Master Sgt. Benjamin A. Stevenson, 36, of Canyon Lake, Texas, died July 21 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. He is survived by his wife, 2 sons, parents, sister and brother. He enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in June that year. Stevenson first served with the 325th Infantry Battalion at Fort Bragg as a gunner, firing anti-tank missiles and a squad leader. He then went on to become an aircraft power plant repairman with the 601st Aviation Support Battalion at Katterbach, Germany. He completed Special Forces training in January 2000 and was assigned to 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he served as a weapons and intelligence sergeant. He deployed with the unit three times to Iraq and once to Afghanistan, according to the Army. In May 2006, Stevenson was assigned as a special operations team member with Special Operations Command, where he deployed to Iraq four more times and twice more to Afghanistan, the Army said. Stevenson's awards include the Bronze Star; Meritorious Service Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor; Army Commendation Medal with Valor; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Presidential Unit citation; Joint Meritorious Unit award; Army Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three campaign stars; Iraq Campaign Medal with six campaign stars; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with Bronze Arrowhead; and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Stevenson was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Stevenson is survived by his wife and two young sons and his mother, Laura M. Lane. Visitation Thursday, July 28, 2011, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Pinecrest Funeral and Cremation Services, Hope Mills, N.C. Funeral Friday, July 28, 2011, 11:30 a.m. at Mt. Pisgah Church. Interment Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery. Memorial donations can be made to: Special Operation Warrior Foundation in Ben's name, P.O. Box 13483, Tampa, FL 33681.