ALANSON, Mich. -- A 24-year-old soldier who worked as a hospital rehabilitation technician before joining the Army was killed in Iraq when his patrol came under fire, his family said.
Pfc. Justin T. Paton of Alanson died Saturday, the Petoskey News-Review and the Cheboygan Daily Tribune reported.
The Defense Department hadn't released information about Paton as of Monday night.
Stormy Dickinson said her brother, a 2000 graduate of Inland Lakes High School, was a member of the 1st Cavalry Division. He joined the Army in 2005 and was deployed to Iraq on Oct. 3. She said he had worked at Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey before joining the Army in 2005.
"He was kind of a quiet kid in school," said Frank Holes, a former principal at Inland Lakes High School. "He was a good student, he was always friendly, seemed to have lots of friends but he wasn't the kind of kid that did anything outlandish or drew attention to himself."
Jerry Carpentier, a family friend, said Paton liked to be outdoors. "My wife and I spent time with them and shared our common interests in hunting and fishing and camping," he said.
Survivors include his parents, Donald and Shelley Paton of Alanson; and a brother
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