Morales was assigned to A Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.; killed on March 29, 2003, in Afghanistan.

Morales’ brother said he always admired his younger brother, Orlando Morales-Rivera, a quiet and strong soldier who shipped out to Afghanistan in November 2002. “He was my younger brother, but I definitely looked up to him,” Francisco said. “He always had the right thing to say and was real strong.”