Army Specialist Kevin Hilaman died when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire, according to a press release issued by the Department of Defense.
Hilaman's father Bernard Hilaman told ABC7 his son was on his third tour oversees after re-enlisting last year. The first two tours were in Iraq. "The first two, he was happy to serve his country and do what he needed to do," said Bernard, who described his son as being "nervous" about his latest deployment to Afghanistan in April.
Hilaman's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star medal, the Purple Heart and the Army Achievement medal. He joined the Army in March 2003 as an infantryman.
Kevin Hilaman and his wife Sara lived in Berkeley and Albany for a time before moving to Hawaii. Hilaman is originally from Citrus Heights in the Sacramento area. Besides his wife, Hilaman is survived by his parents and a young stepson.
