A U.S. Army Sgt. and former Texas A&M student was killed Friday in a training accident at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Army officials announced Monday.
Graham Woody Class of 2008 and member of the Third Brigade, First Armored Division died from severe head trauma when the armed vehicle he was occupying rolled at the Ana Dona range complex of Fort Bliss.
Woody graduated from A&M with a degree in engineering technology and was a member of Company N-1 Knights in the Corps of Cadets.
Former classmates and fellow cadets from Company N-1 said they remember Woody as a friend they could always count on.
He was a fiercely loyal guy, said Jason Williams, a former member of Company N-1 and Class of 2008. He was a goofball, but when it was time to work, he worked. He was loyal to whoever and whatever he was working for.
Since his time in the Corps, friends said Woody knew he wanted to be in the military and the Green Berets. When he joined the Army, he originally enlisted in jump school, but found his way to the armored unit where he was a personal security detail.
He was one of the bravest guys I ever knew, said Matt Duhs, a former member of Company N-1 and Class of 2008. If you ever needed someone, you knew hed be there for you.
During his time at A&M, Woody was supportive of his fellow company members and knew how to lift their spirits.
Whenever you were having a rough day, he would put a smile on your face, Duhs said. He was the voice of reason he was definitely our sanity check most of the time.
Ross Flynt, a former member of Company N-1 and Class of 2008, said Woodys personable character made him irreplaceable and a person who everyone enjoyed to be around.
Woody was the type of guy who lived in the moment and made memories, Flynt said. Hes just a guy full of energy. He brought life to the party.
While in the Army, Woody served one year in Afghanistan and was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge.
Woody will be honored at Echo Taps at 10:30 p.m. Thursday on the Quad. Military honors for Woody will be presented at 11:30 a.m. April 12 at the Houston National Cemetery.