Sgt. Alessandro Leonard Plutino, 28, was killed August 8. 2011 by enemy forces during a heavy firefight while conducting combat operations in Paktiya Province, Afghanistan.

Plutino was a Team Leader assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. He was on his sixth deployment in support of the War on Terror with three previous deployments to Iraq and two to Afghanistan.

He was born Aug. 23, 1982 in Washington Township, N.J. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 2006 from his hometown of Pitman, N.J. Plutino completed One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Ga., as an infantryman. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course there, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program also at Fort Benning.

Plutino graduated from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program and was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in February 2007, where he served as a rifleman, grenadier, automatic rifleman, and a Ranger team leader.

His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, U.S. Army Ranger Course, Warrior Leader Course, and the Emergency Medical Technician Ambulatory Course.

His awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the Parachutist Badge.

He has also been awarded the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

Plutino is survived by his mother Dianne Hammond and his father Sandro Plutino, both of Pitman, N.J.