Spc. Jayson Reed Haven was riding in a Humvee at Camp Buehring in Kuwait on May 25, 2023, when it overturned, the service said. He died of his injuries. (U.S. Army)
COLUMBIA (Tribune News Service) — Spc. Jayson Reed Haven, a South Aiken High School graduate, was laid to rest Thursday afternoon at Fort Jackson National Cemetery.
Haven, 20, died at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, as the result of a non-combat vehicle rollover accident while serving in the South Carolina Army National Guard. The accident is still under investigation. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster ordered flags at state buildings to be flown at half-staff Thursday in tribute to Haven.
Haven’s father, Jeff Haven, summed him up as a brilliant, funny, loyal and gentle son.
A machine gunner, Haven was assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, South Carolina Army National Guard.
He was deployed with Task Force Rattler in 2022 in support of U.S. Operation Spartan Shield in southwest Asia.
Luna Ledbetter, who was Haven’s best friend, joined the military with Haven in high school and planned to leave the military at the same time as him.
“He was a very kind and caring person. Very soft on the inside, stubborn on the outside,” Ledbetter said. “He would do anything for his friends.”
Army Spc. Jonathan Cristofoletti, who was in the same squad as Haven, said he was very kind and cared for everyone besides himself.
“He was a great dude. He was a smart kid. He always had big goals, always,” Christofoletti said. “He loved his games. He loved his books. He just loved the people around him.”
Christofoletti said Haven was very opinionated and would always challenge his friends, and even his superiors, for the better. “Any word that came out of your mouth, he would challenge you,” Christofoletti said. “It didn’t matter who it was. ... I could tell this man was smarter than me just from talking with him.”
Staff Sgt. Paul Leavens knew Haven through the Army and gave advice to him as he joined the military and attended college at USC.
“He was super opinionated but not to a fault,” Leavens said. “He was a fantastic soldier, and I wish I had 100 like him.”
Leavens said Haven was unique and had a great plan for how he was going to get to where he wanted to be thanks to the military.
“He did the best he could,” Leavens said. “For him to get taken, being born after 9/11 and dying in that war in more or less a training accident is what hurts me.”
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