DOB/DOD: January 16, 1971 (New Haven, CT) – April 27, 2011; 40 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married N’Keiba J. Knox Estelle (1974-) on May 12, 2001, in Hillsborough, Florida
CHILDREN: One daughter, Shayla J. (2002-), and one son, Raymond G. III (2010-).
LOCAL ADDRESS: Sherman Avenue, New Haven
ENLISTMENT: October 1989
COMMISSIONED: December 1998
AIR FORCE SPECIALTY CODE: 33SX; Communications & Information
UNIT: NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan (NATC-A)
FAMILY: Born to Raymond G. I (1950-) and Regina Estelle (1952-). One sister, Nyiesha R. Estelle (1973-).
DECORATIONS: Awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with device, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Good Conduct Medal with device, National Defense Service Medal with device, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with device, Global War on Terrorism Medal (Expeditionary), Global War on Terrorism Medal (Service), Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon (Short) Air Force Overseas Service Ribbon (Long), Air Force Longevity Service Medal with 4 devices, Air Force NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Small Arms Marksman Expert Ribbon with device, Air Force Training Ribbon, NATO ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) Medal – Afghanistan, Cyberspace Support Badge (Master), and the Space Operations (Senior) Badge.
CIRCUMSTANCES: Killed when a disgruntled Afghanistan pilot opened fire on a group at Kabul International Airport. Referred to as the “NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan (NATC-A) Nine,” also killed in the incident were:
Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Frank D. Bryant Jr.; Knoxville, Tennessee
Air Force Major Philip D. Ambard; Edmonds, Washington
Air Force Major Jeffrey O. Ausborn; Gadsden, Alabama
Air Force Major David L. Brodeur; Auburn, Massachusetts
Air Force Captain Nathan J. Nylander; Hockley, Texas
Air Force Captain Charles A. Ransom; Midlothian, Virginia
Air Force Master Sergeant Tara R. Brown; Deltona, Florida
Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (retired) James A. McLaughlin Jr.; Santa Rosa, California
OTHER: The mass shooting by Afghan Colonel Amed Gul was the deadliest “green-on-blue” attack in more than a dozen years of war. Despite three separate probes by the military in as many years, victims’ relatives continue to question how investigators say the events unfolded that day in the Air Command and Control Center, where U.S. air advisers worked side-by-side with their Afghan counterparts.
Graduated from Platt Regional Vocational Technical School (Milford, CT); Class of 1989
From The Tampa Tribune on May 6, 2011
MAJOR WITH LOCAL TIES DIES IN AFGHAN ATTACK
Father-in-law In Valrico Recalls Him As Family Man
TAMPA — Levi Knox remembers the day his daughter, N’Keiba, called from Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, where she was attending Air Force officer school. “I met my soul mate,” she told him. “Already?” he responded. She was 24, and her father cautioned her that she would meet a lot of men. But N’Keiba Knox and Raymond G. Estelle II eventually would marry in 2001 at MacDill Air Force Base. Both rose to the rank of major in the Air Force. Last week, Knox got a much sadder call from his daughter. “She was crying hysterically,” the Valrico man said Thursday. “She just got the word of her husband being killed. When you get a call like that, you kind of go into shock, but I had to be strong for my daughter.” Raymond Estelle, 40, died on April 27 in an attack by a disgruntled Afghan Air Force pilot that also claimed the lives of seven other airmen and a U.S. contractor. Estelle and his wife had a daughter and a newborn son. Estelle’s body will be flown into MacDill at 12:05 p.m. today and leave 40 minutes later for a Tampa funeral home with an honor escort. “He was very intelligent, very articulate,” said Levi Knox, who also served in the Air Force at MacDill. When Estelle asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage, “I approved, absolutely.” Knox said Estelle was “very family-oriented” and would call him frequently. Their last conversation was an early-morning call shortly before his son-in-law was killed. “We talked a little bit then, just family-type things,” he said. “He was real close to the Lord, and we talked about spiritual things.” There will be a wake for Estelle from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at Ray Williams Funeral Home, 301 N. Howard Ave. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Bell Shoals Baptist Church, 2102 Bell Shoals Road in Brandon, with interment to follow at Florida National Cemetery in Sumter County.
From U.S. Air Force, 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs on January 24, 2013
By Senior Airman Melissa Paradise
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Florida — The men and women of MacDill Air Force Base paid tribute to Major Raymond G. Estelle II, who served as the 6th Communication Squadron chief of maintenance support from February 1999 to January 2001, with the January 16 dedication of a new Consolidated Communication Facility that will be used by the 6th Air Mobility Wing and the 927th Air Refueling Wing. “This move will allow us to integrate our communications section with the 6th Air Mobility Wing’s,” said Master Sergeant Thomas McDonald, a client systems technician with the 927th ARW. “Once we are together, we can use to total force enterprise concept to our advantage.” On June 1, 2012, at the request of the 6th Air Mobility Wing, Lieutenant General Robert Allardice, Air Mobility Command vice commander, approved the new building to be named after Raymond Estelle. Estelle was one of nine people killed in action on April 27, 2011, by an Afghan Air Corps pilot during a deployment with the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group where he served as the communications advisor for the Afghan Air Force. Estelle enlisted in the Air Force in Oct. 1989 as an aerospace ground equipment technician. He spent the first six years of his career at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. While there, he attained his bachelor’s degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, later receiving his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1998. Estelle is survived by his wife, Major N’Keiba Estelle, United States Central Command deputy chief acquisition management branch, and his two children, Shayla Estelle, 10, and Raymond Estelle III, 22 months. “He loved being an Airman; his blood was Air Force blue,” said N’Keiba Estelle. “He lived by the belief that everyone should strive to be the best that they can be.” “Major Estelle was an exemplary communications-cyber officer and set the standard for others to follow. Dedicating the new communications facility would be a great tribute to his service to the United States Air Force,” Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Ray, the former 6th Communication Squadron commander, wrote in the dedication package request. A year and eight months after Raymond Estelle’s dignified transfer occurred at MacDill, and on what would have been his 42nd birthday, the CCF was officially dedicated to this hero. “They, [the Estelle family], have always been so proud of Ray, and I think that having ‘Estelle Hall’ here where he started out as a lieutenant is such an honor, and [we] are very appreciative that the Air Force has decided to recognize him in this way,” said N’Keiba Estelle. “Being here today, I think [we] gained a greater understanding of exactly what this means.”
From legacy.com; remembrances
Big Dawg, aka Ray, when I walked into that ASBC classroom at Maxwell AFB as a brand new 2nd Lt, I never could have imagined the impact that you, my Flight Commander, would have on my life. Over these last four years, you have been a great mentor, big brother, confidant, leader, and friend. I will always miss your laugh, jokes, and songs, but most of all, I will miss your wisdom and advice. Thank you for always having my back and being someone I could always depend on to listen to me and motivate me when I needed it. My heart aches because you’re gone, and I will miss you, but as the mighty man of God that you were, I know you are in Heaven now, and that brings me comfort. I believe all of us who knew and loved you now have another angel looking out for us. 🙂 — Chanelle Linson
Raymond, I will truly miss you. Our little crew had many good times. I will mostly miss our long talks about our futures and our goals and the encouragement you always gave. I will always carry you in my heart, and my deepest sympathy goes out to your family. May fond memories of you and your wonderful smile bring them great joy through their sadness and help ease the pain enough to make it to the next day. That’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna remember your smile and the good times. Love Always, Ant — Antoinette Walker
Major Estelle is buried in Florida National Cemetery, 6502 SW 102nd Avenue, Bushnell, Florida; Section 321, Site 162.
