Saturday, December 29, 2007

Count all non-combat deaths as price of combat #1

I was just looking over some of the latest non-combat deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, which reminded me of the post I did on Screaming In An Empty Room before I started this blog. I still say that every death connected to Iraq and Afghanistan should be counted as the price of combat. We dishonor them if we do not.

I'm posting the deaths again. I'm breaking their stories up so that the posts won't be so long. I will also plug in if the media did not include their death in their official reports.
More names will be added as I look over some recent posts. I would appreciate it if any family member out there contact me if they do not see their family member listed but they know the death was connected to their service to this nation.
Count all non-combat deaths as price of combat #1
A-C







Pfc. Christopher Justin Abston died suddenly in his Fort Bragg, N.C., barracks room 16 days after receiving the smallpox and flu vaccines. The Pentagon said about 1 million service members have received smallpox vaccinations since December 2002. About 120 developed a condition called myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/0-ARMYPAPER-1889856.php



Not counted










Cmdr. Joseph Acevedo 46 Assigned to Commander, Logistics Force, Navy Central Command, Bahrain Bronx, New York Died in a non-combat incident in Bahrain on April 13, 2003
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/











Pfc. Steven Acosta 19 Company C, 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 4th Infantry Division Calexico, California Died from a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baquba, Iraq, on October 26, 2003 As Pfc. Steven Acosta was preparing to serve in Iraq, his older brother Gerardo was just returning from the same war. "I just wish I could see him again, and just be with him like we used to be before," said Gerardo Acosta, a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton. Steven Acosta, a 19-year-old supply clerk from Calexico, Calif., died Oct. 26 from a gunshot wound in a non-hostile incident in Baqouba, Iraq. He was stationed at Fort Hood. Acosta enlisted in the Army after graduating from high school last year, before his older brother had a chance to talk to him about becoming a Marine. Gerardo Acosta last saw his brother over Christmas when he returned from boot camp. The second-youngest of five brothers, Steven was sentimental and outgoing. His friends would regularly gather at the Acosta home, bringing their guitars to play punk rock while Steven kept the beat on the drums.
http://obits.suntimes.com/ChicagoSunTimes/Soldier/Story.aspx?PersonID=3097376








Pvt. Algernon Adams 36 Company C, 122nd Engineer Battalion, South Carolina Army National Guard Aiken, South Carolina Died of non-combat related injuries at Forward Operating Base St. Mere, Iraq, on October 28, 2003
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/









Sgt. Leonard W. Adams, 42, of Mooresville, N.C., died Jan. 24 in CampBucca, Iraq, of non-combat related injuries. Adams was assigned to the ArmyNational Guard’s 105th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade,Asheville, N.C.






Michael Scott Adams, 20, Spartanburg SC August 21, 2003 A private first class dies of smoke inhalation after a bullet ricochets during a training exercise and ignites a fire at an indoor shooting range.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/7/4000






1st Lt. Louis E. Allen, on June 7, 2005, in Tikrit, Iraq. Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez, formerly of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 42nd Infantry Division, is waiting to hear whether he will go to court-martial. He is charged with two counts of premeditated murder in the deaths of his company commander, Capt. Phillip T. Esposito, and 1st Lt. Louis E. Allen, on June 7, 2005, in Tikrit, Iraq.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/0-ARMYPAPER-2087290.php







Cpl. Terrence P. Allen 21 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force Pennsauken, New Jersey Died of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq, on September 15, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/










Sgt. Glenn R. Allison
24
Company C, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Died during physical training in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 18, 2003

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/








Terrence P. Allen Military investigating Iraq death of Marine from Pennsauken9:52 AM EDT, September 18, 2007PENNSAUKEN, N.J. - Military officials said they are investigating the death of a Marine from New Jersey who died in Iraq last week. The Department of Defense said in a statement that Terrence P. Allen, a Marine corporal from Pennsauken, died Saturday in a non-hostile incident in Anbar province; his parents, John and Connie Allen, had earlier reported that the 21-year-old had apparently been the victim of a sniper. Allen was assigned to the Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 2, II Marine Expeditionary Force based at North Caroline's Camp Lejeune.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey
/ny-bc-nj--marinedeath0918sep18,0,4527913.story







Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph D. Alomar 22 Navy Provisional Detention Battalion Brooklyn, New York Died of a non-combat related incident at Camp Bucca, Iraq, on January 17, 2007. Alomar’s death was not the result of hostile action, but occurred in a hostile fire zone http://www.amny.com/news/local/am-sail0121,0,1303592.story amNew York -- A 22-year-old Brooklyn man who died in a noncombat situation in Iraq on Jan. 17 was remembered Saturday by his family as the engaging, athletic oldest brother of a large family. Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph D. Alomar, who was based at Camp Bucca, a Naval detention center and had served for two-and-half years, died in a "hostile fire zone," a defense department release said. His death is under investigation, it said.
http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/AlomarJosephD







Spc. Jason E. Ames 21 Company C, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), 25th Infantry Division Cerulean, Kentucky Died of non-combat related injuries in Mosul, Iraq, on August 31, 2005






Cpl. Reynold Armand 21 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force Rochester, New York Died in Balad, Iraq, on August 7, 2007. His death is currently under investigation.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/










Staff Sgt. Mathias Arnt III, also 24, in the heart with a steak knife May 26, 2003, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/1-ARMYPAPER-275004.php



Not counted









Lance Cpl. Brian E. Anderson, 26, of Durham, N.C., was killed Apr. 2 (03) in a non-hostile accident west of An Nasiriyah, Iraq. Anderson was manning a .50 caliber rifle on top of a 7-ton truck when the vehicle passed under and apparently snagged low hanging power lines. He was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C. The incident is under investigation.








Sgt. 1st Class Moses E. Armstead 44 16th Ordnance Battalion, 61st Ordnance Brigade Rochester, New York Died at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany of a non-combat related illness identified on October 5, 2005, as he was returning from leave status and preparing to redeploy to Afghanistan.





Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Todd Arnold
30
Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade
Spring, Texas
Killed when a rocket-propelled grenade launcher he was firing for familiarization malfunctioned at firing range near Kut, Iraq, on April 22, 2003

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/



Private First Class Donald J. Arwood Fort Bragg soldier on leave dies from multiple gunshot wounds The Associated Press FORT BRAGG, N.C. --A Fort Bragg soldier who was on leave in Tennessee has died from multiple gunshot wounds. Fort Bragg officials said Saturday that Private First Class Donald J. Arwood died near his parents' home in Halls, Tennessee on Thursday night. Local police are still investigating, but no other details were immediately available. The 21-year-old Arwood had returned to Fort Bragg in November following a 15-month tour in Iraq.
http://www.charlotte.com/204/story/424223.html






Marine Lance Cpl. Trevor D. Aston Cpl. Aston After the 2001 terrorist attacks, Trevor Aston enlisted in the Marine Reserves at the relatively advanced age of 29. "He was terribly shaken after 9/11," said his grandmother, Lenore Aston. Aston, 32, of Austin, Texas, was killed Feb. 22 in Al Anbar Province. The incident, described as non-hostile, is under investigation. Aston's grandmother served in the Women's Army Corps during World War II, and his father was in the Army for 27 years. As a boy Aston lived in Texas, Germany and other locations where his father, Robert Aston, was stationed. He attended Austin Community College and had worked as a bartender and booked concert acts for a nearby nightclub. He wanted to be a firefighter either in Austin or in Houston, where his mother lives. "He was a good friend to many people," said his mother, Jewel Aston. "He was just an all-around, good, nice kid."

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/noadsindex/
iraqcasualties/vignettes85.html



Pfc. Shawn M. Atkins 20 Headquarters Company, 4th Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division Parker, Colorado Died as a result of a non-combat injury in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 14, 2004









Lance Corporal David Atkinson returned deeply troubled by Iraq and raped and murdered Sally Geeson, 21, after she left a Cambridge pub in the early hours of New Year's Day 2005, before immolating himself.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1732534,00.html







Pvt. Alan J. Austin
21
782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
Houston, Texas
Died of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident near Forward Operating Base in Sharana, Afghanistan, on August 12, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/oef.casualties/










Petty Officer 1st Class Howard E. Babcock IV
33
Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Bahrain
Houston, Texas
Died in a motorcycle accident in Bahrain on October 13, 2005

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/









JUSTIN BAILEY 27 1/25/2007 CALIFORNIA OVERDOSE Iraq war veteran Justin Bailey checked himself in to the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center just after Thanksgiving.Among the first wave of Marines sent into battle, the young rifleman had been diagnosed since his return with posttraumatic stress disorder and a groin injury. Now, Bailey acknowledged to his family and a friend, he needed immediate treatment for his addiction to prescription and street drugs."We were so happy," said his stepmother, Mary Kaye Bailey, 41. "We were putting all of our faith into those doctors."On Jan. 25, Justin Bailey got prescriptions filled for five medications, including a two-week supply of the potent painkiller methadone, according to his medical records. A day later, he was found dead of an apparent overdose in his room at a VA rehabilitation center on the hospital grounds. He was 27.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-vet12mar12,0,5395693.story?coll=la-home-headlines



Not counted







Pvt. Michael V. Bailey 20 Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Waldorf, Maryland Died of non-combat related injuries in Salerno, Afghanistan, on October 27, 2006








Staff Sgt. Nathan J. Bailey 46 1175th Transportation Company, Tennessee Army National Guard Nashville, Tennessee Died from a non-hostile gunshot wound in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on November 12, 2003 A staff sergeant dies from a "non-hostile" gunshot wound while on guard duty in Kuwait.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/7/4000




Digger Ashley Baker was found dead in his barracks in East Timor, he was on the internet telling friends of being so busy he had forgotten his birthday.The 19-year-old private gave no indication of any personal torment in his deployment, apart from complaining to friends of working around the clock and of the heat while on patrol.



