Cpl. Aaron M. Griner, 24, of Sackets Harbor, a medic with the 10th Mountain Div. of Ft. Drum Unit 287 of the 2nd Brigade 87th Infantry died June 28 in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.  The humvee he was in had hit a mine.

He was born August 11, 1981 in Tampa, Florida.  He was the son of Ernest and Anita Bridges Griner.  He graduated from Tampa Bay Tech Senior High School.  He was an avid soccer player from the age of 4. 

He joined the Army in February 2004 and became a combat medic and was looking forward to becoming a registered nurse once he finished his four year enlistment.

In October of 2005 he married Amanda Helmer of Poland, N.Y. while stationed at Ft. Drum.  He and his wife have a son Austin James who was born five months ago and four weeks before being deployed to Afghanistan.

He is survived by his wife Amanda and son Austin of Sackets Harbor.

Parents: 
Ernest and Sylvia Griner of Riverview, Fla. (father)
Anita Bridges Lavallo of Tampa, Fla.  (mother)

Sisters: 
Annie Van Horn of Plant City, Fla. and Megan Griner of Georgia.

Step brother Xavier Cano, stepsisters Gabrielle and Jillian of Riverview, Fl. And mother-in-law Laurie Helmer of N.Y. and father-in-law Mark Helmer of N.Y.

Grandparents Mary and Lamar Bridges Sr. of Tampa, Iris and Ernest Griner of Bushnell, Florida and James and Barbara Tasovac of Tampa. 

He has numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Aaron was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Cross.

The funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday July 19 at St. Andrews Catholic Church in Sackets Harbor with the Fr. Douglas Comstock, officiating.  Burial will be with full military honors at Brookside Cemetery in Watertown.  Calling hours will be Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Johnson Funeral Home, Dexter.