Brian Edward Studer was born on July 18, 1980, in Austin, Mower County, Minnesota. He was the son of Gene Lawrence Studer. After graduating from Elk River High School in 1999, Studer chose to enlist in the United States Army rather than pursue college, despite having completed college-level coursework during his final two years of high school. During his military career, Studer served with the 720th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 28th Transportation Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, based in Mannheim, Germany, where he gained extensive experience in locating, disarming, and disposing of explosive devices. He was later deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

SSgt Studer was killed on August 22, 2008, in Ghazni Province after the improvised explosive device he was attempting to render safe detonated, fatally wounding him. He was scheduled to leave the Army in early 2009; he planned to apply those skills with the HALO Trust, a humanitarian organization that clears landmines and other explosive remnants of war from conflict-affected areas. He is now buried in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Fort Snelling, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, thefallen.militarytimes.com