Army Sgt. Greka was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3d Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Georgia. Greka died of wounds sustained from a land mine detonation during a dismounted patrol in Jisr Diyala. Allen seemed on a course to join the military since the fifth grade when someone gave him a copy of the Air Force survival guide. He spent hours reading and studying the book. Before long he had memorized every word in it. At Alpena High School in Alpena, Michigan, Allen set himself apart. He was independent, vocal and had high expectations of himself. But his willingness to question authority had everyone surprised when he joined the military. As an ambitious teenager, he wanted more opportunities than the Thunder Bay region could offer. He first enlisted in the Army in 2000 and had just re-enlisted a second time, thinking of making the Army his career. He hoped that one day it might lead to a good job in law enforcement. As a young boy, Allen's father taught him the art of target shooting. He was so good at it that he won a marksmanship medal in basic training. His ability to get off a good shot worked well for him as a .50-caliber machine gunner on a humvee. Allen was a very professional soldier who loved what he did. He was a very outgoing person who enjoyed reading and was very smart. His hobbies were going duck hunting and cheering on the New York Giants in football and the Boston Celtics in basketball. Allen was an only child and leaves behind his wife, Jennifer, and two daughters.
Army Sgt. Greka was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3d Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning, Georgia. Greka died of wounds sustained from a land mine detonation during a dismounted patrol in Jisr Diyala. Allen seemed on a course to join the military since the fifth grade when someone gave him a copy of the Air Force survival guide. He spent hours reading and studying the book. Before long he had memorized every word in it. At Alpena High School in Alpena, Michigan, Allen set himself apart. He was independent, vocal and had high expectations of himself. But his willingness to question authority had everyone surprised when he joined the military. As an ambitious teenager, he wanted more opportunities than the Thunder Bay region could offer. He first enlisted in the Army in 2000 and had just re-enlisted a second time, thinking of making the Army his career. He hoped that one day it might lead to a good job in law enforcement. As a young boy, Allen's father taught him the art of target shooting. He was so good at it that he won a marksmanship medal in basic training. His ability to get off a good shot worked well for him as a .50-caliber machine gunner on a humvee. Allen was a very professional soldier who loved what he did. He was a very outgoing person who enjoyed reading and was very smart. His hobbies were going duck hunting and cheering on the New York Giants in football and the Boston Celtics in basketball. Allen was an only child and leaves behind his wife, Jennifer, and two daughters.
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