Gangs in the Military: Armed and Dangerous Forces (December 23, 2010)

On December 23, 2010November 22, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Homicide, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, Scandals, Stateside Death, USMCLeave a comment

The United States military is arguably the most powerful force in the world. But according to the FBI 15,000 men and women in uniform have ties to notorious American gangs such as MS-13, the Crips, the Bloods, and the Gangster Disciples — that’s a population that’s bigger than that of any military installation. -Part 1, RT America (December 23, 2010)

Gangs in the Military: Armed & Dangerous Forces -Part 2, RT America (December 23, 2010)

Gangs in the US Army Documentary:

Sworn to protect us from every enemy, foreign and domestic, and every day the majority of soldiers do just that ! yet some units are being compromised and turn into street gangs. An FBI report recently showed an increased gang activity within US soldiers. -Gangs in the U.S. Army Documentary

Army Sgt. Amanda Sheldon’s Mom Speaks Out on Suicide; Family Hopes to Inspire Military-Wide Change (October 14, 2010)

On October 14, 2010February 27, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Sexual Assault, SuicideLeave a comment

The family of Sgt. Amanda Sheldon hopes her death may spark change. The 2004 Belding graduate’s body will return to West Michigan on Thursday night, about one week after Sheldon took her own life while serving at a Fort Bragg, N.C., military base. -WOOD TV8 (October 14, 2010)

“Just like any other soldier, whether she died in combat or some other way, she’s still a fallen soldier. She served her country and she served it well.” -Renee Orcatt (Amanda Sheldon’s mom)

Army Sgt. Amanda Sheldon, 24, took her own life while stationed with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Sgt. Sheldon was found unresponsive at her off-post home in Fayetteville and was pronounced dead at the local hospital on October 7, 2010. Sgt. Sheldon was attached to the 18th Fires Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. She joined the Army in October 2005 and was assigned to Fort Bragg in February 2010. The family of Sgt. Amanda Sheldon hopes the circumstances surrounding her untimely death will spark military-wide change. In 2010, the Department of Defense was concerned about the increase in active duty suicides and since then the numbers have only increased. CNN reported the suicide rates among active-duty Marines and the Navy are at a 10-year high on January 28, 2019. Task and Purpose reported Army suicides reached a five-year high on January 31, 2019. Military.com reported Active-Duty military suicides are at Record Highs in 2018.

Ada family of soldier who died off-base in North Carolina says death was not suspicious

On October 11, 2010October 5, 2013 By AdministratorIn PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Sexual Assault, SuicideLeave a comment

Ada family of soldier who died off-base in North Carolina says death was not suspicious

Family members say her death is not considered suspicious. Military officials continued to investigate. Read more: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/10/ada_family_of_soldier_who_died.html

Military Rape Survivor Army Sgt. Amanda Sheldon Died by Suicide After Suffering With Depression; Family Hopes Her Death May Spark Change (October 7, 2010)

On October 7, 2010February 27, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Sexual Assault, Suicide10 Comments

Sgt Amanda Sheldon, US Army (2010) — Sgt. Amanda Sheldon, U.S. Army

Army Sgt. Amanda Sheldon, 24, took her own life while stationed with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Sgt. Sheldon was found unresponsive at her off-post home in Fayetteville and was pronounced dead at the local hospital on October 7, 2010. Sgt. Sheldon’s mom, Renee Orcatt, went public with Amanda’s story in an effort to raise awareness, change policy, and save lives. Renee told the local media that Amanda was a victim of rape in the military at the hands of a superior officer. Amanda reported the crime to the Army and informed them she had been drugged and raped. As a result, the suspect was criminally convicted and discharged from the Army. Initially, Amanda sought help from military counselors and the family reported that she was getting better, yet still struggled with depression. Amanda wanted to deal with it and move on to serve her country as she had originally intended to do.

