Staff Sgt. Avonye John Cavon Chisolm, 26, sustained serious injuries during the airborne operation; he was transported to the nearest military treatment facility; then air-lifted to Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia. The Army confirmed he died from his injuries on August 25.
The incident is under investigation. According to VOA, he was only a month away from getting out of the Army, and did not have to do the training jump “but in true Ranger fashion he did anyway.”
Chisolm was assigned to Company E, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., as a Culinary Specialist Non-Commissioned Officer.
“Staff Sgt. Avonye Chisolm represented the best of our Ranger leaders. He had an impact on every Ranger in this Battalion through his tireless work ethic, positive attitude and contagious smile,” said Lt. Col. Robert S. Brown, Commander of the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. “He made us feel like we could shoulder more than our fair share of the task, because he always led from the front. His loss will be felt across the organization and our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.”
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Chisolm deployed five times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Chisolm was born August 1, 1990 in Indianapolis, Indiana and earned his General Education Diploma from Fort Stewart Youth Challenge Academy. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 2008, attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and Advanced Individual Training as a Culinary Specialist at Fort Lee, Virginia. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course and the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment March 2009.
Chisolm transferred to 1st Ranger Battalion in September 2013 and served as a Culinary Specialist Non-Commissioned Officer.
His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 1, Basic Leader Course, the Unit Prevention Leader Course, Lean Six Sigma Course-Black Belt, Lean Six Sigma Course-Green Belt, Demonstrated Logistics Course, the Advanced Leader Course and the Culinary Skills Advanced Course. He was a certified ServSafe Food Protection Manager.
His awards and decorations include the Combat Action Badge, the Parachutist Badge, U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge-Carbine. Chisolm has also been awarded the Joint Services Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Presidential Unit Citation Award, Army Good Conduct Medal 2nd Award, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Bronze Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon 2nd Award, Army Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal.
Chisolm is survived by his father Harrell Chisolm of Atlanta, Georgia and his grandmother Celestine Herbert of Charleston, South Carolina.