Delay in true cause of death



1st Lt. Kenneth Michael Ballard
26
Company C, 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Division
Mountain View, California
Died of wounds from an accidental discharge from his tank's machine gun during a firefight with insurgents in Najaf, Iraq, on May 30, 2004

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/


Lt. Kenneth Ballard
September 12, 2005
Report of soldier’s accidental death delayed one year
By Robert BurnsAssociated Press
The Army said Saturday it knew for more than a year after 1st Lt. Kenneth Ballard’s death in Iraq in May 2004 that he was not killed in action, as it initially reported. The family was not told the truth until Friday.
Ballard’s mother, Karen Meredith, of Mountain View, Calif., said in a telephone interview that she is angry and will press for a full explanation. She is a public critic of the war and has attended anti-war protests in Crawford, Texas, outside President Bush’s ranch, with grieving mother and peace activist Cindy Sheehan. Meredith said she blames the Army’s error on official incompetence, not an intent to cover up the truth. ”This news is stunning to me,” she said. “People in the Army knew this news for 15 months, and why they couldn’t be bothered to tell me the truth when this first happened and to have me go through this pain 15 months later is unconscionable on the part of the Army. It’s a betrayal to my son’s service,” she said.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/1-292925-1097080.php








Maj. Stephen Ballard
N/A
3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines
Hometown of record not available
Died of natural causes on March 30, 2003

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/





Mother questions cause of death



1st Lt. Debra A. Banaszak 35 1035th Maintenance Company, Missouri Army National Guard Bloomington, Illinois "Died from non-combat related injuries at Camp Victory, Kuwait, on October 28, 2005Barbara Butler, mother of Army National Guard 1st Lt. Debra A. Banaszak, 35, of Bloomington, Ill., said she has trouble understanding why her daughter would have taken her own life in Kuwait last October, as the military has determined. She said that while Banaszak, the single mother of a teenage son, was proud to serve her country and had not complained, the stresses of the deployment may have exacerbated her depression.








Spc. Doug Barber: One Year After His Tragic Suicide-Unaired Interviewsby Jay Shaft Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007 at 7:39 PM Two previously unreleased audio interviews with Spc. Douglas Barber, who served in Iraq with the Ohio National Guard. Released to commemorate the one year anniversary of his suicide due to untreated PTSD and overwhelming mental trauma. Interviews conducted by Jay Shaft: Editor-In-Chief/Executive Investigative Editor Thought Bomb Radio- Shock and Awe For the Mind Radio Hour/Coalition For Free Thought In Media 1-16-2006
http://neworleans.indymedia.org/news/2007/01/9494
Last month, on December 16, 2005, Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran Spc. Douglas Barber was my guest on my radio talk show. He said he'd been diagnosed with PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) and despite receiving some help from the V.A., was still having trouble getting his life back together. Yesterday, one month later, on January 16, 2006, I received an email from a listener who'd been exchanging emails with Douglas since his appearance on my show. Douglas has just sent him an email that troubled the listener. Douglas said he no longer had anything to live for, and was getting ready to "check out of this world." My wife immediately called Douglas and left a message on his cell phone. She also called the Montgomery Police Department in Alabama. At the start of the 3rd hour of my program last night, I received an email from one of Douglas's friends, who told me that Douglas had committed suicide earlier that afternoon. Today I was able to confirm his suicide with the Opelika, Alabama Police Department. The officer in charge of the investigation told me that it had happened with officers on the scene trying to talk Douglas out of it. The officer told me Douglas took his gun, fired one shot, and killed himself.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/6886









Staff Sgt. Patrick O. Barlow 42 50th Engineer Company Greensboro, North Carolina Died from a non-combat-related medical condition in San Antonio, Texas, on October 18, 2006








Command Sgt. Maj. Edward C. Barnhill
50
431st Civil Affairs Battalion, 358th Civil Affairs Brigade, Army Reserve
Shreveport, Louisiana
Died of an apparent heart attack after he was found unconscious in a hallway at the Coalition Provincial Authority headquarters building in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 14, 2004

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/








Staff Sgt. Aram Bass, 25, of Niagara Falls, N.Y. Deaths investigated as friendly fire It may be months before the families of two soldiers killed in Iraq know for certain how they died, as investigators look into whether friendly fire was to blame. Staff Sgt. Aram Bass, 25, of Niagara Falls, N.Y., and Sgt. William Meeuwsen, 24, of Kingwood, Texas, died Nov. 23 (05) in Baghdad. Officials at Fort Campbell, Ky., where both soldiers were based, said Nov. 28 that the deaths were under investigation as potential friendly fire incidents. Their families were told that the men died trying to rescue wounded troops. That still appears to be the case, Fort Campbell spokeswoman Kelly Tyler said. Troops were injured. Sergeants Bass and Meeuwsen were attempting to recover the wounded soldiers when they came under fire,she said. Both infantrymen were assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/0-ARMYPAPER-1389510.php








Bartels, Daniel D. Specialist 22 Army weapon discharge died in Mosul, Iraq, on Oct. 19, of a non-combat related cause identified there on Oct. 18 2005. Bartels was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.







Staff Sgt. Robert J. Basham
22
Headquarters Battery 1st Battalion, 126th Field Artillery Regiment, Wisconsin Army National Guard
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Died as a result of injuries from a non-combat incident at Camp As Sayliyah in Doha, Qatar, on April 14, 2007


http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/








Cpl. Jason J. Beadles
22
887th Engineer Company, 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division
La Porte, Indiana
Died of a non-combat related injury in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 12, 2007


http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/




Example of what some non-combat deaths turn out to be



Pfc. Gunnar D. Becker 19 Company B, 2nd Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 1st Infantry Division Forestburg, South Dakoka Died of non-combat related injuries in Mosul, Iraq, on January 13, 2005 BAUMHOLDER, Germany — A 1st Infantry Division soldier based in Vilseck was convicted Thursday in connection with a January accidental discharge death in Iraq. Staff Sgt. James Leon Parker, a tank commander from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 63rd Armor, was convicted of negligent homicide and dereliction of duty. Parker, of Knoxville, Tenn., was sentenced to six months’ confinement at Mannheim Confinement Facility and a reduction in rank to E-1, or private. Parker’s defense attorney, Maj. Thomas Roughneen, asserted that Parker was a victim of circumstances on Jan. 13. Roughneen wrote in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes that he would appeal the decision. The e-mail contained court-martial results and a description of events leading up to the accidental discharge of an M-2, .50-caliber machine gun, which killed Pfc. Gunnar D. Becker, 19, of Forestburg, S.D. Until Roughneen’s e-mail, the Army had not made public the details of Becker’s death, or that Parker was being tried. Becker was killed when a round discharged while crewmembers were dismantling and moving a machine gun, according to a 1st ID news release issued Monday. A panel found that Parker was negligent in his responsibility to clear the weapon, the release stated.
http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,81648,00.html




Roy Thomas Bell, 42, was shot and killed behind a city apartment building Monday night in an incident some residents have described as "suicide by cop." A family acquaintance told the Free Press the distraught man confronted police carrying a pellet gun that closely resembled a real firearm. Witnesses say Mr. Bell ignored repeated demands from two officers to drop the replica pistol and, at one point, dared officers to shoot him. Mr. Bell served more than 23 years in the 17 Wing post office at CFB Winnipeg, but was discharged three years ago when the military deemed he was unfit for active duty overseas, a family acquaintance said Wednesday. Canada





Spc. Rusty W. Bell 21 Company A, 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division Pocahontas, Arkansas Died of non-combat related injuries in Taji, Iraq, on August 12, 2005 Similarly, Army Spec. Rusty W. Bell, 21, of Pocahontas, Ark., showed signs of combat stress after his first deployment to the Middle East in 2003 as a member of the Army National Guard, said his mother, Darlene Gee. When he came home in April 2004, he enlisted in the Army and was sent back to Iraq in early 2005 An autopsy report on Bell's death concludes that he shot himself last August, with witnesses saying he was "distraught over family problems." Gee said she was not aware that her son, who was married, was having any significant personal problems.

http://www.courant.com/news/specials/hc-mental4.artmay17,0,3488576.story?page=2









Sgt. Darry Benson, 46, of Winterville, N.C., died Sunday, in Camp Virginia, Kuwait. Benson, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, was assigned the Army National Guard's 730th Quartermaster Battalion in Ahoskie. His death is under investigation. WVEC.com -- An Ahoskie, NC-based soldier has died in Kuwait. The Department of Defense said Sgt. Darry Benson, 46, of Winterville, N.C., died on Aug 27, in Camp Virginia, Kuwait. Officials said he died "of apparent natural causes" but didn't elaborate. He was pronounced dead at the Troop Medical Clinic Sunday morning after fellow soldiers reported that he was non-responsive
http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/BensonDarry











Spc. Robert T. Benson 20 Company A, 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division Spokane, Washington Died from a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad, Iraq, on November 4, 2003 A specialist dies from a "non-hostile" gunshot wound to the head at a checkpoint.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/7/4000






Danny Beougher, 23, and his wife, Lauren, were in a Jeep Cherokee when a Ford F-350 crossed the median and slammed into them Saturday night. They were on their way to surprise family members for his brother's birthday and his family says everyone would have been happy to see him. "They've taken a piece of sunshine here on earth, because that's what Danny was - he was infectious," said Daniel's mother, Gidget Beougher. Daniel, a soldier and veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, died at the scene. His wife is still in critical condition at Lee Memorial Hospital, but doctors say she is recovering.






