Technical Sergeant Travis L. Brown, 37, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, tragically lost his battle with PTSD and took his own life on February 16, 2022.
Travis graduated from Chancellor High School in June 2003 and enlisted in the United States Air Force at 19 in December 2003. He embarked on the challenging Pararescue training program and proudly earned the coveted maroon beret in October 2006. His dedication and excellence were recognized when he won the prestigious PJ of the Year award in 2008.
While on active duty, Travis was stationed at the 38th Rescue Squadron at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Georgia, from October 2007 to 2009. He then served with the 31st Rescue Squadron in Okinawa, Japan, until November 2010. In 2010, he joined the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron in Louisville, KY. Travis’s deployments included multiple missions to Africa, Afghanistan, and other OGA assignments worldwide.
More than a highly respected Pararescueman, Travis was a dynamic individual—a modern Renaissance man. He was intelligent, humble, deeply reflective, a musician, a fighter, and painfully charismatic. He was a loyal friend, a talented PJ, and had a reputation for his great hair. Known for his infectious love of music and guitar, Travis had a magnetic personality; women adored him, and men aspired to be like him. He was the life of every party and could always make you laugh, even in the toughest times. His courage on the battlefield and his vibrant spirit in everyday life made him a true hero.
Brown’s military education included the Combat Diver Qualification Course, Basic Airborne Course, SERE, Military Free Fall School, NREMT-P, Advanced Tactical Practitioner, Senior Mountaineer, Advanced Special Operations Techniques (ASOT II), Jumpmaster, Dive Supervisor, and Rescue Team Leader.
Travis leaves behind a void that can never be filled. He is survived by his loving mother, Della Knight; his brother and best friend, Taylor Brown, of Louisville; his sister, Sarah Pulley, of Nashville, Tennessee; and his dear friend, Emily Vest, of Louisville, who is also the mother to their dog, Drover. His absence is deeply felt by numerous other close friends and colleagues. Travis liked to start every morning with the question, “What are you going to accomplish today?” His voice, encouraging us to do better, will be dearly missed.
