Northern Michigan Marine sgt. dies in Afghanistan - Sacramento Bee

KINGSLEY, Mich. -- A U.S. Marine sergeant from northern lower Michigan has been killed in combat during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon says 26-year-old Justin M. Hansen of Traverse City was killed Tuesday in combat in Badghis province. He was part of the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion from Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Hansen was a 2003 graduate of Kingsley High School, where he played football. Rick Hansen of Williamsburg says his son also served a combat tour in Iraq.

Kingsley is about 12 miles south-southeast of Traverse City.

Lifelong friend Jon Walton tells the Traverse City Record-Eagle that Justin Hansen was "always full of energy, always up for something new."

Walton says whatever Hansen did, "he did it 110 percent."

TV stations WWTV/WWUP say Hansen enlisted seven years ago.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

A U.S. Marine sergeant from northern lower Michigan has been killed in combat in Afghanistan during his second tour of duty, his father said Wednesday.

Justin Hansen, 26, was a 2003 graduate of Kingsley High School, where he played football. He died Tuesday after being shot while sweeping a house, said his father, Rick Hansen of Williamsburg. He said his son also served a combat tour in Iraq.

Hansen's father said his son was no stranger to the insurgents that U.S. forces faced.

"I said, 'Do you get real close to these guys - the enemy?' And he said, 'Oh yeah. Someday we'll sit down in a corner and we'll talk about it,'" he told the Traverse City Record-Eagle. "That day never came."

Lifelong friend Jon Walton said Justin Hansen was "always full of energy, always up for something new."

"And he was the most committed person I've ever met," Walton said. "Whatever he did, he did 110 percent."

Amanda Herrick, who graduated from Kingsley High a year before Hansen, said his loss was being strongly felt.

"We are still a small community. Everybody knows everybody," Herrick said.

Kingsley is about 12 miles south-southeast of Traverse City.

Hansen joined the service seven years ago, according to TV stations WWTV/WWUP.

The Pentagon hadn't officially announced the death Wednesday evening.