When they live through war but die at home by a different kind of enemy



Paul Berkley, 46, of Clayton, who died from a gunshot wound to the head, also was stabbed near his right ear, the report said. Berkley, who had just returned from the Middle East, died Dec. 18 at WakeMed hospital. His widow, Monique Berkley, 26, was charged with his murder, along with her lover, Andrew Canty, and his friend, Latwon Johnson, both 18. March 02, 2006 Navy Reservist
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/gua/1-213101-1571340.php







Staff Sgt. Sean B. Berry 26 Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 112th Armor, 56th Brigade Combat Team, Texas Army National Guard Mansfield, Texas Died of non-combat related injuries in Taqqadum, Iraq, on October 3, 2005 Sean B. Berry Hometown: Mansfield Age: 26 Rank: Sgt.Branch: Army National GuardAs a child, Sean "Brady" Berry enjoyed sports, particularly soccer. In Iraq, nothing changed. His love of the game led him to arrange to have 1,000 soccer balls shipped from Texas to Iraqi children. "He really liked kids a lot and he really liked helping," said his father, John Berry. Berry, 26, of Mansfield, Texas, was killed by the accidental discharge of a weapon Oct. 3 in Taqaddum.
http://cbs11tv.com/warcasualties/?b_start=6






Staff Sgt. Alicia A. Birchett
29
887th Engineer Company, 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
Mashpee, Massachusetts
Died on August 9, 2007, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related accident on August 8.


http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/





Sgt. Jacob Blaylock won't be counted among the casualties of the Iraq war.
But he, like many soldiers, was haunted by its ghosts. Blaylock, 26, was a fun-loving man when he went to Iraq, his family said. In photographs, he tends to be the one giving a thumbs-up to the camera. When he came home from war, though, his family said he wanted a beer, he wanted a cigarette, and he never wanted to go back to battle. Blaylock, who grew up in Calumet City, shot himself this month. He left a note behind in his glove box for his family. "I'm sorry I let everybody down," Blaylock wrote. December 2007







Pfc. Christopher T. Blaney, 19, died Friday in Taji of "a non-combat-related incident," a news release stated. Taji, a little less than 20 miles north of Baghdad, is the site of Camp Taji, a U.S. military base. A spokeswoman for the Department of Defense said the incident is under investigation and that no further information was available Saturday.



http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/BlaneyChristopherT




Spc. Kamisha J. Block
20
401st Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade
Vidor, Texas
Died of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident in Baghdad, Iraq, on August 16, 2007


http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/






Sgt. Aron C. Blum 22 Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Tucson, Arizona Died on December 28, 2006, of a non-hostile cause after being evacuated from Anbar province, Iraq, on December 8. Sgt. Aron Cody Blum, 22, died two weeks ago of aplastic anemia the failure of the bone marrow to make new blood cells — a condition that strikes only two in 1 million Americans. Although some veterans of both Iraq wars have blamed their development of this disease on toxic battlefield exposures — including depleted uranium and burning oil fields — or even the anthrax vaccine, a link has never been proved.
http://www.gulfwarvets.com/marine_rare_disease.htm





Sgt. Dennis J. Boles
46
Company C, 1st Squadron, 171st Aviation Battalion, Florida Army National Guard
Homosassa, Florida
Died after he collapsed during a 10-mile road march in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on October 24, 2004

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/





Sgt. 1st Class Craig A. Boling 38 Company C, 1st Battalion, 152nd Infantry Regiment, Indiana Army National Guard Elkhart, Indiana Died of a non-combat related cause at Camp Wolf, Kuwait on July 8, 2003 A sergeant first class dies while eating with his unit in Kuwait
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/7/4000







Ukraine
Capt. Oleksii Bondarenko 35 5th Mechanized Brigade, Ukrainian Army Reserve Ukraine Committed suicide by shooting himself in Kut, Iraq, on November 19, 2003








Spc. Christopher K. Boone 34 121st Infantry (Long Range Surveillance), Georgia Army National Guard Augusta, Georgia Died of a non-combat related injury in Balad, Iraq, on February 17, 2007






Chief Warrant Officer Clarence E. Boone
50
Headquarters Company, 4th Infantry Division
Fort Worth, Texas
Died as a result of a non-combat related injury in Kuwait City, Kuwait, on December 2, 2003

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/








Private Gary Boswell, 20, from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, was found hanging in a playground in July. John and Sarah Boswell said army personnel should be offered counselling when they return from active service.
http://www.thewe.cc/weplanet/news/armed_force/us_soldiers_committing_suicide_vietnam_iraq.html


Not counted









Zachary Bowen
Oct. 20, 2006 — New Orleans is still reeling from news this week that a bartender reportedly strangled his girlfriend, dismembered her body, and cooked some of the body parts on his stove before jumping to his death. Now, it turns out, he was an Iraq war hero. That's just one of the tragic ironies and mysteries of the suspected murder-suicide that has shaken residents of Crescent City. Police said the mystery began on Tuesday when the body of Zachary Bowen, 28, was found on top of a parking garage.
http://www.rawstory.com/showoutarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fnot counted







Timothy Bowman FORRESTON, Ill. — A year ago on Thanksgiving morning, in the corrugated metal pole barn that housed his family's electrical business, Timothy Bowman put a handgun to his head and pulled the trigger. He had been home from the Iraq war for eight months. Once a fun-loving, life-of-the-party type, Bowman had slipped into an abyss, tormented by things he'd been ordered to do in war. "I'm OK. I can deal with it," he would say whenever his father, Mike, urged him to get counseling. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is facing a wave of returning veterans such as Bowman who are struggling with memories of a war where it's hard to distinguish innocent civilians from enemy fighters and where the threat of suicide attacks and roadside bombs haunts the most routine mission. Since 2001, about 1.4 million Americans have served in Iraq, Afghanistan or other locations in the war on terror.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003566773_vets11.html


Not counted








Sgt. Timothy R. Boyce 29 Maintenance Troop, Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment North Salt Lake, Utah Died of a non-combat related cause at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, on December 15, 2005

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/2005.12.html






Spc. Edward W. Brabazon 20 Company A, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 9, 2004 Parents suspect it was murder






Kenneth R. Bradley, 39, Utica MS A staff sergeant dies of a heart attack. 5/28/03 Died of a heart attack in Baquba, Iraq, on May 28, 2003
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/7/4000







MICHAEL BRAMER 23 NORTH CAROLINA GUNSHOT 1/17/2007 The first time that Michael J. Bramer died, he was serving in Iraq, his sister said, and he felt a tranquillity that was elusive in the months after he was brought back to life. "What he talked about in the beginning was the feeling he felt when his heart stopped," said Barbara Bramer of Boston. "He said it was just very peaceful for him, and that was his expectation of what he would have had if they didn't revive him." Then a sergeant first class in special forces with the Army's 82d Airborne Division, Mr. Bramer suffered severe head injuries in October 2003, when part of an unstable structure collapsed as he was helping string barbed wire outside Baghdad, his sister said. The impact blinded him in one eye. During surgery, plates were placed in his head. Soon, a series of migraines, each more acute, disturbed his days and nights. Discharged from the Army in June, Mr. Bramer had been living in a Fayetteville, N.C., apartment. At 23, he had set aside his hopes of attending MIT, where he had taken summer courses during high school in Boston. On Jan. 17, while his roommate and a friend were downstairs, he turned up the surround sound on his television and took his life in his bedroom, his sister said. ...

http://www.veteransforamerica.org/index.cfm/page/
weblog/subpage/day_blogs/d/13/m/3/y/index.cfm


Not counted







GREGORY N. BRAUN 26 WISCONSIN GUNSHOT3/6/2006 A private first class is killed by a "non-hostile" gunshot wound. One day before the roster of officers who made the squad came out - a list he would have made - Greg typed a suicide note on his computer and left two copies in his home in the 3400 block of N. 92nd St. He apologized for not being strong enough to go on living. The final line states: "Well just leave it as war being one hell of a bitch no matter how big or small its found."Greg died March 6, two days before he would have turned 27. He shot himself in the head with his police gun in the basement of his home
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=419769


