Emily Perez

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Emily Jazmin Tatum Perez
February 19, 1983 - September 12, 2006
Place of birth	Heidelberg, West Germany
Place of death	KIA in Al Kifl, Iraq
Allegiance	United States Army
Years of service	2005-2006
Rank	Second Lieutenant
Unit	204th Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart

Emily Jazmin Tatum Perez (19 February 1983-12 September 2006) was the first female minority Cadet Command Sergeant Major in the history of the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Born in Heidelberg, West Germany of African American and Hispanic parents, she graduated from Oxon Hill High School, in Maryland, where she was wing commander of Junior ROTC. While in high school, working with the District's Peace Baptist Church, Perez helped begin an HIV-AIDS ministry after family members contracted the virus.

In July 2001, after graduation from high school, Perez attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. There she was an exemplary student and talented track athlete. Following graduation from West Point, she was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the 204th Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division of the United States Army. Perez deployed to Iraq in December as a Medical Service Corps officer. She was killed when a makeshift bomb exploded near her Humvee during combat operations in Al Kifl, near Najaf. Aged 23, she was the first female graduate of West Point to die in the Iraq War, the first West Point graduate of the "Class of 9/11" to die in combat, and the first female African-American officer to die in combat. Her decorations include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Combat Action Badge.

Emily Perez was the 64th female member of the U.S. military to be killed in Iraq or Afghanistan and the 40th West Point graduate killed since the September 11, 2001 attacks. Another female West Point graduate, Laura M. Walker of the Class of 2003, was killed in Afghanistan in 2005.

Perez was laid to rest at the West Point Cemetery.