The Defense Department has confirmed the death

of a a 23-year-old Fort Lewis special operations soldier deployed

in Afghanistan.

Sergeant Jay Anthony Blessing, a native of Tacoma, died Friday

in Asadabad, Afghanistan.

The Defense Department says he was killed by "injuries

sustained from an improvised explosive device."

Central Command announced on Friday that a special operations

soldier was killed earlier that day, when his Humvee ran over a

land mine in the Kunar province of Afghanistan. But that report did

NOT include the soldier's name.

Blessing's relatives say he shipped out to the Middle East two

weeks ago.

A native of Tacoma and a graduate of Lincoln High School,

Blessing is survived by his father, Jim Blessing, his brother,

James Blessing, both of Pierce County, and another brother living

in California, whose name was not immediately known.