To Honor U.S. Army Captain Benjamin Sklaver

Governor M. Jodi Rell today ordered U.S. and State of Connecticut flags be lowered to half staff to honor U.S. Army Captain Benjamin Sklaver, a Hamden native, who was killed in Afghanistan on Friday.

 

“Our state and country have lost a brave soldier and a family has lost a brave son who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom,“ Governor Rell said. “As Americans, we must never take the liberty we enjoy for granted.

 

“On behalf of our state, I extend our deepest sympathies to his family at this most difficult time,“ the Governor said. “And I ask everyone in Connecticut to keep all our soldiers, sailors and airmen, who are far from home, in our thoughts each and every day.”

 

Captain Sklaver, 32, a graduate of Hamden High School and Tufts University, was on patrol in Muscheh, Afghanistan, when his unit was ambushed by a suicide attacker.

 

At the Governor’s direction, flags will remain at half staff until Capt. Sklaver has been interred. Funeral arrangements are pending.