Not counted






Jeffrey F. Braun, 19, Stafford Springs CT Pfc. Jeffrey F. Braun 19 Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division Stafford, Connecticut "Died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 12, 2003The only confirmed Connecticut suicide is that of Army Pfc. Jeffrey Braun, 19, of Stafford, who died in December 2003. His father, William Braun, told The Courant he still did not have a full explanation of what happened to Jeffrey, but said, ""I've chosen not to pursue it or question it. It's over and done with.""
http://www.coalitionmemorial.org/pdf/abraun.pdf
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/7/4000






Spc. Joshua T. Brazee 25 Howitzer Battery, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment Sand Creek, Michigan "Died from non-combat related injuries in Qaim, Iraq, on May 23, 2005Army Spec. Joshua T. Brazee, 25, of Sand Creek, Mich., had been in Iraq for less than three months when the military says he shot himself with his rifle in May 2005. According to his autopsy report, he had ""talked with other soldiers about death and killing, and also about the idea of suicide." **Among The Courant's findings:Army Spec. Joshua T. Brazee, 25, of Sand Creek, Mich., had been in Iraq for less than three months when the military says he shot himself with his rifle in May 2005. According to his autopsy report, he had "talked with other soldiers about death and killing, and also about the idea of suicide."His mother, Teresa Brazee, said she still has questions about how he died, and believes there were conflicts within his unit. She said one of Joshua's superiors told her that his death taught him to pay closer attention to his soldiers."It's a little too late for that," she said.





Pvt. Michael P. Bridges 23 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Placentia, California Died in a non-combat related incident in Taji, Iraq, on November 2, 2006
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15576904/ OC Register -- Pvt. Michael P. Bridges, 23, of Placentia died Thursday in Taji, Iraq, in an incident not related to combat, the Department of Defense reported. Bridges was a member of the 1st Battalion, 66 Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.
No details of the death were released by the military.
http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/BridgesMichaelP





Capt. Judson B. Brinson A day of hot-dog flying and a night of heavy drinking preceded the deaths of two Air Force Reserve pilots who lost control of their T-6A Texan II trainer as they took off from a Georgia airport April 3,(2004) an Air Force investigation concluded. The investigation of the fatal accident tells a story of two trusted officers who violated a long list of fundamental Air Force regulations in the 24 hours leading up to their deaths.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/1-ARMYPAPER-280958.php










Briones Jr. Pablito Pena Seamen Navy 22 12/28/04 weapon discharge added 4/1/07 Seaman Pablito Pena Briones Jr. 22 1st Marine Division Detachment Anaheim, Calfornia Died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Falluja, Iraq, on December 28, 2004
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/2004.12.html






Staff Sgt. Cory W. Brooks 32 Company A, 153rd Engineer Battalion, South Dakota Army National Guard Philip, South Dakota "Died of non-combat related injuries in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 24, 2004Among them was Army Staff Sgt. Cory W. Brooks, 32, of Philip, S.D., who shot himself in the head on April 24, 2004. In sworn statements, a major and first lieutenant acknowledged they had conducted ""counseling"" with Brooks, and a first sergeant ""detailed his knowledge of SSG Brooks' suicidal ideations.""






Lance Cpl. Dominic C. Brown 19 Truck Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Austin, Texas Died due to a non-combat related incident in Anbar province, Iraq, on September 13, 2004






Spc. Micheal D. Brown
20
1st Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division
Williamsburg, Kansas
Died on October 16, 2007, in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of a non-combat related illness after being transported from Tikrit, Iraq, on October 15 2007


http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/






Master Sgt. Thomas L. Bruner
50
Headquarters, 2nd Brigade, 100th Division, U.S. Army Reserve
Owensboro, Kentucky
Died from a non-combat related illness in Kabul, Afghanistan, on October 28, 2007








Spc. Brock L. Bucklin, 28, of Grand Rapids, Mich., died May 31, in Balad, Iraq, of a non-combat related cause. Bucklin was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.








Spc. Paul J. Bueche, of the 131st Aviation Regiment of the Alabama Army National Guard, died in October when a Black Hawk helicopter tire he was inflating exploded. On Monday, his family received two letters from the military an autopsy review and the medical care survey. July 16, 2004Family gets Army letter asking dead soldier to rate medical care
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/gua/1-213101-267151.php











Misty Renae Burkhart, 26. Sheriff's department chief investigator Andy Chester said Burkhart was home on leave before reporting to Fort Carson, Colo. April 28, 2006 Killed in house fire Arson investigators using dogs detected some type of accelerant in a closet, and that appears to be where the fire started, Chester said.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/com/1-comnews-1738682.php


Not counted











Pfc. Jesse Buryj, 21, died May 5, 2004, in Karbala. At first, the Army said he was killed when his armored vehicle was hit by a truck driven by an insurgent and that Buryj died of internal injuries. But Buryj was shot in the back by either the U.S. troops around him or Polish troops nearby, the Post reported Dec. 3. Military officials knew his death was a friendly fire case months before they officially notified his family. An Army inspector general’s report concluded that because the case was initially labeled a hostile death, criminal investigators inadvertently destroyed the only evidence that could be used to identify a weapon a 5.56mm bullet fragment and agents failed to collect ballistic evidence from weapons at the checkpoint.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/0-ARMYPAPER-2412121.php
It took her seven months after receiving the death certificate to get an autopsy report. Two months later, in April 2005, the family sat down with Army officials for a briefing to learn what happened to their son.
Family: Army apologizes for friendly-fire investigationAssociated Press
CANTON, Ohio � The inspector general of the Army has apologized to the family of an Ohio soldier killed in Iraq for its handling of the investigation into his death, now believed to have been from friendly fire, the family said.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/1-292925-2369836.php








Pvt. Matthew D. Bush 20 F Troop, 1st Squadron, 10th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division East Alton, Illinois Died in his sleep on August 8, 2003, in Camp Caldwell in Kirkush, Iraq. A fellow soldier tried to wake Bush and noticed he was not breathing. A private dies from the heat.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/7/4000











Sgt. Robert Busuttil 30 Royal Logistics Corps Tycoch, Swansea, Wales Killed by a fellow soldier at the British base at Kabul International Airport on August 17, 2002





Capt. Joshua Byers of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. August 20, 2004 Report: Two Carson soldiers committed suicide in Iraq Associated Press FORT CARSON, Colo. Two Fort Carson soldiers who died in Iraq took their own lives, according to Army reports released this week.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/1-292925-314145.php






Pfc. Henry G. Byrd III
20
1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division
Veguita, New Mexico
Died on June 24, 2007, in Landstuhl, Germany, from a non-combat related illness sustained while in Iraq on June 18.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/






CHARLES CALL 30 WEST VIRGINIA GUNSHOT 2/3/2006 “When you see little children on the side of the roads who are so happy and giving you a thumbs up and waving, the look on their faces when I would hand out toys and candy to them, the grateful parents standing close by their children, watching in joy as their little ones get to share a small moment with the world’s greatest army — for that moment there was no war, no death, no destruction or hate ...”— Letter home from Iraq from Army Sgt. Charles Call to his mother, published in the Sunday Gazette-Mail, Jan. 23, 2005 LEON — One year after Chuck Call wrote these words to his mother, he committed suicide. For example, Call didn’t qualify for most veterans’ health benefits because in 2003, the VA suspended enrollment for higher-income veterans whom the VA has not determined to have a service-related condition. Call, ran heavy equipment for a grading company, fit that category.
http://www.veteransforamerica.org/index.cfm/page/Article/ID/7672


Not counted






Seaman Anamarie Sannicolas Camacho
20
U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain
Panama City, Florida
One of two sailors who died during a non-combat related incident in Bahrain on October 22, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/page2.html






Radhames Camilo Matos Monday, January 16 2006 Army Sgt. Radhames Camilomatos 24, of Carolina, Puerto Rico; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Jan. 7 of non-combat-related injuries in Taji, Iraq
http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/CamilomatosRadhames






Dominic Campisi (1974-2005)
This memorial website was created in the memory of our beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and great friend, Dominic Campisi. Dom was born in Pennsylvania on Sunday, May 19, 1974. He weighed only 5 lbs 5oz and he was a happy and contented child.Dom choose to leave us, six days after returning from Uzbekistan on April 17, 2005; just before his 31st birthday.
http://www.angelfamilies.cityslide.com/page/page/2659853.htm


Not counted








Seaman Jakia S. Cannon
20
Assigned to aircraft carrier USS Enterprise
Baltimore, Maryland
Died of natural causes aboard the USS Enterprise on October 25, 2003

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/page2.html









Pfc. Michael M. Carey
20
Headquarters & Service Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
Prince George, Virginia
Died when he apparently fell into a canal in Iraq and did not resurface on May 18, 2004

