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Amanda Butterfield Reporting"It was heartbreaking to me."
News of the death of this Utah National Guardsman hits a fellow soldier hard. The two served together in Afghanistan. Scott Lundell was from West Valley and a graduate of Granger High School, where he played football and was class president. Enemy fire killed Lundell two days after Thanksgiving.
Lundell enlisted with the Utah National Guard in 2004, only two years ago, and quickly moved up the ranks. He had served in Afghanistan for about six months when he was killed. 2nd Lt. Scott Lundell was sent to Afghanistan with about 130 other soldiers, including Sgt. First Class Tim Fagen.
Sgt. First class Tim Fagen: "I don't know Scott personally, but I deployed with him and all the other soldiers."
Fagen has been home in Utah on holiday leave, but when he heard that Lt. Lundell was killed this past Saturday by enemy forces, it hit hard.
Sgt. First class Tim Fagen: "It's like we're family members, we serve together, fight together, it's part of the job. We know the risks are there."
This death happens just days before Governor Huntsman is headed to the Middle East, where he is reportedly visiting Utah National Guard troops.
The governor offers his condolences to Lundell's family, saying, "He gave the ultimate sacrifice in the fight for freedom. I pray his family, friends and loved ones will be comforted during this holiday season."
Currently there are about 100 Utah National Guardsmen serving in Afghanistan. Fagen and Lundell had the same job:
Sgt. First class Tim Fagen: "We're embedded trainers working with the Afghan army."
They worked in small groups and also were a part of building schools and infrastructure in the country.
Sgt. First class Tim Fagen: "There's a lot of positive things going on in Afghanistan."
Fagen returns to serve in Afghanistan tomorrow, but it'll be a sad trip back with the death of his fellow soldier on his mind. He'll never get to meet 2nd Lt. Scott Lundell. Lundell is the 5th member of the Utah National Guard to die while serving since 9-11.
