Three Fort Carson soldiers were killed in Afghanistan on Thursday when their unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device, the Defense Department said Friday.

Sgt. Carlos A. Benitez, 24, of Carrollton, Texas, Spc. Rafael Martinez Jr., 36, of Spring Valley, Calif., and Pfc. Tramaine J. Billingsley, 20, of Portsmouth, Va., died in the blast, a Pentagon news release said.

The soldiers were conducting operations in central Afghanistan between Moqur and Darreh-Ye-Bum when they were attacked by insurgents, the release said.

The soldiers were cavalry scouts assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team of Fort Carson’s 4th Infantry Division. The unit deployed to Afghanistan in July.

Billingsley joined the Army in September 2009. He was on his first tour overseas when he died.

Martinez joined the Army in September 2007 and served in Iraq from March 2008 to March 2009. He had numerous campaign and service awards, and was a Purple Heart recipient.

Benitez had served in the Army for nearly six years, including two year-long tours in Iraq before deploying to Afghanistan in July. He had earned the Iraq Campaign Medal with four stars and other commendations.

Fort Carson has lost 17 soldiers in Afghanistan this year and 61 in the country since the war started. The post’s death toll for Iraq and Afghanistan is 317 soldiers.

William Rapuzzi, shown last week against RPI, is playing at home this week in Alaska. Photo by BRYAN OLLER, THE GAZETTE