Unfortunately, according to Renee, this wasn’t the last time Amanda would have to confront her past while serving in the Army. When Amanda was up for promotion, she was asked why she was going to counseling. She would go on to get her promotion, but this line of questioning was something she never wanted to experience again. After making the realization that her past and seeking help was not confidential, counseling was out of the question in her future if she wanted to preserve her career. Sgt. Sheldon felt judged for seeking treatment for military sexual trauma. Her mom reported that Amanda recognized she needed counseling again and was planning on getting out of the military. When she died, she was serving out her final year of enlistment, had plans to go to college, and wanted to start a new life outside the military, with her new love. But her unit got tasked with a deployment to Afghanistan and she set about making plans to go to Afghanistan with her unit before she was discharged from the Army.

Amanda would learn that in order to accomplish this, she would need to re-enlist for two more years. Amanda didn’t want to stay in for two more years and made the devastating decision to stay back. She felt like no matter what decision she made, she was letting someone down. Renee observed that Amanda never came to grips with this decision and entered into depression. Amanda’s mom begged her to get counseling but to Amanda that was no longer an option. Sgt. Sheldon was attached to the 18th Fires Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. She joined the Army in October 2005 and was assigned to Fort Bragg in February 2010. The family of Sgt. Amanda Sheldon hopes the circumstances surrounding her untimely death will spark military-wide change. In 2010, the Department of Defense was concerned about the increase in active duty suicides and since then the number of suicides in the military has increased.

Editor’s Note: CNN reported the suicide rates among active-duty Marines and the Navy are at a 10-year high on January 28, 2019. Task and Purpose reported Army suicides reached a five-year high on January 31, 2019. Military.com reported Active-Duty military suicides are at Record Highs in 2018.

“Just like any other soldier, whether she died in combat or some other way, she’s still a fallen soldier. She served her country and she served it well.” -Renee Orcatt (Amanda Sheldon’s mom)

Source: Soldier’s Mom speaks out on suicide, WOOD TV8 (October 14, 2010)

September: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2010)

On September 30, 2010September 10, 2017 By AdministratorIn Accidents, Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, National Guard, Navy, Non Combat Death, Suicide, USAF, USMCLeave a comment

09/30/2010: DOD Identifies Air Force Casualty: Mark Forester, 29, Afghanistan, Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina

09/29/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Ralph Fabbri, 20, Afghanstan, Camp Pendleton, California

09/28/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Mark Simpson, 40, and Donald Morrison, 23, Afghanistan, Fort Hood, Texas

09/27/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: William Dawson, 20, and Jaysine Petree, 19, Afghanistan, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska

09/27/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Marc Whisenant, 23, NCD, Kuwait, Florida Army National Guard

09/27/2010: Missing WWII Naval Aviators Identified

09/27/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: John Carrillo Jr, 20, and Gebrah Noonan, 26, NCDs, Iraq, Fort Stewart, Georgia

09/27/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Clinton Springer II, 21, NCD, Afghanistan, Fort Drum, New York

09/24/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Anthony Rosa, 20, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/23/2010: Missing WWII Soldier is Identified in Germany

09/22/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Robert Baldwin, 39, Matthew Wagstaff, 34, Jonah McClellan, 26, Joshua Powell, 25, and Marvin Calhoun Jr, 23, NCDs, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/22/2010: DOD Identifies Navy Casualty: Brendan Looney, 29, NCD, Afghanistan, West Coast Based SEAL Team

09/22/2010: DOD Identifies Navy Casualties: David McLendon, 30, Adam Smith, 26, and Denis Miranda, 24, NCDs, East Coast Based SEAL Team

09/22/2010: Missing WWII Soldier is Identified

09/22/2010: DOD Identifies Air Force Casualty: Michael Buras, 23, Afghanistan, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada

09/21/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Joshua Ose, 19, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/20/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Joshua Harton, 23, Afghanistan, Fort Drum, New York

09/20/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Paul Carron, 33, NCD, Afghanistan, Vilseck, Germany

09/20/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Barbara Vieyra, 22, Afghanistan, Fort Hood, Texas

09/20/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Timothy Johnson, 24, Afghanistan, Fort Carson, Colorado

09/20/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Ronald Grider, 30, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/20/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Eric Yates, 26, and Jaime Newman, 27, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/20/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Scott Fleming, 24, Afghanistan, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

