Sgt. 1st Class Forrest Warren Robertson, 35, Westmoreland, was killed in action November 3, 2013, in Pul-E-Alam, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Headquarters Troop, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
He was born May 25, 1978, at Manhattan, son of Dody and the late Kirby Robertson. He attended Rock Creek Jr./Sr. High School, graduating in 1996. He later attended Pittsburg State University. He enlisted in the U.S. Army before he finished high school, and entered the military July 3, 1996, at the age of 17. He attended basic training at Ft. Sill, Okla. Subsequent duty stations included Redstone Arsenal, Ala.; Ft. Rucker, Ala.; Johnston Atoll; Ft. Carson, Colo.; Ft. Campbell, Ky.; Pittsburg State University; and Ft. Stewart, Ga. He graduated from Warrior Leaders School in 2000; Air Assault School in 2005; Advance Leaders Course in 2005; and Senior Leaders Course in 2009. He held the positions of squad leader, section leader, platoon sergeant, military senior instructor at Pittsburg State University, and assistant operations sergeant.
Deployments included Bosnia for eight months; two to Iraq for 12 months each; and two to Afghanistan for 12 months and nine months. He was promoted to Sgt. 1st Class April 1, 2008, while serving in Afghanistan, and was inducted as a distinguished member of the 506th Infantry Regiment in 2009. His commendations included the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star with Valor, four Bronze Stars, two Meritorious Service Medals, five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, two Valorous Unit Awards, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, Army Superior Unit Award, five Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, two Afghanistan Campaign Medals, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, three Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, Army Service Ribbon, five Overseas Service Ribbons, three NATO Medals, Combat Action Badge, Air Assault Qualified, Driver’s Badge, Expert Marksman Badge, Order of St. George and Order of the Spur. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He was united in marriage to Marcie Lynn Pfrang September 27, 2001, at Colorado Springs, Colo. She survives, of the home at Hinesville, Ga. Also surviving are three daughters, Kristie Lynn Smith, Evelyn Rose Robertson and Alia Aamira Robertson, of the home; his parents, Dody and Charles Berg, Westmoreland; siblings, Amanda McCallum (Sam), Manhattan, Tyrel Robertson (Karma), Westmoreland, and Emma Robertson, Kansas City; in-laws, Mary Beth Pfrang, Wamego, Max Pfrang, Manhattan, Matt and Brenda Pfrang, Wamego, and Marc Pfrang, Huntingburg, Ind.; grandparents, Larry and Lola Rider, Oak Grove, Mo., and Bill and Judy Martin of Arkansas. He was preceded in death by his father; grandparents, Dorothy and Chet Plummer; and step-grandparents, Dora and Argyle Berg.
He will lie in-state after 1 p.m. Wednesday, November 13, at Stewart Funeral Home, Wamego, where the family will greet friends from 5-8:30 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, November 14, in Trinity Baptist Church, Wamego. Burial, with full military honors, will follow in Wamego City Cemetery. Memorial contributions, to be designated later, may be left in care of Stewart Funeral Home, P.O. Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547, or on Facebook, SFC Forrest Robertson Memorial Page.