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/page2.html







Spc. Frederick A. Carlson 25 Company B, 228th Forward Support Battalion, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Died of a non-combat related cause in Taqqadum, Iraq, on March 25, 2006 "Huffing" caused gaurdsman's death A Pennsylvania National Guard soldier who died in Iraq this spring accidentally killed himself while inhaling from a container of pressurized air to get high, an Army investigation concluded.Frederick Carlson IV, 25, of Bethlehem, was found unconscious in his room at the base in Taqqadum shortly before 6 p.m. on March 26, according to an Army report obtained by The Morning Call of Allentown through a Freedom of Information Act request.Carlson went to sleep after returning from a mission at 6 a.m. and woke up around 4:30 p.m., investigators said. He was found unconscious a little more than an hour later and could not be revived.
http://solventabuse.blogspot.com/2006/12/huffing-caused-gaurdsmans-death.html

Carlson initially went to Iraq to work as a cook, but given that food for his division already came prepared, his superiors asked whether he wanted to work as part of a rapid-response force that frequently saw front-line combat, Cleaver said. Carlson eagerly volunteered.''You can't get more aggressive than what he was doing,'' Cleaver said. ''He really saw that what he was doing was making a difference.''Carlson struggled at first with having to shoot at other human beings, his father said, but the specialist had little time to adjust, needing to fire his M60 rifle within three days of seeing front-line duty.
http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/CarlsonIVFrederickA









Sgt. Michael J. Carlson, 28, of Colorado Springs, Colo., a member of the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, baed at Camp Pendleton, Calif. June 09, 2005 Marine found dead in Ga. motel room Associated PressALBANY, Ga Police and the Marine Corps were investigating the death of a Marine who served in Iraq and whose body was found in a motel room this week. Authorities refused to discuss the case, except to confirm that the Marine's body was found Tuesday morning. The Marine Corps identified the deceased as Sgt. Michael J. Carlson, 28, of Colorado Springs, Colo., a member of the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, baed at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Carlson was stationed at Camp Pendleton, but was performing temporary duties at the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, officials said. The incident is under investigation and the cause of death is under investigation, said 1st Lt. Nathan Braden, a Marine spokesman at Camp Pendleton. We’re working closely with civil authorities. Carlson, a small arms technician who joined the Marines in 1999, had served in Iraq, but the Marine Corps had not been determined yet when his deployment had ended, Braden said. Among his personal awards, Carlson had received a Combat Action Ribbon, but Braden said he couldn't immediately comment on whether that was awarded for action in Iraq or perhaps Afghanistan.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/com/1-comnews-903809.php


Not counted







Pfc. Casey S. Carriker
20
2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division
Hoquiam, Washington
Died from injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident in Kirkuk, Iraq, on June 13, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/page2.html







Spc. Curtis A. Carter 25 Headquarters Company 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Calvary Division Lafayette, Louisiana Died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Kuwait on February 27, 2002






Spc. Justin B. Carter 21 Company E, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division Mansfield, Missouri Died from non-combat related injuries at Forward Operating Base McKenzie near Samarra, Iraq, on February 16, 2005 "I thank GOD every day for giving me the chance to be raised by the best mother on earth!" he wrote just days before his death.
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/noadsindex/iraqcasualties/vignettes85.html






Staff Sgt. Virgil R. Case 37 Company B, 145th Support Battalion, 116th Brigade Combat Team, Idaho Army National Guard Mountain Home, Idaho Died of non-combat related injuries in Kirkuk, Iraq, on June 1, 2005






Lance Cpl. James A. Casper 20 Battery E, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Coolidge, Texas Died in a non-combat related incident at Asad, Iraq, on March 25, 2004



Sgt. Gerald Cassidy was assigned to a new medical unit at Fort Knox devoted to healing the wounds of war. But instead of getting better, the brain-injured soldier from Westfield, Ind., was found dead in his barracks Sept. 21. Preliminary reports show he may have been unconscious for days and dead for hours before someone checked on him.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2733







Capt. Paul J. Cassidy 36 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, U.S. Army Reserve Laingsburg, Michigan Died as a result of non-combat injuries in Camp Babylon, Iraq on July 13, 2003





Staff Sgt. Eric M. Cassillas, of Fort Worth, was pronounced dead Thursday, the Army said in a release. The cause of death was not immediately released. Cassillas joined the service in June 1998 and worked as an ammunition specialist. His military honors included an Army Commendation Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, according to the release. Base spokeswoman Dalena Kanouse said Cassillas had previously deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom but the dates and locations of his service were not immediately available. Cassillas was assigned to the 4th Corps Material Management Center, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). The death was under investigation, the military said. April 18, 2006
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/com/1-comnews-1716196.php


Not counted






Pfc. Stephen A. Castellano 21 Company C, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division Long Beach, California Died from a non-combat related injury in Mosul, Iraq, on January 28, 2005






Staff Sgt. Roland L. Castro 26 Battery A, 1st Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment San Antonio, Texas Died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in Camp Cedar II in southern Iraq on January 16, 2004 A staff sergeant is accidentally shot to death while searching a bunker.
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/7/4000





Lance Cpl. Geofrey R. Cayer 20 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Fitchburg, Massachusetts Died of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq, on July 18, 2006. The incident is under investigation.





Petty Officer 3rd Class David A. Cedergrene 25 Assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Forces Atlantic South St. Paul, Minnesota Died in a non-combat related incident near Iskandariaya, Iraq, on September 11, 2004





Capt. Jeremy A. Chandler 30 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group Clarksville, Tennessee Died of non-hostile injuries while he was conducting training operations at Forward Operating Base Ripley in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, on August 11, 2005





Staff Sgt. William D. Chaney, 59, of Schaumburg, Ill., died May 18, in Landstuhl, Germany due to a non-combat related injury. Initial reports indicatethat Chaney was medically evacuated from Iraq to Germany for surgery due to a sudden medical condition. He died from complications after surgery. Chaney was assigned to the Army National Guard, Company B, 1st Battalion, 106th AviationRegiment, Chicago, Ill.





Chief Warrant Officer Robert William Channell Jr., 36, ofTuscaloosa, Ala. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10thMarine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune,N.C. WASHINGTON--The Department of Defense identified today three Marines killed in a non-hostile accident during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Theywere killed when a rocket-propelled grenade launcher they werefiring for familiarization malfunctioned. The incident occurredApril 22 (03) on a firing range near the city of Al Kut, Iraq.





Lance Cpl. Steven M. Chavez 20 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Hondo, New Mexico Died of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq, on March 14, 2007






Jason Chelsea, 19, of WiganLast month, , apparently committed suicide due to concerns over what awaited him in Iraq – where he was to serve with the King’s Lancaster Regiment. (from report done Sept. 2006) Jason Chelsea, 19, a Kings, Lancashire and Border Regiment infantryman, died four days after taking an overdose. Shortly after taking the overdose, he told his parents that as part of training for Iraq he had been warned he might have to shoot children. His funeral was held in Greater Manchester. A military inquest is to be held into his death.


http://www.nw-enquirer.co.uk/politics/politics_news/
military_families_make_a_stand_as_soldier_death_toll_
keeps_rising_200609141673.html


Not counted






Pfc. Ryan D. Christensen Illness in Iraq kills soldier from Shore (The Star-Ledger)A 22-year-old soldier from Spring Lake Heights who spent the last 10 months in Iraq died at a U.S. hospital, where he had been sent for treatment of an undisclosed illness, the Department of Defense announced.
http://www.nj.com/war/soldiers/index.ssf?/iraq/
stories/casualties/list.html





Lance Cpl. Jeffery L. Clark
24
3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division
Bay City, Florida
Died of a non-hostile medical illness at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on July 22, 2003







Lance Cpl. Jeffery L. Clark 24 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division Bay City, Florida Died of a non-hostile medical illness at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on July 22, 2003


Not counted








Lance Cpl. Lance M. Clark
21
1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
Cookeville, Tennessee
Died of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province on September 7, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/page2.html







1st Sgt. Herbert R. Claunch 58 217th Military Police Company, Alabama Army National Guard Wetumpka, Alabama Died after collapsing on the floor in his quarters in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on April 18, 2004












Staff Sgt. Thomas W. Clemons 37 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor Regiment, Kentucky Army National Guard Leitchfield, Kentucky Died from a non-combat health-related incident in Diwaniya, Iraq, on December 10, 2006







Staff Sgt. Robert M. Coleman III Charleston airman to be buried in home town
By Bryant Jordan Staff writer A Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., airman found dead in his apartment near the base Nov. 6 (06) will be buried Wednesday in Olathe, Kan. Meanwhile, investigators still are looking into the circumstances of Staff Sgt. Robert M. Coleman III's death, according to Tech. Sgt. Paul Kilgallon, a spokesman for the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston. Coleman, 25, was a C-17 loadmaster who had completed 164 combat sorties in Iraq and Afghanistan, officials said. At Charleston, he was a joint air drop inspector with the 437th Operations Support Squadron. His off-base death in North Charleston is being investigated by Air Force and civilian authorities. Coleman entered the Air Force in June 2000.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/com/1-comnews-2354548.php


Not counted






Zeferino E. Colunga, 20, Bellville TX A specialist dies of pneumonia and leukemia. 8/6/03 Evacuated from Iraq on August 4, 2003, and died of a non-combat illness at Homburg University Hospital, Germany on August 6
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/7/4000






