The American contractor who reportedly died from injuries he suffered in a fight with service members while working in northern Iraq was a decorated combat veteran who served in U.S. Army Special Forces, according to his official military record.

"Richard Anthony Rodriguez served in the U.S. Army from August 1991 to August 2012," said Army spokesman William Sharp. "He attained the rank of master sergeant and held the military occupational specialties of infantryman, weapons sergeant, and senior sergeant. During his service he deployed to Afghanistan four times between 2006 and 2011."