An Army soldier based in southeast Georgia has been killed in Afghanistan.

The Defense Department says 28-year-old Sgt. Aaron Wittman died Thursday after his unit from Fort Stewart was attacked by small arms fire while conducting a mounted patrol in Nangarhar Province.

The soldier from Chester, Va., was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division. He joined the Army in 2008 and arrived at Fort Stewart in early 2012.

The Army says Wittman was serving his second combat deployment. He had previously been awarded Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals.

Tags: Fort Stewart, Army, Afghanistan, fallen soldier