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.
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