A 22-year-old Mesa woman has been killed while fighting in Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense.
Army Pfc. Barbara Vieyra died Sept. 18 of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked her unit using an improvised explosive device and rocket propelled grenade fire in Kunar Province, Afghanistan.
Vieyra, an expert marksman, was in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. She is a 2006 graduate of Skyline High School and also the mother of a 3-year-old girl, Evelyn.
Vieyra was assigned to the 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, at Fort Hood, Texas.
Vieyra grew up in east Mesa near a number of dairy farms close to the Santan Freeway stretch of Loop 202, where her father, Raul Hernandez, has worked at the dairy as an assistant herder for 24 years, according to Jose Correa, a milker at the dairy, which has about 1,000 Jersey cows.
Correa and other neighbors said that the woman’s family left for Delaware on Sunday to greet her remains being flown to the United States.
On her Facebook profile, Vieyra has 172 friends and listed Laser Tag, competitive swimming and dancing among her interests.
“She was a nice young lady,” Correa said.
Ellie Rael, a liaison at Skyline who works with school staff and students, told the Tribune on Tuesday that she remembered Vieyra as a “just a nice person,” who was quiet and respectable.
“She was a patriotic person and just an average person who really didn’t stand out, but loved her country and stood up for the flag,” Rael said. “She was an artistic person who loved to paint, and played on the JV (junior varsity) softball team. She was focused on graduating and was a happy person.”
Micala Gonzalez, a neighbor whose father works at a dairy next to Keenstra’s, said Barbara and her younger sister, Lupita, used to come over to their house when they were little and would play and have their hair done.
“We were surprised to hear about what happened,” Gonzalez said. “We haven’t seen her too much since she joined the service.”
Workers at the dairy believed Vieyra’s family was going to return to Mesa from Delaware on Wednesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
snipes posted at 5:06 pm on Mon, Sep 20, 2010.
This is the fourth service person that Mesa has lost in Afghanistan, with nine more in Iraq. All told America has lost over 5700 sons and daughters in those two wars.
And it never get any easier.
bighitter2 posted at 7:42 pm on Mon, Sep 20, 2010.
RIP. Didn't know her but this country is losing so many young adults in these winless police actions. Nothing will change in these countries. So Sad!!! My condolences to her family. So Young!
btbeme posted at 8:42 pm on Mon, Sep 20, 2010.
Winless political actions? How dare you!
Any soldier who has signed up in the last few years has done so knowing full well that their deployment to a combat zone is almost a guarantee. To dishonor her choice, regardless of her motivation, by opining that you would not do so is ridiculous.
War is never easy. Nor is it pretty. But it is sometimes necessary.
I had three bullets removed from my back and have constant lower body pain from a shattered vertebrae. I did not get those because I volunteered for a winless political action.
Keep your spineless and hopeless comments for a forum other than the story of an honorable soldier dying in the line of duty.
Not4GotInvane posted at 9:46 pm on Mon, Sep 20, 2010.
She was a great person, knowing her personally was an honor, may she rest in peace, thank you for fighting for our country! your daughter is the image of you an you will always be in our hearts, I love you cousin! ! !
chick posted at 10:36 pm on Mon, Sep 20, 2010.
my sympathies to the family of this courageous woman.
ElPeneDeCaballo posted at 12:13 am on Tue, Sep 21, 2010.
My soul burns, my heart convulses in infinite agony. I'm, so sorry to her family. Love, love, love,[peace be with you.
pcgoddess posted at 5:31 am on Tue, Sep 21, 2010.
@btbme - sorry, but I 100% agree with bighitter. Now there is a young mother taken away from her child for what seems to be no good reason.
Actually, in the face of posters like you, what bighitter stood up and said takes more courage than to berate and belittle that person's VERY VALID point of view.
ElPeneDeCaballo posted at 8:20 am on Tue, Sep 21, 2010.
BIGHITTER and PCGODESS need to be taken out behind the barn for awhile. They are no good traitors and enemies of America
az_uncledonny posted at 9:20 am on Tue, Sep 21, 2010.
Does anyone know how we can make donations for the daughter?
Butters posted at 9:53 am on Tue, Sep 21, 2010.
ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL.
This prayer is a way for families, friends and fellow veterans to remember our fallen brothers and sisters.
Do not stand at my grave and weep I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain. When you awaken in the morning hush, I am the swift, uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight, I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die.
PFC Barbara Vieyra, it is said a person's spirit never dies so long as they are remembered. PFC Vieyra, you will never be forgotten. Thank you for your service to our country.
To the family of PFC Barbara Vieyra, please accept my sincere condolences over the loss of your loved one.
To those of you attempting to diminish what our military men and women are doing and have done in Iraq and Afghanistan, please get informed before you make anymore inaccurate comments, such as claiming our military has been fighting "winless" wars. It is very obvious that you are lacking the knowledge of what goes on in the war against terrorism. This is not the proper place for you to vent your clueless and insensitive comments.
Butters posted at 9:56 am on Tue, Sep 21, 2010.
Uncle Donny, the information you seek will most likely be posted in PFC Vieyra's obituary.
angelag1977 posted at 1:12 pm on Tue, Sep 21, 2010.
An account will be setup shortly at the bank for her daughter.
green1 posted at 11:14 pm on Wed, Sep 22, 2010.
So sad.... Vote for someone that will get us out of all these wars. RON PAUL 2012
angelag1977 posted at 4:12 pm on Tue, Sep 28, 2010.
Donations for Evelyn can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank. The account number is below. This number will also be in her obituary.
7657505322.