Juctin McDaniel could hardly wait for his child to be born. His one regret was that he would be in Iraq when his wife delivered, as a private first class in the U.S. Army.

"He was really excited. He couldn't wait" to be a father, said McDaniel's friend U.S. Army Spc. Kyle Ladd. "He knew he'd be deployed for that time and he was kind of scared about that, but he was real excited."

McDaniel, 19, of Andover, died last week in Baghdad, of injuries from a "non-combat-related incident," according to the Defense Department. The incident, which is still being investigated, took place in Taji, Iraq, just north of Baghdad, according to the Defense Department. McDaniel served with the 524th Combat Service Support Battalion, 45th Sustainment Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command based in Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Ladd said McDaniel deployed to Iraq in November as a mechanic.

McDaniel grew up in Andover, and attended Andover Elementary/Middle School and Merrimack Valley High School, graduating in 2006. His family included his mother, father, and three siblings - an older sister, a younger sister and a younger brother.

Ladd said McDaniel met his wife, Alicia, while they were both in the Army, and they married about six months ago. They were expecting their first child.

The family's phone number is unlisted and a neighbor said family members do not want to talk to the press. Friends and school officials described McDaniels as a young man with a strong desire to serve in the military.

"It appeared to be his purpose in life to serve his country and support our troops, in way he dressed, in the way he acted," said Sue Sydnor, assistant principal at Merrimack Valley High School. Sydnor said even in high school, McDaniel sported a military hair cut. She said McDaniel felt strong loyalty to his friends and family.

Sydnor and Associate Principal Jim Gorman said McDaniel was not particularly active in school activities, although he did play football in his freshman or sophomore year. Friends said he liked to listen to music, play video games, watch TV and hang out with friends. He briefly worked at Wal-Mart in Concord. He was also in an alternative program in Merrimack Valley Learning Center.

Between junior and senior year of high school, McDaniel completed basic training. "He wanted to be a soldier; he was very committed to that as a career," Gorman said. "He took a great deal of pride in being part of the military." After graduating, he switched from the reserves to active duty. Friends said he wanted to serve his country, provide for his family and get the benefits that would allow him to continue his education.

McDaniel would occasionally return to his elementary school, in uniform, for a visit. "He seemed to really have a focus, he was very happy," said Andover Elementary/Middle School Principal Jane Slayton.

Friends described McDaniel as a person who went out of his way to help others. Christina Hitchmoth, who grew up with McDaniel, said when she moved to Andover, McDaniel showed her around town.

After school, the two worked together in the kitchen at Proctor Academy, cleaning and cooking. McDaniel, she said, never liked to see anyone upset. "He would always try to put a smile on someone's face, by putting a pot on his head or something," Hitchmoth said. "He would tell jokes or make a goofy face at someone, mostly he'd just run up and grab you, give you a big hug and say 'It's okay, it's a good day.' "

Hitchmoth said McDaniel helped her with relationship problems and gave her advice. "If a friend called in the middle of night, saying I need a ride or I'm in trouble, he'd be the first to get up and go," she said.

In high school, she said, some people looked down on McDaniel because he was willing to befriend anyone. "He'd talk to anyone, no matter what they talked or dressed like, what crowd they were in," she said. "He'd never act snobby. . . . People didn't understand him."

Eric Todd, one of McDaniel's classmates at Merrimack Valley Learning Center, said McDaniel would help friends with anything from schoolwork to cleaning. Todd said he sometimes brought his troubles from home into school, and McDaniel would always take the time to listen. "He'd talk to me about it, he helped me out a lot," Todd said.

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