Army Pfc. A. Oceguera, 19, Montclair; killed by bomb in Afghanistan

His high school guidance counselor was surprised when Alex Oceguera became a soldier.

Oceguera was in the Junior ROTC at Montclair High School, but he’d never expressed any interest in an Army career, counselor Joe Reynaga said.

“I was kind of shocked to hear that he went into the military after high school,” Reynaga said.

Oceguera, a 19-year-old San Bernardino native, was killed Oct. 31 when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Wygal Valley, Afghanistan. Two other soldiers also died in the blast.

The private first class was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division out of Ft. Drum, N.Y.

Oceguera had moved from San Bernardino to Montclair as a child. He graduated in June 2005 from Montclair High.

Reynaga said Oceguera was an “average but hardworking student” who liked practical subjects such as auto shop and photography.

“He was the nicest kid. He was always really polite,” Reynaga said.

“He was the type of person who was not very outspoken. But he had real manners. It was always, ‘Yes, sir’ or ‘No, sir.’ ”

Oceguera held the Army Commendation Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

He is survived by his parents and a sister.