Sgt. Michael R. Sturdivant of Conway, Ark., received his high school education through the home school program. In 2004, he received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. However, he chose to enlist into the U.S. Army Reserve for six years while concurrently attending Pulaski Technical College in Little Rock. Two years later, he transferred to the University of Central Arkansas in Conway where he studied mathematics. He joined the U.S. Army Reserve on March 29, 2005 and, following basic training, attended the Special Warfare Training Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as the youngest soldier to attend and graduate from there. He was a trained Civil Affairs Sergeant assigned to the 431st Civil Affairs Battalion in North Little Rock. His first and only unit of assignment was the 431st Civil Affairs Battalion, North Little Rock, a subordinate unit of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was mobilized in November 2006 and deployed with the battalion shortly thereafter and was scheduled to complete his deployment and return home to the United States less than two weeks prior to his death. His military schools include Basic Combat Training, Civil Affairs Specialist Course, Warrior Leadership Course, Combat Lifesaver Course and the IED Defeat Course. His military awards included two Army Achievement Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, a Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device, NCO Professional Development Ribbon and the Army Service Ribbon. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. In his civilian life, Sturdivant was a full-time college student and an active participant in the Boy Scouts of America, where he attained to the rank of Eagle Scout. He was a very devout, prayerful and faithful Catholic and a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in North Little Rock. Michael is survived by his parents, Steve and Cheryl Sturdivant, four brothers: Andrew, Daniel, Samuel and Nathaniel, and by his sister, Rachael. He died in Kirkuk, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident during convoy operations at age 20.

Army
431st Civil Affairs Battalion
U.S. Army Civil Affairs &
Psychological Operations Command (Airborne)
Fort Bragg, N.C.