Lowering of United States and North Carolina Flags on October 9th in Honor of NC Army National Guard Sgt. James Allen Slape

A 23-year-old soldier from Morehead City died Thursday in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, the North Carolina Army National Guard said.

Sgt. James Allen Slape was wounded by an improvised explosive device, spokesman Lt. Col. Matthew DeVivo said in a news release.

Slape had gotten out of his vehicle and was working to clear the area of explosives when a bomb detonated, said Commander Grant Neeley, a spokesman for Resolute Support, a NATO-led mission to train and advise Afghan security forces.

In a written statement, Neeley said Slape was evacuated to a medical facility, but staff there were unable to save him.


PRESS RELEASE
Governor's Office
October 7, 2018
Raleigh, NC


Lowering of United States and North Carolina Flags in Honor of NC Army National Guard Sgt. James Allen Slape



Governor Roy Cooper has ordered all United States and North Carolina flags at state facilities to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Tuesday, October 9 in honor of North Carolina Army National Guard Sergeant James Allen Slape of Morehead City, who was killed in Afghanistan on October 4, 2018.



"National Guard members step up and answer the call to service wherever they are needed, whether at home to help during a natural disaster or overseas to protect our national security," said Governor Cooper. "They leave their homes, their families and their jobs and put their lives on the line for us. On behalf of the people of North Carolina, I honor the service and sacrifice of Sgt. James Slape and offer our deepest sympathy to his loved ones and his fellow soldiers."

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