Another Australian soldier killed in Afghanistan

Marks leaves behind a grieving family and two childrena four-year-old son and a baby daughter. His wife, Cassandra, has not directly spoken with the media. A press release issued in her name stated: All Jason ever wanted to do was join the Army.... Becoming a commando was a dream of Jasons, he was proud of who he was and what he did.... Our family is devastated at the tragic loss. His uncle, who was tracked down by journalists seeking comments, said: He was a great young bloke and its a shame that he was over there. Im too upset to say more.

The young soldier was born in the mining town of Broken Hill and grew up in the northern Queensland tourist town of Yeppoon. He enlisted in the army in 1999, at the age of just 18. After serving for a number of years as a medic, he transferred in 2005 to the armys commando battalion, 4RAR (Royal Australian Regiment). A company from the battalion has been stationed in Afghanistan since mid-2007, working with elite Special Air Service troops to hunt down and kill Afghans in Uruzgan province who are resisting the US-led occupation of their country.

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