A former Mid-Ohio Valley student has been killed while serving in Iraq.

The Department of Defense announced Friday that Staff Sgt. Jesse Ault died Wednesday when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device south of Baghdad.

The 28-year old graduated from Tyler Consolidated High School in 1998. Two months later, he left for basic training.

After that, he and his family moved to Dublin, Virginia.

Ault will be recommended for the bronze star medal, the combat action badge, and the Purple Heart.

He leaves behind his parents, a wife, son and daughter. Ault's wife gave this speech at the Pulaski Armory today.

"Good afternoon, my name is Betsy Ault. I will talk to you about my husband, Jesse Ault. I will make a very personal statement, and I ask that the media respect my wishes and not contact me, my family or friends after this.

I am here today to tell you about Staff Sergeant Jesse Ault. Jesse was a loving and dedicated father and husband and a brave and loyal Soldier.

Jess grew up in Middlebourne, West Virginia, and graduated from Tyler County High School.

He and his best friend, Travis, joined the U.S. Army before they even graduated from high school. Two months after graduation, they shipped off to basic training and ended up in Fort Bragg. Travis and Jesse were always together. Travis and Jesse were like brothers. After serving four years on active duty, Jesse and Travis moved to Virginia and joined the Virginia National Guard.

I met Jesse during annual training the summer of 2002. I was in the 229th Chemical Company, and he was in the 1710th Transportation Company. We were alerted that we may be deployed. Though we did not deploy, our units trained together during the next two years.

My maiden name is Allen, and the Army does everything in alphabetical order. So, Jesse was always in line behind me. We did a lot of things together in groups. One day, while standing in line, I turned to him and said, “When are you ever going to ask me out on a date…alone?”

The units were alerted in 2004 and combined and deployed as the 1173rd Transportation Company to Camp Anaconda in Balad, Iraq. You can say that we were dating each other when were on deployment.

When Jesse met my son, Nathan, we were on a 5-day pass for Christmas. Though Jesse was quiet and shy, Nathan just crawled right up on Jesse’s lap. Jesse and Nathan became best buds then and there – it was instant.

Jesse loved Nathan, and after we returned from Iraq, he told me that he loved Nathan so much and wanted a baby of his own. We got married on the front steps of my father’s house, and not too long after that, Adam was born.

When Jesse found out he was going to have a son, he bought Jeff Gordon outfits and West Virginia gear for “his little man.”

Jesse loved all things University of West Virginia and Jeff Gordon. He cheered for the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Braves. He liked fishing and golf and loved to ride sleds down the hill with Nathan.

Jesse separated from the Guard after the deployment, but I was still serving when my unit was alerted early 2007.

Jesse loved our family so much and saw how important it was for me to stay with my sons. He joined the National Guard again to take my place on the deployment.

The day he landed in Kuwait, I found out we were pregnant. He was allowed emergency leave to come home to see the birth of our daughter, Rachel, she is 4 months old.

He called me every day when he was Iraq, even the day he died. He would always ask how his “little man” and “baby doll” were doing. I want you to know Jesse Ault. When he was not in uniform, he was 100% family. That was what meant the most.

When he put on his uniform, he believed that he had a responsibility to his guys. He took his job seriously. He considered himself a leader and a protector.

Even when he was at home for the birth of his daughter, he worried that he wasn’t there to take care of his guys in Iraq.

The guys from Iraq called me to talk about Jesse, and I know that he meant a lot to the Soldiers and that he will be missed by everyone who knows him.

Thank you."

Funeral arrangements haven't yet been set.