The deaths bring the number of U.S. troops killed in combat in Afghanistan this year to 13, drawing new attention to the longest war in American history. Five of those deaths occurred this month.

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A bomb exploded near their vehicle in Ghazni province, an area of Afghanistan that has been embattled for months, drawing renewed attention from the U.S. military. Three other U.S. service members were wounded, along with a U.S. military contractor.

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Emond had served the longest of the three killed, with more than 21 years split between the Marine Corps and, later, the Army, according to a biography released by his current service. A married father with three children, he grew up in Boston and was on his seventh deployment. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, his second, for his injuries.

Ross was a native of Lexington, Va., a town in the Shenandoah Valley. He was on his second deployment and leaves behind a wife and parents.

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“Andrew and Eric were invaluable members and leaders in 3rd Special Forces Group and the Special Operations community,” said Col. Nathan Prussian, a commanding officer. “Our most heartfelt condolences go out to the families of these brave men.”

Elchin deployed in August as part of an Army Special Forces team and was engaged to be married. He graduated from Hopewell High School in Pennsylvania and enlisted in the Air Force in August 2012 as a combat controller. After completing training, he was assigned to the 26th Special Tactics Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico.