Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonathan R. Farmer was born on April 27, 1981, in Boynton Beach, Florida. He lived for a time in Laconia, New Hampshire, before returning to Florida as a teenager and attending the Benjamin School in Palm Beach.
Jon went on to Bowdoin College in Maine, where he majored in history and played forward on the men’s basketball team, serving as a team captain. In May 2004 he received the William J. Fraser Trophy, given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit of Bowdoin basketball. His coach remembered “a great teammate and competitor” and a quality person whose company everyone enjoyed. His college roommate called him a loyal and selfless friend.
Jon joined the Army on March 30, 2005. After One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, he entered the Special Forces Qualification Course and graduated in 2007 as a Special Forces engineer sergeant. He was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and remained with the Group for his entire career. In 2016 he earned his warrant through Special Forces Warrant Officer Candidate School and was selected as an assistant detachment commander with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group. His military education also includes SERE, the Advanced Special Operations Technical Course, the Advanced Leader Course, the Special Forces Warrant Officer Basic Course and the Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification Course.
Over his career Jon completed ten overseas deployments. His combat tours took him twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, in 2007 and 2009; to Iraq again for Operation New Dawn in 2010; to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom; and to Syria for Operation Inherent Resolve.
On January 16, 2019, while conducting a local engagement in the city of Manbij, Syria, Jon was killed when an attacker detonated an explosive vest inside a restaurant. Nineteen people died in the attack, including four Americans: Jon, Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician Shannon Kent, Scott Wirtz and Ghadir Taher. It was the deadliest attack on U.S. forces in Syria since American operations there began. Jon was 37.
His awards and decorations include three Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with “C” device, three additional Army Commendation Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with three campaign stars, the NATO Medal, the Special Forces Tab, the Parachutist Badge and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Jon is survived by his wife, Tabitha, their four young children and his parents. Bowdoin College added his name to its memorials for alumni who gave their lives in service. His teammates in the 5th Special Forces Group remember a leader who served with unwavering dedication to his team and his country.
CW2 Jonathan Farmer served ten deployments, seven combat and three operational, with unwavering dedication to his team and country.
3rd Bn, 5th SFG(A)
Sources
- U.S. Army (USASOC): U.S. Army Special Forces Soldier dies of wounds (Jan. 18, 2019)
- Bowdoin College Obituaries: Jonathan R. Farmer ’03
- USASOC Memorial Wall biography: Jonathan Farmer (PDF)
- Palm Beach Post: Jonathan Farmer tribute, local son is 12th name added to memorial
- Laconia Daily Sun: Former Laconia High School student killed in Syria
- Family-provided records on file with MVF: Jonathan Farmer bio
