24-year-old Army Specialist Brett W. Land died on Saturday in the Zhari district of Afghanistan. Land was most recently from Wasco, but spent part of his childhood in Porterville.
Land was killed when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was part of an air assault team out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Land was a standout wrestler for Bakersfield High and a member of the school's 2004 state championship team. His wife gave birth to their first child just three weeks ago.