Pfc. Bryant Christopher Compean, 19, of El Campo, Texas, died from injuries sustained during a training accident involving a M249 squad automatic weapon, said Joe Piek, a Fort Lewis spokesman. Compean was assigned to 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (SBCT). He joined the Army in February 2005 and had been stationed at Fort Lewis since May 2006.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/0-ARMYPAPER-2315510.php


Not counted









Pfc. Donald E. Compton was shot during a marksmanship exercise on Range 9. An ambulance took him to Irwin Army Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was assigned to Fort Riley one year ago as an infantryman. March 13, 06 Spc. James K. Tillery of Springfield, Mo., has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, dereliction of duty and negligent discharge of a firearm under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Staff Sgt. Jeremy L. Muntz of Keosauqua, Wis., has been charged with dereliction of duty.

http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/0-ARMYPAPER-1569181.php


Not counted

Lance Cpl. Adam C. Conboy 21 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Died as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province on May 12, 2006
http://www.starbulletin.com/
Lance Cpl. Adam C. Conboy, 21, of Philadelphia had been in Iraq for just eight weeks when he died Friday in a "nonhostile incident" in Al Anbar province, according to a release from Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The Pentagon did not explain the circumstances of Conboy's death except to say it was under investigation.Mary Warner, Conboy's mother, told a Philadelphia television station that "Adam strongly felt that it was the responsibility of his generation to carry on the tradition and to defend his country so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we so readily take for granted.""We were just told that it was nonhostile fire — that he was shot in the chest," said Mary Warner, Conboy's mother. "I feel heartbroken for the other Marine to have to live with that."He is also survived by his father.Family members told WCAU-TV that Conboy became a Marine in March 2005 and had been in Iraq for just eight weeks. A spokesman at Kaneohe said Conboy reported to the Windward Oahu base last September. His medals include a Purple Heart
http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/ConboyAdamC



UK





Sgt. Paul Connolly 33 21 Engineer Regiment, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Crawley, West Sussex, England Connolly was found dead from a gunshot wound at Shaibah Logistic Base in southern Iraq on December 26, 2004. The UK Ministry of Defense said the initial inquiry into his death did not indicate hostile action or other suspicious circumstances.

Master Sgt. James C. Coons 35 385th Signal Company, 54th Signal Battalion Conroe, Texas Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq, Coons' body was found at an outpatient hotel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on July 4, 2003. In December 2005, a military casualty board ruled that his suicide should be considered a casualty of war. suicide Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq, Coons' body was found at an outpatient hotel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on July 4, 2003. In December 2005, a military casualty board ruled that his suicide should be considered a casualty of war.










Sgt. 1st Class David A. Cooper Jr.
36
2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division
State College, Pennsylvania
Died from a non-combat related injury in Baghdad, Iraq, on September 5, 2007

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/page2.html






Jason Cooper 23 Monies, IA Terri Jones lost her son Jason Cooper just over a year ago. He was an Army Reservist in the Iraq War. On July 14, 2005, four months after returning home to Iowa, he hanged himself


Not counted






RICHARD CORCORAN 34 FORT BRAGG GUNSHOT 2/3/2005 Spc. Richard T. Corcoran, 34, shot himself Feb. 3 at his ex-wife's home near the North Carolina base. He first shot her boyfriend several times, then shot her in the arm. Both survived. Served in Afghanistan. Suspected Lariam link Corcoran, the latest Fort Bragg suicide, was charged in 1989 in an incident in Glen Ridge, N.J., in which several football players were accused of raping a mentally retarded girl. The charges against Corcoran were dropped the day before the trial, and he won $200,000 in a federal civil-rights lawsuit claiming malicious prosecution.
http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/2629/2028208.html

Not counted






Staff Sgt. Victor M. Cortes III 29 Company E, 703rd Forward Support Batttalion, 3rd Infantry Division Erie, Pennsylvania 5/29/05 Staff Sgt. Victor M. Cortes III, 29, of Erie, Pa., died May 29 in Baghdad, Iraq of non-combat-related injuries. Cortes was assigned to the 703rd Forward Support Batttalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.






Pvt. Robert Costall Canadian who died in the same March 29 firefight at a southern Afghan base, officials said. Stone, 52, was part of an embedded training team working with Afghan troops. The medic had been stationed there for about six weeks. Vermont Guard spokeswoman Lt. Veronica Saffo said the investigation should not be interpreted to mean the military believes Stone and Costall were killed by their comrades.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/0-ARMYPAPER-1673040.php






Private Frédéric Couture of the Royal 22nd Regiment died on Wednesday at his parents' home. His left leg had been amputated below the knee after he stepped on a land mine in December.A Canadian soldier who had a foot blown off in Afghanistan has died of an apparent suicide, raising questions about the distress faced by combat troops.




Pfc. Dwane A. Covert Jr.
20
104th Transportation Company, 13th Corps Support Sustainment Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division
Tonawanda, New York
Died from injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident in Al-Sahra, Iraq, on November 3, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/page2.html





Pfc. Ryan R. Cox 19 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division Derby, Kansas Died as a result of a non-hostile gunshot wound he sustained near Najaf, Iraq, on June 15, 2003






Spc. Tambo Cox, 20, shot and injured two women April 5 in a Sunland Park, N.M., home because he was angry that his ex-girlfriend ended their relationship. Investigators said Coxlater shot himself during a traffic stop April 6 along Interstate 10 near Deming, N.M. Fort Bliss officials said Cox, originally from Trinidad, has been in the Army since 2004. He served with 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery.
http://www.armytimes.com/legacy/new/0-ARMYPAPER-1688474.php


Not counted







Craig, Heather N. Staff Sergeant 06/21/06 28 US U.S. Army 159th Air Ambulance Medical Company Non-hostile Naray (Nangarhar Pr.)


Not counted








Spc. Richard M. Crane 25 Detachment 1, 325th Field Hospital, Army Reserve Independence, Missouri Died of non-combat related injuries in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on February 8, 2005






Lance Cpl. Andrew Jason Craw
21
1st Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Clack- mannanshire, Scotland
Died in a training range accident near Basra on January 7, 2004

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/page2.html





Cpl. Mark Cridge 25 7 Signal Regiment, Royal Corp of Signals Hometown of record not available Died at Camp Bastion near Lashkar Gah in the southern province of Helmand, Afghanistan, on March 22, 2006. British authorities said initial inquiries into his death did not indicate hostile action.





Spc. Michael J. Crutchfield 21 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment Stockton, California Died of a non-combat related injury in Balad, Iraq, on December 23, 2006 suspected link to Lariam Between Christmas and New Year's 2006, five U.S. soldiers committed suicide after being informed they'd been ordered to serve an additional tour in Iraq. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061230/A_NEWS/612300318"
Michael Crutchfield of Stockton, California killed himself north of the capital, Baghdad. The day of his death, he e-mailed his foster brother and confidant, Johnny Sotello, to relate his pain to the remnants of his family still living in the area. "As you know, there are more people waiting for me to pull this trigger than there are waiting on my return to the states," Crutchfield wrote in a portion of the message, quoted by the Stockton Record. "I'm done hurting. All my life I've been hurting... end this pain," Crutchfield wrote at the end of his two-page message.

http://www.antiwar.com/glantz/?articleid=10313





Pfc. Joseph Cruz 22 Company A, 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Whittier, California Died of non-combat related injuries sustained in an accident at Organ-E, Afghanistan, on October 15, 2005.





Sgt. Sirlou C. Cuaresma 25 68th Engineer Company, 62nd Engineer Battalion, 13th Containment Command Chicago, Illinois Died from a non-combat related cause in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 21, 2006 Relatives of Cuaresma who spoke to reporters outside the family's home Friday night said Cuaresma joined the Army in 2000 and was on his third tour of duty.
http://iraq.pigstye.net/article.php/BuzzardJasonJ





Tyler Curtis survived bullets and bombs. But once he got home, he couldn’t escape the emotional wounds he suffered. Curtis, 25, took his own life on Thanksgiving morning, three months after returning to Maine following his 2006 discharge from the Army.




Pfc. Brian K. Cutter 19 Company B, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Riverside, California Found unconscious on May 13, 2004, and was later pronounced dead in Al Asad, Iraq. The cause of death is under investigation.

Note: Cause of death is listed when known. Most never had the finds of investigations published.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Fort Bragg families need to prepare for return of thousands of delpoyed

Tens of thousands based in N.C. coming home

By Estes Thompson - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Dec 28, 2007 16:53:50 EST

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — For much of 2007, this normally bustling post — home of the U.S. Army’s airborne infantry — was quiet: all four combat brigades of the storied 82nd Airborne Division were deployed overseas. Ditto at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, where the resident II Marine Expeditionary Force was fighting in Anbar, Iraq.

That changes in 2008, as more than 22,000 troops based in North Carolina are set to return home from their latest deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

“As they come back, other infantry battalions are going to head out the door again,” said Lt. Col. Curtis Hill, a Marine Corps spokesman at Camp Lejeune.

About 10,500 Marines who are assigned to the 2nd MEF — including aircraft pilots, infantrymen, and support troops units — are expected to return to the Corps’ main East Coast base in 2008, Hill said.

