On forth tour, suicide claimed the life of Staff Sgt. David P. Senft

Julie Conover lost her son in Anbar Province in 2006. She sees his death as one of honor but cannot manage to see that when a serviceman or woman commits suicide because of their service, those deaths are because they served.

I am sitting here saddened by the attitude of people after all these years because heroes like Staff Sgt. David P. Senft's are regarded as someone no longer worthy of being called one because he committed suicide.

"According to the Army officer, he said, on at least one occasion when a wounded soldier was on the ground but the copter’s pilot wanted to take off because of heavy fire, the staff sergeant unhooked his harness and told the pilot to take off. He, however, wouldn’t leave anyone behind.


Senft hauled the casualty back to the Blackhawk — the pilot stayed, after all — and the wounded man lived.


The senior Senft recalled: “The lieutenant colonel said, ‘That’s what your son is known for. I’m not going to say it’s right or it’s wrong, but your son refused to leave anybody behind, and he never worried about himself.’”


If that’s not honorable service, I don’t know what is. And it’s worthy of remembrance."

It is a matter of honor. Honoring the fact these men and women are willing to risk their lives in service. Honor them for showing great courage and commitment to their comrades even if it means sacrificing their own lives to do it. Honor them when the weight of what they had to go through has become too great of a burden to carry and they take their own lives. Conover should be wondering more about why Senft had to carry that burden alone after showing he was a hero. This country has lost too many because of their service and because they cared more about others than themselves.

Second Thoughts: War memorial is a matter of honor
by Jon Mendelson / Tracy Press
Oct 07, 2011
Honor. It’s at the heart of military service. And it’s at the heart of a renewed debate about whether one former Tracy resident deserves his name on the city’s war memorial.

Staff Sgt. David P. Senft served three full tours of duty in the Middle East with the U.S. Army as a side gunner on a Blackhawk helicopter. He was twice given an Air Medal for meritorious achievement during flight. And until he died during his fourth tour of duty, his second in Afghanistan, he had a reputation for putting others first.

Earlier this year, the Tracy War Memorial Association decided Senft’s name should be carved onto the granite memorial near City Hall, the city’s way of honoring residents who gave their lives serving their country.

But less than two months before that solemn ceremony — names are revealed on Veterans Day and carved the day before — at least one local military family says Senft’s name doesn’t belong. The reason: The staff sergeant committed suicide at Kandahar Air Base, an act that just doesn’t square with his oath to serve.

“War is awful. Anytime you lose anyone, it’s a horrible thing,” said Julie Conover, whose son, Lance Cpl. Brandon Dewey, was wounded in fierce fighting in 2004 in Fallujah and died in Anbar Province in 2006 when a suicide bomber attacked his unit.

Though she and her husband, Scott, empathize with the loss felt by the staff sergeant’s loved ones, they say there’s a line to be drawn when it comes to the memorial. There’s a difference, Conover said, between service and taking one’s own life, which is counter to the ethos of the armed forces.

“It’s horrible. And I understand that he had some issues. … And it’s unfortunate that the military didn’t address that,” she said. “But I still do not think he deserves to be put on a war memorial for people who serve honorably.”

President Obama sent Senft’s family a letter “… in recognition of devoted and selfless consecration to the service of our country in the armed forces of the United States.” And Maj. Gen. James Terry, who oversaw the investigation of Senft’s death, concluded that Staff Sgt. Senft “died in the line of duty,” right above his signature.

read more here