Fallen soldier’s name added to national memorial
SHERMAN — The name of a fallen local veteran was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial this week.
Staff Sgt. Todd James “TJ” Lobraico Jr. was one of 371 fallen law enforcement officers whose names were added to the memorial in Washington, D.C., this year and honored during the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund’s
31st Annual Candlelight Vigil on Monday.
Lobraico died Sept. 5,
2013, in Afghanistan while serving active duty with the U.S. Air Force’s 105th Security Forces Squadron. He was 22.
The New Milford-born Sherman man enlisted in the 105th Airlift Wing after graduating from New Fairfield High School in 2008.
After completing the Air Force’s Basic Military Training and Security Forces Apprentice School, Lobraico was deployed to Balad Air Base in Iraq from December 2010 to June 2011. He was killed during his second deployment.
Lobraico had been studying justice and law administration at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, with the goal of becoming a police officer.
He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor in 2015.