Glenn Mayberry, deputy family readiness officer with the 2nd MEF, said those returning Marines will get more concentrated attention now than at any point in the 12 years he has worked in the Corps’ family programs.

Mayberry said conflicts during the transition from life on the battlefield to life at home don’t have to be dramatic to be troublesome. Even the mundane — such as deciding which spouse gets to go out by themselves to shop: the stay-at-home spouse who watched the family’s children for months or the Marine who was in a combat zone all that time — can cause tension.

To help, returning troops are given plenty of time off. The Marines also compare results of pre-deployment examinations with later reviews to look for problems, and family members are also are asked to report anything they notice among the returned.

“They’re seeing mental health (professionals), chaplains and the doctors,” Hill said. “We’re relying on the Marines to tell the truth. There’s the pride thing and sometimes they’re not going to do it. What we’re trying to stress is just because you have an issue and you tell us, that doesn’t mean your career is over.”
go here for the rest

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/ap_nccominghome_071228/

All family members need to learn the signs of PTSD to be ready for them to come home. If the family and friends don't know what to look for, they will not know what to do to help them.

Go to the right side of this blog and watch the videos on PTSD to know what to look for and understand what they just came home from.

Fort Campbell is getting its own VA field office

VA field office was due on post

Fort Campbell is getting its own Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs field office, and it's about time.

Montgomery County veterans have had to drive to either Dickson or Nashville regarding benefits.



While those are not, of course, particularly long drives, with all of the veterans who decide to retire or start a second career in this community, it was ridiculous that Fort Campbell didn't have a field office before now.

The new office is at 5661 Screaming Eagle Blvd. on post. For more information, call the Department of Veterans Affairs at 615-741-6663.

Primarily, the office will help file benefit claims for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and transitioning out of service. It also will help family members who may be entitled to federal benefits.

Anything that can help speed up the bureaucracy will be welcome.
click post title for link

Photo of Dead Soldier Inspires Surprising Response

Photo of Dead Soldier Inspires Surprising Response



By Greg Mitchell

Published: December 28, 2007 12:15 PM ET

NEW YORK Sometimes a picture is, indeed, worth a thousand, or maybe 100,000, words. That seemed true two days ago when, in my regular pursuit of stories about noncombat American deaths in Iraq. I came upon the name of a new victim.

As usual, the Pentagon release merely stated that he had died in a non-hostile situation and that an investigation would proceed. Also as usual, I then googled for stories in local news outlets, which often provide some details about the deceased, occasionally even the true cause of death.

In this case, I also found a haunting photograph, after a newspaper link took me to – of all places – an elementary school’s online newsletter. I wrote about all this on my new blog (see link below), posted the photo and, amazingly, at least five people who knew the dead soldier and/or attended that school have written me or posted remarks at the blog.

It's rare that the war "comes home" for average Americans like this -- at least with this war. A new AP poll today reveals that only one in five Americans know of a family member, friend or neighbor who has been wounded or killed in Iraq.

My blog report opened: The Pentagon revealed today that a soldier from suburban Detroit died on Christmas Day in Iraq. Sgt. Peter Neesley, 28, was from Grosse Pointe Farms. The military says he died of an undetermined cause in a "noncombat environment" in Baghdad. In the photo at right, Neesley is shown on a recent visit to his nephew's 4th grade classroom in Grosse Pointe Farms.

The school's newsletter described it this way: "Sergeant Peter Neesley, uncle of Patrick D., visited Richard Elementary while home on leave from Iraq. Sgt. Neesley led the school in the Pledge of Allegiance and visited several classrooms answering questions from our inquisitive students. Thanks for spending valuable time with us Sgt. Neesley and don’t forget to write and keep in touch. Thanks to all the men and women in the armed forces. We are so proud of you!"

The blog item got picked up on a few other sites, and the surprising reaction soon arrived.

click post title for the rest

Suicide of Spec. Chris Dana causes Montana to change

''The federal government does a remarkable job of converting a citizen to a warrior,'' said Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat. ''I think they have an equal responsibility converting a warrior back to a citizen.''


Suicide shocks Montana into assessing vets' care
Chris Adams



December 28, 2007 1:25 PM

McClatchy Newspapers

(MCT)

HELENA, Mont. - Chris Dana came home from the war in Iraq in 2005 and slipped into a mental abyss so quietly that neither his family nor the Montana Army National Guard noticed.

He returned to his former life: a job at a Target store, nights in a trailer across the road from his father's house.

When he started to isolate himself, missing family events and football games, his father urged him to get counseling. When the National Guard called his father to say that he'd missed weekend duty, Gary Dana pushed his son to get in touch with his unit.

''I can't go back. I can't do it,'' Chris Dana responded.

Things went downhill from there. He blew though all his money, and last March 4, he shot himself in the head with a .22-caliber rifle. He was 23 years old.



As Gary Dana was collecting his dead son's belongings, he found a letter indicating that the National Guard was discharging his son under what are known as other-than-honorable conditions. The move was due to his skipping drills, which his family said was brought on by the mental strain of his service in Iraq.

The letter was in the trash, near a Wal-Mart receipt for .22-caliber rifle shells.

All across America, veterans such as Chris Dana are slipping through the cracks, left to languish by their military units and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The VA's ability to provide adequate care for veterans with mental ailments has come under increasing scrutiny, and the agency says it's scrambling to boost its resources to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder, prevent suicides and help veterans cope. It's added more mental health counselors and started more suicide-prevention programs.

But the experience in Montana, which by some measures does more than any other state to support America's wars, shows how far the military and the VA have to go.

click post title for the rest
Linked from ICasualties.org



Also on this

When the battalion's tour of duty ended in late 2005 after 18 months away from home, Specialist Dana was rapidly processed through Department of Defense demobilization facilities to expedite his return home and reintegration into civilian environment. This expedited approach is standard operational procedure for Reserve Component (National Guard and Reserve) units whose tour of duty supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom has ended.

However. Chris Dana's suicide-as well as the many others that have occurred nationwide in the aftermath of National Guard and Reserve combat veterans' return to mainstream civilian life-has prompted Montana's critical assessment of the PDHRA program's effectiveness in reintegrating combat veterans into civilian society.
go here for the rest
http://dma.mt.gov/mvad/documents/PDHRA.pdf

Two months between deployments PTSD followed him home

When war again found Iraq, Hill was deployed from August 2005 to November 2006. He deployed again in January 2007 with the 731st Transportation Company out of Larned.

Switching to convoy gunner a fateful choice

By James Carlson - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Dec 28, 2007 7:12:22 EST

OTTAWA, Kan. — Spc. Allen Hill wakes in the middle of the night with a real-life movie playing on repeat.

Gunner position. Night-vision goggles. A man fidgeting with something. A white light, then nothing. Over and over the scene plays, and the 39-year-old Hill can’t seem to dislodge it from his mind.

He is in Kansas for the holidays with his family before returning in early January to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he will continue treatment and finish paperwork to receive at-home care when he returns to Kansas.

The physical signs of that day one month ago are waning, but even in the security of his Ottawa home, the mental pain continues.

Hill joined the Army in Texas in 1986 at age 18. He was placed at Fort Riley in 1990 and has lived in Kansas since. He fought in the 1991 Persian Gulf War before joining the Army National Guard.

When war again found Iraq, Hill was deployed from August 2005 to November 2006. He deployed again in January 2007 with the 731st Transportation Company out of Larned.

Hill’s unit served as convoy security, where he most often drove the Humvees. That was until Nov. 21, the day before Thanksgiving.

“I had driven and driven and driven and the monotony ...” he trails off.
go here for the rest
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/ap_flashback_071228/

He was home two months before going back. This is how they do it to our soldiers. They stick them into another unit that is heading back, and off they go. Yet they get to say the troops have rest between deployments because the unit they left does not go back that quick. Nice trick. Too bad the media let them get away with this over and over again. It happens all the time. Yet they act as if they are surprised by how many end up with PTSD?

House Committee Slams VA On Veteran Suicides

House Committee Slams VA On Veteran Suicides
By Stephen Spotswood
Posted: 27-December-2007

WASHINGTON—"This is going to be an emotional hearing."

With that statement, Rep. Bob Filner (D., Calif.), chair of the House Veterans Affairs (VA) Committee, opened a Dec. 12 hearing on what he and other legislators are calling an epidemic of suicides among veterans in the United States and their dissatisfaction with VA’s response.

"This is a topic," Rep. Filner said, "that the Department of Veterans Affairs and the American public don’t like to talk about."

However, in a marathon hearing held shortly before the holiday recess, a spotlight was focused on the topic, and a hearing that began with the story of one family’s struggle with their son’s suicide ended with Rep. Filner severely berating leading VA mental health officials.

Disputing The Numbers
Many times during the hearing, both legislators and VA officials stated that "the exact numbers should not matter" in a discussion of veteran suicide; that one suicide is one too many. Still, a lot of time was spent arguing over just how prevalent the problem is.

The hearing was prompted in part by a CBS news story in November on suicides in the veteran population that put last year’s number of veteran suicides at over 6,000. VA officials refuted that number, questioning its validity. But a VA Inspector General report released in May of 2007 found that as many as 5,000 veterans commit suicide a year—nearly 1,000 of whom are receiving VA care at the time.
go here for the rest
http://www.usmedicine.com/dailyNews.cfm?dailyID=355

Pro-war bloggers need to stop calling the media liars. It's true and they really couldn't care less.

