William "Bill" Berkey

Memorial services for 1SG (Ret) William “Bill” Brian Berkey, Age 55, will be held Saturday, June 20, 2020, 1PM at the Special Forces Association on 4990 Doc Bennett Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28306.

1SG (Ret) Bill Berkey died May 21, 2020, at his home in Raeford, NC. Bill was born February 12, 1965 in Glendale, Arizona. He graduated High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, and joined the US Army in 1983.

Bill served 31 years on active duty retiring in 2014. Bill also owned his own Construction Company “Berkey Construction” during his active duty years. Bill served as a 13F Forward Observer stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas and K-Town, Germany from 1983 to 1989. Bill went to Special Forces Selection in 1989 and trained as a Special Forces Engineer 18C with 5th SFG at Ft. Bragg, NC. Bill served in combat in Desert Shield/Desert Storm with 5th SFG in 1990-1991. and further with 3rd SFG conducting deployments to Haiti and Africa throughout the 90s. In early 2000, Bill served as the Senior Assessor at Special Forces Selection and Assessment selecting thousands of future Green Berets. Bill retuned to the 3rd SFG serving at Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan in 2006-2008. Bill returned to Ft. Bragg and served as the 1SG for all students in the Special Forces Qualification Course until 2009. After his 1SG duties, Bill deployed in the summer of 2009 as the Team Sergeant on ODA 7222, B/2/7 SFG to Fire Base Cobra, Afghanistan where his team was decorated many times for Valor. Bill went on to serve in Special Forces a total of 26 years. His decorations include the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device for Valor, Defense Meritorious Serve Medal, Meritorious Serve Medal (1 OLC), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, South West Asia Service Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, CIB with Star, Special Forces Tab, Military Free-Fall Parachutist Wings, Master Parachutist Wings, French Parachutist Wings.

After retiring from the US Army, Bill worked as a Defense Contractor for various businesses teaching and training in Baghdad, Iraq, Romania, and Saudi Arabia from 2014 to 2020.

Bill is survived by his wife Patricia, his four sons: Darrel, Derrick, Kevin, Zachary and 2 sisters, Sara and Diane.

Lafayette Funeral Home in Fayetteville is handling his arrangements.

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