09/18/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Deangelo Snow, 22, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/17/2010: DOD Identifies Air Force Casualty: Daniel Sanchez, 23, Afghanistan, Hurlburt Field, Florida

09/17/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Aaron Kramer, 22, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/17/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: John Burner III, 32, NCD, Iraq, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

09/16/2010: DOD Identifies Air Force Casualty: James Hansen, 25, NCD, Iraq, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

09/16/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Ryan Hopkins, 21, NCD, Iraq, Fort Carson, Colorado

09/16/2010: Army Releases August Suicide Data

09/10/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Todd Weaver, 26, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/09/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: John Bishop, 25, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/09/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Philip Jenkins, 26, and James McClamrock, 22, NCDs, Iraq, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

09/09/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Jesse Balthaser, 23, Afghanistan, Twentynine Palms, California

09/08/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Philip Charte, 22, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/07/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Ross Carver, 21, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/07/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Jason McMahon, 35, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

09/07/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Diego Montoya, 20, Afghanistan, Fort Hood, Texas

09/03/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Vinson Adkinson III, 26, Raymond Alcaraz, 20, Matthew George, 22, and James Page, 23, Afghanistan, Bamberg, Germany

09/03/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Joshua Twigg, 21, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/02/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Mark Noziska, 24, and Casey Grochowiak, 34, Afghanistan, Fort Carson, Colorado

09/02/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Christopher Rodgers, 20, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/01/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Cody Roberts, 22, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

09/01/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Joseph Bovia, 24, Afghanistan, Okinawa, Japan

09/01/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Dale Goetz, 43, Jesse Infante, 30, Kevin Kessler, 32, Matthew West, 36, and Chad Clements, 26, Afghanistan, Fort Carson, Colorado

09/01/2010: U.S. Soldier MIA from Korean War Identified

Why Pat Tillman’s Death Matters (September 10, 2010)

On September 10, 2010September 15, 2024 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

To those who have followed America’s wars of conquest in Afghanistan and Iraq over the past decade closely, the story of Pat Tillman’s death is a familiar one. Shortly after the 9-11 attacks, a professional football player at the top of his game steps out of the limelight to join the military, completes one tour of duty in Iraq, and is killed during a second, in Afghanistan. At first, we’re told he died heroically leading his squad in a hillside battle against Taliban militiamen. Later, we learn that the Army’s story is a fraud, that he was killed by friendly fire from his fellow Rangers, a pointless victim of war.

Director Amir Bar-Lev’s powerful documentary, “The Tillman Story,” fleshes out the tragic arc of Pat Tillman’s life in what becomes less an anti-war movie and more the story of one indomitable family’s struggle for truth and justice in the face of arrogant indifference by our nation’s top military and civilian leaders, abetted by a cheerleading press. Think “Network,” not “Coming Home.”

August: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2010)

On August 31, 2010August 17, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, Non Combat Death, Scandals, USAF, USMCLeave a comment

08/31/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Patrick Durham, 24, and Andrew Castro, 20, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/30/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Floyd Holley, 36, Afghanistan, Camp Pendleton, California

08/30/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Ellery Wallace, 33, and Bryn Raver, 20, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/30/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Chad Coleman, 20, and Adam Novak, 20, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/30/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: James Robinson, 27, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/30/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: James Ide, 32, Afghanistan, Sembach, Germany

08/30/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Daniel Fedder, 34, Afghanistan, Camp Pendleton, California

08/29/2010: DOD Identifies Navy Casualty: James Swink, 20, Afghanistan, II Marine Expeditionary Forces

08/25/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Justin Shoecraft, 28, Afghanistan, Vilseck, Germany

08/24/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Robert Newton, 21, Afghanistan, Twentynine Palms, California

08/24/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Ronald Rodriguez, 26, Afghanistan, Camp Pendleton, California

08/24/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Steven Deluzio, 25, and Tristan Southworth, 21, Afghanistan, Vermont Army National Guard

08/24/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Pedro Millet Meletiche, 20, Afghanistan, Fort Carson, Colorado

