Benjamin H. Follansbee, 2003 alumnus, dies

11:13 a.m., Dec. 19, 2012--Maj. Benjamin Follansbee, a U.S. Army Green Beret and 2003 graduate of the University of Delaware, died Dec. 10, 2012, in Fayetteville, N.C., where he was stationed on active duty.

Maj. Follansbee, 31, was from the Pittsburgh area and served multiple tours of duty overseas, including four deployments to Afghanistan. After serving in Iraq in 2005, where he was wounded when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle, he returned home and entered Special Forces training to become a member of the elite Green Berets.

He went on to serve in Afghanistan and was a commander in the southern part of the country during the U.S. military surge. He earned two Bronze Stars, a Joint Service Achievement Medal, an Army Achievement Medal, an Army Service Medal and a NATO medal and was promoted to major shortly before his death.

Maj. Follansbee, who majored in history and was a member of the Army ROTC program at UD, remained a "bookworm" who loved reading about history, his father told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. After graduation, he completed officer training school and Army Ranger school.

Maj. Follansbee is survived by his parents, Dr. William and Susan Follansbee, of Pittsburgh; a twin sister, Kate Junger, of Cincinnati; and a brother, Chris, of Pittsburgh.