PHOTO GALLERY: Almost 10 Years After 9/11, a Look at Our Soldiers in Afghanistan

The surprising late-night news that Osama bin Laden is dead certainly will hit home in New Lenox, as a number of families here have loved ones serving overseas and one with a son who died in Afghanistan.

President Barack Obama announced Sunday night, in a televised address to the nation. His death was the result of a U.S. operation launched Sunday in Abbottabad, Pakistan, against a compound where bin Laden was believed to be hiding, according to U.S. intelligence.

The president praised U.S. military and intelligence professionals for working “tirelessly to achieve this outcome.” For one New Lenox resident, that work was fatal.

U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Lowell, a New Lenox resident and Lincoln-Way Central graduate, died in 2007 during the war in Afghanistan. is named in his honor.

In November, we spoke with Lt. Col. Cheryl Scaglione, who is assigned to Camp Sabalu-Harrison in Afghanistan as the officer in charge of medical operations for the detention facility in Parwan.

"Each deployment was unique, but to have served my country in the war against terrorism is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life," she said.

Since New Lenox Patch launched in October, there have been at least three homecoming celebrations for residents who had served in Afghanistan. If there are more residents serving overseas, please add their photos and information to this article or email it to michael.sewall@patch.com.

Here are links to our soldier homecoming coverage for those who have served in Iraq:

Lance Cpl. William Kolb, U.S. Marines:

Spc. Kevin Kwiecinski, U.S. Army:

Lt. Col. Cheryl Scaglione and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dion Scaglione, U.S. Air Force: