Brian Woods

[Kyle Defoor]

MODERATORS_PLEASE PLACE WHERE YOU THINK APPROPRIATE

Brian Woods was a full time firearms and tactics instructor on hiatus deployed to Afghanistan with his reserve SF unit. He was KIA on August 14 from small arms fire. He served as an 18D.

I have linked an AAR of Brian's last class he taught here, which I feel fourtunate was with me. He was a great shot with all weapons. I had the opprotunity to see him progress both as a shooter and instructor while he was here. He truly loved his job and was one of the most knowledgeable about firearms I've ever met. I learned an invaluable amount from him that I'll always cherish.

He was a family man first, and balanced his job and family perfectly. Sadly, he leaves behind a wife and two children. He will be greatly missed by all of us.

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=27756

[mark5pt56]

Kyle, Very sad news, words can't say enough with his dedication and the loss of a good person.

Feel free to put it in any other section, no worries with duplicate threads.

Mark

[wlptpd3]

Kyle,

I was truly saddened when I read your post, Joe R. and myself attended the class that you provided the link to in the post. This was the last class that Brian taught prior to his deployment, when we arrived at the USTC it was during the worst snow storm of the year. When we got on the range the first day Brian made sure that all the students had appropriate cold weather gear, He loaned me his own personal gear so I could get the most out of the class and not be miserable and cold while doing it.

It is people like Brian that make this world a better place to live, My heartfelt condolences to Brians family and all the staff at USTC.

Rest in peace Brian.

[Detmongo]

kyle,
ron notified me monday about brian. it knocked the wind out of me . what a great guy, what a loss to this country, his family and the USTC family. true american hero he will always be with us.

[RogerinTPA]

Rest easy Brian Woods. Prayers sent to the family.

[C45P312]

My condolences.

-Carlo

[Joe R.]

I am honored to have had the opportunity to have met and trained with Brian and am truly saddened by his passing. From the short time I spent with him it was apparent that he was a true professional and a good man. My condolences to his family and friends.

God Speed Brian.

[jonathanf]

He taught the medical portion of the HRSO course that I went through at BW. Cant say enough about they guy. Great sense of humor and will be missed



By Kristin Davis
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 20, 2009
CHESAPEAKE

He joined the Marines at 19 and later served in two wars as an Army Special Forces medical sergeant. He also was a romantic.

Sgt. 1st Class William Brian Woods surprised his girlfriend with a destination wedding to Colorado in January 2007, said Patti Russell, the bride's mother. She thought he was going to propose. He took her to a shop to pick out a wedding gown instead.

Two years later, Woods and wife Elizabeth welcomed baby Ella. Russell said Woods planned to return from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan in January, just as their daughter turned 1.

He died Sunday.

Woods, 31, was shot while on patrol two days earlier in the central Afghan province of Ghazni, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday. He succumbed to his wounds at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

Woods was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Glen Arm, Md. The couple had lived in Chesapeake for about a year, Russell said.

"He was a remarkable young man," she said. "I just can't say enough about him."

Woods is also survived by his mother, four brothers and sisters, and a 5-year-old daughter, Lily, from a previous marriage.

"They were very close," Russell said of Woods and his older daughter. "He saw her before he left. It's just very hard to conceive."

She said Elizabeth, who was in Germany on Wednesday, plans to move near relatives in North Carolina to raise Ella.

Woods' deployment was one of many, said his uncle, Robert Woods, and the young soldier was acutely aware of the dangers he faced. Robert Woods visited his nephew in Chesapeake earlier this summer and the two spoke on the phone the night before Woods left.

"Even though he's our nephew, he's a brother in arms," Robert Woods said. "We wanted to tell each other things should be all right.... We told each other we loved each other and got off the phone."

They also spoke of Woods' wishes for his uncle to participate in his funeral as a member of the Ohio Patriot Guard. Robert Woods had attended hundreds of services for military men and women as part of the organization, standing outside with American flags.

Many were for older veterans, but there were young casualties from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, too. Robert Woods said he joined the Patriot Guard four years ago to give troops the recognition that was lacking during the war in Vietnam, where he served for a year hauling helicopter fuel.

"We make sure from beginning to end, they are given a hero's burial."

Robert Woods said his nephew came from a family of war veterans - another of his uncles served in Vietnam and one relative served in World War II. He believes that may have sparked Woods' interest in the military.

William Woods grew up in Catawissa, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, and spent four years in the Marine Corps before joining the Army. He later became a medical sergeant in the Special Forces - "basically they're just field doctors," Robert Woods said.

"The training they have to go through in Special Forces is above and beyond the training I did," he said. "It takes a heck of a guy to muster through that. He showed me that he was truly a better man than I, I can tell you that.

"He definitely rose above the rest of us as far as our military careers go. He was a smart young man who knew he wanted to make a difference in this world if he could.... It's a shame. But you know, war is hell."

Pilot writer Jaedda Armstrong contributed to this report.

Kristin Davis, (757) 222-5208, kristin.davis@pilotonline.com

[Looey]

Rest in Peace brother, you will be foreever Missed.

[VA_Dinger]

Very sad news.

Please send my condolences to his family.

[SeriousStudent]

We are a greater nation, due to men such as these. They have given us their skill, their passion, and now in this case, their very life.

Rest in peace, SFC Woods. May God grant your family and friends comfort and strength during this time of trial. Mr. Defoor, please accept our sympathies for the loss of your friend.

And to a fellow former Marine, I wish fair winds and following seas.

[RackNRoll]

I am so saddened to hear of Brian's passing. I had the honor of taking a course with him. He inspired me to do my best and work through malfunctions by shouting, "Stay in the fight!" He was a true patriot. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this most difficult time.

Karen H.

[Robb Jensen]

Godspeed Brian.