Army Capt. Bunting was assigned to the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New York National Guard, Syracuse, New York. He was the commander of a 15-man team responsible for mentoring the Afghan National Police. He died of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Brian acquired the nickname "Bubba" from his older brother. Thinking that his new baby brother was less than cute, Bobby decided he looked like a Bubba. He grew up in Potomac, Maryland and became a three-sport star and class president at Bullis High School. Anything for his team and teammates was Brian's mindset – he always thought of others before himself. After graduating from Bullis in 1998, he decided to join the Army and went to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. When he graduated from West Point in 2002, he left with a degree in civil engineering. He was also an accomplished lacrosse and intramural football player while there. Brian retired from active duty in May 2007 but then in March 2008, he received mobilization orders and had been in Afghanistan since June 2008. He received three Army Achievement medals, an Army commendation Medal and six additional service medals. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal posthumously. Brian was an amazing family man to his wife Nicki and 1 year old son. He was able to come home on leave last month to see them. While home, he told his wife that if anything happened to him in Afghanistan that he was OK with it. He had lived a blessed life with his family and had everything he had ever wanted. Only after his death, did his wife discover that she is pregnant with their second child. Brian knew the risks of his job so he had a file that he kept for his wife in a fireproof box that was full of forms and phone numbers that she would need if he didn't come home. That file also contained details of what he wanted at his memorial service and the three songs to be played – Lynyrd Skynyrds's "Simple Man", Johnny Cash's "I Won't Back Down" and in memory of his mother who died of cancer he chose "Mama I'm Coming Home", by Ozzie Osbourne. These songs were played at his funeral.
Army Capt. Bunting was assigned to the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New York National Guard, Syracuse, New York. He was the commander of a 15-man team responsible for mentoring the Afghan National Police. He died of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Brian acquired the nickname "Bubba" from his older brother. Thinking that his new baby brother was less than cute, Bobby decided he looked like a Bubba. He grew up in Potomac, Maryland and became a three-sport star and class president at Bullis High School. Anything for his team and teammates was Brian's mindset – he always thought of others before himself. After graduating from Bullis in 1998, he decided to join the Army and went to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. When he graduated from West Point in 2002, he left with a degree in civil engineering. He was also an accomplished lacrosse and intramural football player while there. Brian retired from active duty in May 2007 but then in March 2008, he received mobilization orders and had been in Afghanistan since June 2008. He received three Army Achievement medals, an Army commendation Medal and six additional service medals. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal posthumously. Brian was an amazing family man to his wife Nicki and 1 year old son. He was able to come home on leave last month to see them. While home, he told his wife that if anything happened to him in Afghanistan that he was OK with it. He had lived a blessed life with his family and had everything he had ever wanted. Only after his death, did his wife discover that she is pregnant with their second child. Brian knew the risks of his job so he had a file that he kept for his wife in a fireproof box that was full of forms and phone numbers that she would need if he didn't come home. That file also contained details of what he wanted at his memorial service and the three songs to be played – Lynyrd Skynyrds's "Simple Man", Johnny Cash's "I Won't Back Down" and in memory of his mother who died of cancer he chose "Mama I'm Coming Home", by Ozzie Osbourne. These songs were played at his funeral.
