Captain Andrew Michael Pedersen-Keel, age 28, U.S. Army, was mortally wounded in Afghanistan on March 11.  Andrew was the son of Helen Pedersen Keiser and Bob Keiser of Madison and Henry Keel of Pompano Beach, Florida. Born on June 8, 1984 in South Miami, Florida, he attended and graduated from Avon Old Farms High School. He entered the U.S. Army in May of 2006 after earning a bachelor of science degree in American legal studies from the United States Military Academy and was commissioned as an Infantry officer. 

After completing the officer basic course at Fort Benning, Andrew arrived at his first assignment as an Infantry Rifle Platoon leader with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (Light) at Fort Hood, Texas, in June 2007.  In June 2008, he deployed with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment in support of OEF IIX and IX as an executive officer and was selected for a second platoon leadership position in September 2008 with the 3rd Platoon, B Company, where he remained for the remainder of that deployment.  As a Platoon leader in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, Andrew led his platoon in over 150 combat foot patrols and three air assault operations in a platoon area of operations that included five different villages.

Upon returning from this deployment, Andrew was identified as the new Battalion S-1 administrative officer in September 2009, where he oversaw the manning drawdown of the 2-2 Infantry Regiment during the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division's BRAC directed transition from Fort Hood, Texas to Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Upon completion of the troop drawdown, and formal encasement of the unit colors, Andrew attended Special Forces Assessment and Selection in November 2009.  In September 2010, he graduated from the Maneuver Captains Career Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and began the Special Forces Qualification Course in November 2010, where he also studied Pashto during the language phase.

In 2011, Andrew graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, where he served as an ODA commander until his current deployment in August 2012 as an ODA commander in Afghanistan.  At the time of his death, Captain Pedersen-Keel was deeply involved in training the Afghan army.

Captain Pedersen-Keel’s awards and decorations include the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, two Bronze Stars, the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the NATO Metal, Ranger Tab, Special Forces Tab, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Parachutist Badge.  Posthumously, he is receiving a third Bronze Star and a Purple Heart in a ceremony at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.     

When possible, Andrew loved to spend his free time with his friends, traveling, attending concerts, and fixing up his new home in Southern Pines, North Carolina.    http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ ), or to the Special Forces Charitable Trust, c/o David T. Guernsey Jr., Executive Director, PO Box 53, Essex, CT 06426 (http://specialforcescharitabletrust.org/donate). The Guilford Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Besides his parents, he is survived by a sister, Mary Elizabeth Keel.  He is also survived by his fiancée, Celeste Pizza, and many loving close family and friends. 

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. George Church, 33 Whitfield St., Guilford, on Monday, March 25, at 11 a.m.  Burial with full military honors will be held in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday, March 27, at 9 a.m.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS  66675 (