Spc. Corey Kowall of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His family had a history of serving in the military, his grandfather served in the Navy, his great-grandfather served in World War II, and his great-great-grandfather was in World War I. So it was not surprising that Corey himself wanted to serve his country. Corey felt he was supposed to serve his country; it was what he was born to do. An extremely physically fit young man, he was active in the Murfreesboro Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol and the Raider program, a physical fitness team that competes against other high school JROTC programs. He enlisted in the Army right after graduating from Siegel High School in 2007. Serving with the alpha company, second battalion, 508th parachute infantry regiment in the fourth brigade combat team of the 82nd Airborne division of the U.S. Army, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he deployed to Afghanistan in July 2009. Corey was responding to a call to assist a convoy that had encountered an IED (improvised explosive device), when his vehicle overturned and he and another soldier were killed in the accident. Corey's awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Afghan Campaign Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Expert Infantry Badge and the Parachutists Badge. A Bronze Star was awarded posthumously to Corey.

He is survived by his parents, Chester Joseph Kowall Jr. of Murfreesboro, TN and Kelly (Gary) Rae Speight of Apollo Beach, FL; sisters, Kyla Rae (Brad) Tackett of Avilla, Indiana and Kristen Louise Kowall of Apollo Beach, Florida; fraternal grandmother, Louise M. Saylor of Pittsburgh, PA; maternal grandparents, Martha Jane Schoeff and Marshall Owen Schoeff of Leo, Indiana; aunts, Carol (Jay Hornack) Kowall and Sue (Tom) Woods, both of Pittsburgh, PA and Jil (Larry) Lindholm of Fort Wayne, Indiana; and uncle, Tyson Schoeff of Franklin, TN. Corey was preceded in death by his fraternal grandfather, Chester Joseph Kowall Sr.