CPT William Bryan Loring

Captain William Bryan Loring, 32, of Kingsport, died Sunday, January 15 2023 in El Paso, Texas. Bryan was born in Kingsport, TN and attended Dobyns Bennett High School where he served as the ROTC Squadron Commander. Following graduation from Dobyns Bennett, Bryan attended Virginia Military Institute where he was part of the VMI Color Guard. Bryan graduated VMI in 2012 as a Distinguished Military Graduate and commissioned into the US Army at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

In 2013, Bryan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, Fort Campbell, KY from August 2013 to March 2018, where he served as a Company Fire Support Officer, Platoon Fire Direction Officer, and Platoon Leader, and later as the HSC Company Commander, and HSC Executive Officer in the Headquarters Battalion. In the fall of 2018, Bryan was transferred to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he served as an OC/T, and Brigade Fire Control Officer. In 2021, Bryan became the Commander of the “Axemen” Battery 4^th Battalion, 1^st Field Artillery Regiment and was deployed to Korea. On returning to Fort Bliss in 2022, Bryan became the HSC Company Commander within the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss.

Bryan’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Air Assault Badge. He was inducted into the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara while commanding the Axemen Battery in Korea. Bryan also won the Brigade Officer of the Quarter competition in the Fall of 2019 for 5th Armored Brigade, 1st Army.

Bryan was preceded in death by his father, Michael L. Loring and uncle, Jennings Bryan Loring, Jr.

Surviving are his mother, Suzanne Freehoff Loring; half-brother Michael L Loring, Jr and wife Donna; half-sister Traci Loring Kidney and husband Geoff; aunt Patricia Freehoff Saunders and husband Ernest; cousins, Amy Loring Welch and husband Darren, James Saunders, Tanner Welch, and Sydney Welch.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, 117 East Charlemont Avenue, Kingsport, TN. A prayer service will follow at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Father Stephen Mathewes officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gary Sinise Foundation, P.O Box 40726, Nashville, TN 37204.