Sgt. Michael E. Ristau, 25, of Rockford, Ill., died July 13 in Qalat, Zabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked with an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Ristau's family released a statement, saying "Sergeant Michael Ristau, husband, father, son, brother, died serving the country that he loved. He will live on forever in our memories. Though his time on earth was short, his impact was huge. We have lost our Michael, but we are still so proud of him and his choice to serve our nation. He had a tremendous love for life and was passionate about bull riding. He leaves behind a wife, two sons and many family and friends. We want to thank all of our friends, family, community and the nation for their prayers and support during this time of great loss." Ristau earned several accolades during his time in the Army including a NATO Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He's survived by his wife and two sons. A family spokesman says Ristau's parents live in Iowa and that he lived in Washington State with his wife and kids. Ristau enlisted in the Army in Rockford back in 2004.