Private Jack Howard, 23, died in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand province on Sunday.
Initial reports suggest he could have been shot by cannon fire from a low-flying US plane.
Pte Howard, of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, was “always striving for the next challenge”, said his family in Wellington, New Zealand.
In a statement, they added: “Jack was immensely proud to be a Para and a New Zealander. He was absolutely passionate about what he was doing.
“His decision to try for the Paras, which he regarded as the foremost regiment in the world, reflected this passion.”
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