Marine, 19, who school officials BANNED from wearing uniform at his graduation is killed by IED in Afghanistan less than a year later

Brandon Garabrant was part of a Nato security force when he died Friday



19-year-old was so excited about serving country that he wanted to wear uniform to collect school diploma

New Hampshire community mourns loss of teenager 'dedicated to serving his fellow citizens'

A New Hampshire Marine who was barred from wearing his uniform for his high school graduation last June has been killed by a roadside bomb.



Lance Corporal Brandon Garabrant, who signed up for the forces immediately after finishing his studies, was one of three U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan on Friday morning.



The community where the 19-year-old grew up were saddened by his death, and a flag was at half mast outside the fire station he volunteered at.

Proud to serve: Lance Corporal Brandon Garabrant, a 19-year-old Marine, was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Friday

Garabrant had been so proud of making it into the Marines that he made headlines last year after trying to wear his uniform to his high school graduation.



His Peterborough school denied his request, telling the teenager that he would have to wear his cap and gown over the newly acquired uniform.



The principal, Brian Pickering, this week praised his former student and said the school community was upset to hear that Garabrant had died.



'We are all shocked and deeply saddened by his passing and we are incredibly grateful for his service to our country,' Pickering told WMUR9.

Garabrant's untimely death struck a chord with many in his New Hampshire community. Several had already backed the young man's dedication to the forces after his plea to graduate in his uniform.



Hero: As well as serving in the Marines, Garabrant worked as a volunteer firefighter



Protect: U.S. troops secure an area near the Pakistan-Afghan border on Thursday after a different attack on Nato supply trucks. Garabrant had been serving as part of a Nato force in a different part of the country

At the time of the high school celebration last June, he had just completed his training at a South Carolina camp.



Several shops around the school showed their support for his request to wear the uniform, and put signs up calling for the school to change its rules.

His mother, Jesse Garabrant, said at the time: 'I'm overwhelmed with the support of the community. It's just wonderful.'

As well as being a dedicated Marine, Garabrant also worked as a volunteer firefighter in Temple..

' Whenever he came home on leave, the first thing he did, contacting me, "Chief, I need a pager so I can help you out",' volunteer fire chief George Clark said.

'He absolutely loved what he was doing. He knew the sacrifice and he was still willing to do it,' Clark told WMRU9.



Loss: Garabrant, pictured during Marine boot camp early last year, had been enjoying life in the forces

Community backing: Residents in Peterborough had supported Garabrant's request to wear his uniform. They are united again as they mourn his passing

Peterborough police chief Scott Guinard also praised the young Marine, calling him 'a young gentleman'.

Garabrant had been assigned to a Nato security force in Afghanistan, and appeared to be enjoying life on deployment.



When he arrived at his post in April, he wrote on Facebook: 'Loving life in Afghanistan so far. Gym twice a day, hanging out with a great group of friends.'

He had also made light of the extreme weather conditions he and the fellow Marines were working in, as he posted a picture of the forecast this week, showing it reaching 113F.

New Hampshire governor Maggie Hassan has paid tribute to the Marine and volunteer firefighter who was 'dedicated to serving his fellow citizens, and he was tragically taken from us far too soon'.