievement Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal,

and United Nations Medal. He was awarded the EOD Master Badge 10 March 1994 and the Combat Action Badge 01 May 2006.

In recognition of his extraordinary ability and achievements he was selected as the next 71st Ordnance Group (EOD) Fort Carson, CO., as Command Sergeant Major.

The Army, in a statement issued from Fort Sam Houston, stated: "CSM Lankford was a charismatic leadership force who epitomized the Army Values and Warrior Ethos to the extreme. A true leader for the current joint force structure and was able to lead intricate combat operations in extraordinary lethal environments.

He will be sorely missed and impossible to replace."

Lankford's wife is seeking arrangements for burial in Arlington National Cemetery.