Sgt. Joseph A. Richard of Lafayette, La., known as "Little Joe" was the youngest of three children. He graduated from Grand Prairie Elementary School and then Sacred Heart of Ville Platte before attending University of Louisiana where he was pursuing a bachelor degree in public relations. Joe was a religious man who was dedicated to both his family and his church. He had been a parishioner of St. Peter The Mortar Roman Catholic Church in Grand Prairie, where he was an altar server for six years and served as Altar Server Coordinator, and later became a parishioner of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in DeRidder. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He joined the Army in January 2003 and completed basic and advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He previously deployed to Iraq from May 2003 to April 2004 and again from December 2005 to November 2006. His military education includes the Warrior Leader Course and the Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade-and-Below certification. His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon and the Combat Action Badge. He was preceded in death by one brother, Tracy Scott; maternal grandfather, W. J. "Bubba": Montgomery, Jr.; paternal grandparents, Joseph Avie Richard, Sr. and Josephine Lalonde Richard and one nephew, Caleb Joseph Billedeaux. He died in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device at age 27.

Army
4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion
4th Brigade Combat Team
10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry)
Fort Polk, La.