Cpl. Derek Stanley was found dead at a base in Afghanistan.
Those who knew Army Cpl. Derek Stanley called the Tulsan a fun-loving young man and an intensely dedicated soldier who firmly believed in what he was doing.
A chemical operations specialist, Stanley, 20, was found dead Monday at Forward Operating Base Salerno in Afghanistan, the military reported.
The base is north of Khost, near the Pakistan border.
The Department of Defense said Stanley died from a noncombat injury, although his death is still under investigation.
He was a member of the 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, based in Fort Drum, N.Y.
P.J. Baker, a close family friend, said she spoke with Stanley a couple of days before his death.
"He was laughing, talking about never having seen mountains all away around him, and telling stories about some of the locals he had met," she said.
He said he was looking forward to coming home and visiting in November, when he would have turned 21, she said.
"I told how very proud we all were of him and how I loved him so very much," she said.
"Derek was so smart and funny, so full of life and energy, and excitement to go into the Army.
"I, of course, was worried about him going, but if you could see the glow and excitement he showed, you knew you couldn't dispute that.
"We're all devastated. He was such a big part of our family."
An aunt, Pam Smith of Tulsa, said her nephew firmly believed in what he died for, "and
that makes me very proud of him."
She said that as a child he loved sports, football in particular, "and he was a philosopher. He loved to get into deep conversations."
"Derek was just a great, great kid," she said, noting how much he loved attending Thunderbird Youth Academy in Pryor.
Maj. Steven Tunnell, Thunderbird's director, said Stanley did everything that was required of him at the academy and piled up outstanding credits.
"He was very, very intent from the start to go into the military," Tunnell said.
Stanley graduated from the academy in December 2003 and enlisted in the Army four months later, Tunnell said.
He completed his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and then stayed for 19 more weeks of training in the Chemical Brigade.
He was sent to Afghanistan in February.
He received the Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
His mother, Darlyn M. Smith, moved eight months ago from Tulsa to Boise, Idaho.
Through a spokeswoman for the Idaho National Guard, Darlyn Smith released a statement about her son:
"Derek always conducted himself honorably and was a much-loved son, brother, grandson, cousin and nephew.
"He was his mother's protector, strength and friend. He loved his family deeply."
Other survivors are Stanley's father, Faron Stanley, and an older brother, Aaron, both of Tulsa.
Funeral arrangements are pending in Tulsa.
Manny Gamallo 581-8386
manny.gamallo@tulsaworld.com
