Spc. Emily Ort, re-enlisted for better life for son

UPDATE:
A reader pointed out that while I had the title of the post as "for daughter" it was in fact a "son" she left behind. I still have no idea how I managed to make that mistake but it looks as if other mistakes have been made on the story of this woman's life. Army Times had her last name as "Ort" on this report. Yet on the report from AP, her name is "Ortiz". Since the reader didn't manage to point out the error in the name, now I wonder what her name was. Was it Ort or Ortiz? I did a Google to see what other reports had and it looks like her last name was Ortiz since the majority of the reports had her name that way. There was a lot of mistakes on the story of this woman's passing and I am guilty of either reading too fast or typing too fast. I do apologize for this error.

While trying to make sure all their stories are achieved in one place, sometimes the magnitude of the reports blurs one into another. There are over 2,000 posts on this blog alone in less than a year. Have there been so many that few reports manage to stand out in my memory? Apparently, yes. Reporters will ask me if certain stories stand out in my mind. I can only remember a few of them that touched me deeper than all the others. That's sad. These people all had lives and people who loved them, yet I've forgotten most of their stories. There is the problem right there. Most of us have. It's also one more reason why I wanted their stories all in one place, but as of today, I haven't managed to move the older posts from my other blog, which has over 9,000 posts collected since 2005. I am far from achieving what I started out to do. That's sad too.

Autopsy done on Carson GI who died at Irwin

By Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday May 7, 2008 18:29:37 EDT

Authorities have completed the autopsy on a Fort Carson, Colo., soldier who was found unconscious in her sleeping bag while at Fort Irwin, Calif., for training.

The cause of death of Spc. Emily Ort, 24, is pending, Sandy Fatland, public information officer for the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department, told Army Times Wednesday.

The doctor is reviewing more medical records, and officials also are waiting for toxicology results, Fatland said. Toxicology results typically take at least four to six weeks.

Ort was found unconscious in her sleeping bag on Saturday morning, said John Wagstaffe, a Fort Irwin spokesman. She was treated on the scene and taken to Weed Army Community Hospital on post, where she was pronounced dead at 8:22 a.m., he said.

At the time of her death, Ort and her fellow soldiers had been at Fort Irwin for about two weeks to train for an upcoming deployment to Iraq. The soldiers, from 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, are still at Fort Irwin’s National Training Center, Wagstaffe said. They are expected to be there until the end of next week.

A native of Willis, Texas, Ort joined the Army in 2004. She was a human intelligence collector assigned to the brigade’s Special Troops Battalion.

Ort’s remains will be flown to her hometown Friday, and the viewing and funeral are scheduled for Monday, Wagstaffe said.

A statement from Ort’s family said: “Emily was a beautiful woman with a tenacious will. She recently re-enlisted in the Army in order to continue to provide a good life for her 16-month-old son. She was spontaneous and loved spending time with her family and friends. Emily was determined to succeed in everything she undertook. Emily’s loss will be deeply felt by her friends and family for years to come. She was a loving mother, sister, daughter and a wonderful aunt.”
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/army_irwin_death_050708w/

Soldier found unconscious in sleeping bag dies

The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday May 6, 2008 11:19:21 EDT

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Army investigators are looking into the death of a Fort Carson soldier who died Saturday while at Fort Irwin, Calif., for training.

Spc. Emily T. Ortiz, 24, of Willis, Texas, was found unconscious in her sleeping bag in a tent-city bivouac area called the Dust Bowl, said Fort Irwin spokesman John Wagstaffe. When Ortiz didn't wake up, medics were summoned for first aid. She was pronounced dead at the hospital on post.

An autopsy was scheduled Monday to determine what killed Ortiz, a member of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Ortiz was in California with the 3,800-soldier unit's Special Troops Battalion as it prepares to go to Iraq later this year. She is survived by a 16-month-old child, the Army said.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/ap_irwindeath_050608/