9 May 2012

2nd Lieutenant (posthumous) Ion-Lucian Leuştean was seriously wounded on 7 September 2011, as a result of the explosion of an improvised explosive device, while on a ground search mission in Zabul Province. He was given first aid on the spot then transported by an MEDEVAC helicopter to the field hospital in Lagman Base for surgery.

On 8 September, the Romanian soldier was taken to the US Military Hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, for specialized treatment. Later, on 30 October, he was transferred to the Military Hospital in Romania, while he was in a vegetative state. His diagnose was multiple internal and cerebral traumas. Over the period he was hospitalized at the intensive care unit, he was under constant medical surveillance with state of the art medical equipment. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the pluridisciplinary medical team of the military hospital, the clinical evolution of the patient worsened. Ten days ago the patient’s state began to progressively deteriorate, was non-responsive to specific treatment, the military dying eventually as a result of cardiac arrest, in the morning of May 9, 2012.

He was awarded the National Order "Steaua României" in rank of Knight, for military men, with war insignia.