Veterans want attention from candidates


United States Marine Vietnam veteran Wayne Wood of Central City discusses his time in the service and problems he faced afterward with Cedar Rapids sisters Mary Arenas (middle) and Paula Arenas Huber before the Circle of Friends for American Veterans began Operation United Reveille at the Knights of Columbus Council 909 in Cedar Rapids tonight. The Arenas sisters' father served in World War II and dealt with post traumatic stress his entire life.


Veterans want attention from candidates
By Adam Belz
The Gazette
adam.belz@gazettecommunications.com


CEDAR RAPIDS — More than a thousand veterans are homeless in Iowa, and the Department of Veterans Affairs funds only 56 beds for them, Brian Hampton, president of Circle of Friends for American Veterans, said tonight.

Hampton's organization kicked off a series of rallies called Operation United Reveille. The point of the tour is that many veterans believe the government that sends American men and women to war does not take care of them when they return.

The tour is following the key early states in the presidential campaign to try to get candidates to address veterans issues, which Hampton thinks have been largely ignored in the campaign and by the national media.

"The VA is doing little or nothing for homeless vets," Hampton said. "We're going to put the politicians' feet to the fire, 'cause when they feel the heat, they see the light."

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Paris Hilton Knocked Out Of Money In Favor Of Charities

The foundation supports projects that provide clean water in Africa, education for blind children, and housing for the mentally ill. Its aims, based on Conrad Hilton's will, are "to relieve the suffering, the distressed and the destitute."



The Hilton manoeuvre: Paris's granddad gives 97% of his fortune to charity
Michelle Nichols, Reuters
Published: Thursday, December 27, 2007


U.S. hotel heiress Paris Hilton's potential inheritance diminished dramatically after her grandfather Barron Hilton announced plans yesterday to donate 97 per cent of his $2.3-billion fortune to charity.

That wealth includes $1.2 billion Barron Hilton stands to earn from both the recent sale of Hilton Hotels Corp. - started by his father Conrad in 1919 when he bought a small hotel in Cisco, Tex. - and pending sale of the world's biggest casino company, Harrah's Entertainment Inc.

That money will be placed in a charitable trust that will eventually benefit the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, raising its total value to about $4.5 billion, the foundation said in a statement.

Barron Hilton, chairman of the foundation, intends "to contribute 97 per cent of his entire net worth, estimated today at $2.3 billion, including the created trusts, at whatever value it is at the time of his passing," the foundation said.

go here for the rest

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=200784

I'll admit that when I see Paris in the headlines, I usually avoid it but this is not about her latest antics. It's about her grandfather taking notice of them and deciding to give most of his money to charities. I read it reluctantly, hoping that I would read something of value. When it comes to Paris Hilton being in the news I cringe knowing a soldier died in Iraq or Afghanistan no one really takes notice of anymore, or some veteran ended up homeless yesterday, or another committed suicide. She lives off of the media paying attention to her and it's a sad comment on the state of this nation when someone like her becomes the focus of any other news source than the Star or the National Enquirer or other entertainment media, not that she is that entertaining.

So here is a huge bravo to Grand Pa for doing the right thing for people in need instead of his granddaughter living off of greed.

AMVETS post named after Noah Charles Pierce

Virginia AMVETS post named for Iraq veteran who committed suicide
Dickinson Press - Dickinson,ND,USA
VIRGINIA, Minn.
A new AMVETS post here has been named after a 23-year-old Iraq war veteran who committed suicide this year.

Noah Charles Pierce was honored Dec. 15 at a ceremony dedicating AMVETS Post 33 in Virginia.

Pierce was an Army specialist who served with the Third Infantry Division in Kuwait and Iraq. After being discharged from the military, he battled post-traumatic stress disorder before taking his own life in July.

Shawn Carr, who commands the AMVETS post in Virginia, said Pierce carried on the Iron Range tradition of serving the country in a time of need.

"In naming this post Noah C. Pierce AMVETS Post 33, we wish to give Noah a fitting memorial, raise community and public awareness of PTSD and in some way help the healing for his family to begin," Carr said. "As far as I'm concerned, Noah died of injuries received in combat."

Toward the end of the ceremony, Carr read the roll call of local AMVETS members. When he read Pierce's name, "Taps" was played.

Information from: Mesabi Daily News,
http://www.virginiamn.com/

"As far as I'm concerned, Noah died of injuries received in combat." It should be the same way with all people. PTSD is a wound. In his case, it was a wound caused by combat and the traumas of war. They should all be honored and they should all be treated as combat wounded. There is no shame connected to having your limbs blown off or having a bullet wound so why should there be any shame in having your mind wounded by what you lived through and with?


Also on this

“PTSD has been around as long as man has gone to war,’’ Ringstrom said. “We have a name for it now. Thank God for the Vietnam vets’’ for bringing it to light. “This isn’t new. These are warriors we’re talking about.’’

HONORING NOAH
Bringing more awareness to PTSD
Linda Tyssen
Last updated: Wednesday, December 26th, 2007 10:07:03 PM


VIRGINIA — Noah Charles Pierce wasn’t there to answer roll call. The sounding of taps responded instead, as the new AMVETS Post 33 was named in his honor at a special ceremony Dec. 15.

The 23-year-old Army veteran of the war in Iraq committed suicide in July, following a battle with post-traumatic stress disorder. Spc. Pierce served with the Third Infantry Division in Kuwait and Iraq, driving a Bradley fighting vehicle and serving as a gunner on a Humvee. After his discharge from the military, he had told his family he would have gone back for a third tour of duty.

Shortly after the AMVETS post was chartered in Virginia, Commander Shawn Carr announced his wish to name the post for Pierce. AMVETS, short for American Veterans, is open to all those who served in the military, whether in wartime or peacetime, overseas or at home. Post 33 is headquartered at the Servicemen’s Club.

A large group of Pierce’s family and friends and military veterans came to the ceremony at the Servicemen’s Club. Pierce’s parents, Cheryl and Tom Softich of Sparta, and his sister, Sarah Snyder, were among those in attendance.

“In naming this post Noah C. Pierce AMVETS Post 33, we wish to give Noah a fitting memorial, raise community and public awareness of PTSD and in some way help the healing for his family to begin,’’ Commander Carr said in his remarks.
go here for the rest of this
http://www.virginiamn.com/mdn/?sect_rank=1&section_id=70&story_id=211592

DOD claims 85% of discharges for personality disorder were right?

Military Works to Improve Personality Disorder-Based Discharge Process
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2007 – The military is working to improve the way it implements a policy of discharging troops based on pre-existing personality disorders, Defense Department health officials said today.

Several articles in summer 2007 claimed that some 22,500 troops had been discharged -- in some instances, wrongly discharged -- after being diagnosed as having personality disorders. In response, the Defense Department launched a “secondary review.”

In the ongoing investigation thus far, officials have reconfirmed that 85 percent of servicemembers initially determined to have personality disorders were correctly diagnosed. Roughly 1.5 percent, however, were misdiagnosed, officials said.

“We have looked at most of them, and some, on review, have been incorrect diagnoses,” Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, told reporters at the Pentagon today.

Casscells denied the most inflammatory claim made in the articles: that the military was shirking its responsibility to those affected. “When the articles first came out, the tenor was, ‘Military is labeling people (with) personality disorders so they don’t have to pay benefits,’” he said. “We did not find any evidence of that.”

Echoing Casscells’ comments, Air Force Col. Joyce Adkins, director of psychological health and strategic operations, defended the policy, but acknowledged possible flaws in implementation.

Adkins clarified that a personality disorder does not necessarily bar an individual from serving in the armed forces. “Certainly there are many people who have personality traits that we would characterize as a disorder who have stayed in the military,” she said. “It’s only when their personality doesn’t fit well with the job that they are separated.”

Moreover, Adkins said a “separation,” or discharge, on the basis of a personality disorder can benefit the discharged servicemember because it serves as a “safety valve,” freeing the servicemember from further obligation to military service.

“If you have a job and you don’t fit well with that job, you can quit,” she said. “In the military, you can’t just quit that easily. This is a way to say that this person doesn’t fit well with this job and to allow them to pursue other employments.”

Adkins added that the “large majority” of such discharges occur within the first two years of military service.
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48489
Linked from VAWatchdog.org
Then this would mean they let in people with personality disorders and all their pre-enlistment test are not worth crap. It would mean that they have a lot of soldiers running around with mental disorders. Wouldn't it? So what do you think the DOD should really be releasing in these case? That they are wrong 85% of the time, or they were right and their test make sure those who enlist are in fact fully capable of carrying out their orders? We're talking about 25,000 veterans here. Somehow I doubt they all took the test and bluffed their way through them. I really doubt they were rightfully dishonorably discharged. If they are trying to save money by admitting combat causes trauma and some develop PTSD, then they not only lost their reputation for taking the best and the brightest, they also dishonored the military as a whole by trying to pull a stunt like this. kc