Staff Sgt. Avonye John Cavon Chisolm, 26, died as a result of injuries sustained during an airborne proficiency jump on August 24, 2016 at Galahad Drop Zone, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

Chisolm sustained serious injuries during the airborne operation; he was transported to the nearest military treatment facility; then air-lifted to Memorial Health University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia and died August 25.

Chisolm was assigned to Company E, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia as a Culinary Specialist.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Chisolm deployed five times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Chisolm was born August 1, 1990 in Indianapolis, Indiana and earned his General Education Diploma from Fort Stewart Youth Challenge Academy 2007. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 2008, attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and Advanced Individual Training as a Culinary Specialist at Fort Lee, Virginia. After graduating from the Basic Airborne Course and the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment March 2009.

Chisolm transferred to 1st Battalion in September 2013 and served as a Culinary Specialist Non-Commissioned Officer.

His military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, Basic Leader Course, the Unit Prevention Leader Course, Lean Six Sigma Course-Black Belt, Lean Six Sigma Course-Green Belt, Demonstrated Logistics Course, the Advanced Leader Course and the Culinary Skills Advanced Course. He was a certified ServSafe Food Protection Manager.

His awards and decorations include the Combat Action Badge, the Parachutist Badge, U.S. Army Expert Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badge-Carbine. Chisolm has also been awarded the Joint Services Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Presidential Unit Citation Award, Army Good

Conduct Medal 2nd Award, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon 2nd Award, Army Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal.

He will be posthumously awarded the Army Commendation Medal.

Chisolm is survived by his father Harrell Chisolm of Atlanta, Georgia and his grandmother Celestine Herbert of Charleston, South Carolina.

As a Ranger, Staff Sgt. Avonye John Cavon Chisolm selflessly lived his life for others and distinguished himself as a member of the Army’s premier direct action raid force and fought valiantly as he served his fellow Rangers and our great Nation.