AFGHANISTAN -- Marine Corps Systems Command was notified Dec. 15 that Major Sam Griffith was killed in action in Afghanistan. Griffith was a member of the 4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company. As a Marine reservist, he was additionally employed by Stauder Technologies. Stauder Technologies is the Prime Integrator for Target Location Designation Handoff System (TLDHS). As a defense contractor, the Major provided direct support to the Tactical Air Department at Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic on behalf of the Program Manager for Digital Fires Situational Awareness (PM DFSA). PM DFSA falls under Marine Air-Ground Task Force Command and Control (C2), Weapons and Sensors Development and Integration (Product Group 11). As a Field Service Representative (FSR) for PM DFSA, Griffith trained Marines on the proper employment of digital Fire Support C2 systems. The Major went on long-term leave from Stauder Technologies in August after being mobilized.
Gerald Stauder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stauder Technologies, released the following statement to his company: "As a Forward Air Controller, Sam ‘Swacq’ was a friend of Stauder well before we employed him. He was a ‘Super-FAC’ who provided much guidance and support of our StrikeLink (TLDHS) product. The product has many of his fingerprints. Sam was due to return to his FSR position at Stauder Technologies in July 2012. Please keep Sam's family in your thoughts and prayers. He leaves behind his wife Cassandra and two sons, Charles (6) and Theodore (5). He will be missed by many including our Stauder Tech family. Sam was a kind, gentle and always positive person.”