08/24/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Jason Calo, 23, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/24/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Brandon Maggart, 24, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

08/23/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Alexis Maldonado, 20, Afghanistan, Fort Hood, Texas

08/23/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Nathaniel Schultz, 19, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/23/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Christopher Wright, 23, Afghanistan, Hunter Army Air Field, Georgia

08/21/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Cody Childers, 19, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

08/20/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Christopher Boyd, 22, Afghanistan, Camp Pendleton, California

08/20/2010: DOD Identifies Navy Casualty: Collin Thomas, 33, Afghanistan, east-coast based SEAL team

08/20/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Martin Lugo, 24, Afghanistan, Hunter Army Air Field, Georgia

08/19/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Edgar Roberts, 39, Afghanistan, Georgia Army National Guard

08/19/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Kevin Oratowski, 23, Afghanistan, Camp Pendleton, California

08/18/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Benjamen Chisholm, 24, and Charles High IV, 21, NCDs, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/18/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Derek Farley, 24, Afghanistan, Grafenwoehr, Germany

08/17/2010: Airman Missing In Action From WWII Identified: Ray F. Fletcher, US Army Air Forces

08/17/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Jamal Rhett, 24, Iraq, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii

08/16/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Michael Bock, 26, Afghanistan, Twentynine Palms, California

08/13/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Kristopher Greer, 25, Afghanistan, Marine Forces Reserve, Knoxville, Tennessee

08/13/2010: Soldier Missing from Korean War Identified: Roy Stewart, US Army

08/12/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Christopher Karch, 23, Afghanistan, Fort Bragg, North Carolina

08/12/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Jose Saenz III, 30, Afghanistan, Camp Pendleton, California

08/11/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: John Andrade, 19, Afghanistan, Vilseck, Germany

08/11/2010: Soldiers Missing in Action from Vietnam War Identified: Paul G. Magers, US Army

08/09/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Paul Cuzzupe, 23, Afghanistan, Vilseck, Germany

08/09/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualties: Kevin Cornelius, 20, and Vincent Gammone III, 19, Afghanistan, Camp Lejeune, California

08/09/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualties: Andrew Nicol, 23, and Bradley Rappuhn, 24, Afghanistan, Fort Benning, Georgia

08/09/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Faith Hinkley, 23, Iraq, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

08/09/2010: DOD Identifies Marine Casualty: Max Donahue, 23, Afghanistan, Camp Pendleton, California

08/02/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Kyle Stout, 25, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

08/01/2010: DOD Identifies Army Casualty: Michael Stansbery, 21, Afghanistan, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Fort Bragg Army Spc. Morganne McBeth Killed by Fellow Soldier in Iraq; Spc. Nicholas Bailey Sentenced to Nine Months in Prison (July 2, 2010)

On July 2, 2010July 3, 2020 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death1 Comment

Morganne McBeth.png — Spc. Morganne McBeth, U.S. Army

Army Spc. Morganne McBeth, 19, died July 2, 2010 of wounds sustained on July 1. This was considered a non combat death in Iraq and her death was ruled a homicide. Morganne was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. McBeth was stabbed by a fellow Army soldier Specialist Nicholas Bailey. According to court testimony, Bailey stabbed Morganne McBeth while ‘horsing around’ in a tent in Iraq. Nicholas Bailey was sentenced to nine months in prison, demoted to private, and given a bad conduct discharge.

“Involuntary manslaughter can be committed in one of two ways,” an 82nd Airborne official said in an e-mail. “…through culpable negligence or by causing a death while committing or attempting to commit an offense directly affecting the person, other than burglary, sodomy, rape, robbery, or aggravated arson. Note that these are the five offenses covered in the felony murder rule. As the manual for court martials points out, culpable negligence is a degree of carelessness greater than simple negligence. It is a negligent act or omission which is accompanied by a culpable disregard for the foreseeable consequences to others of that act or omission.” -Army Times

The Nation | In the Name of Pat Tillman: Good Riddance to Stanley McChrystal (June 25, 2010)

On June 25, 2010June 1, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

In the Name of Pat Tillman: Good Riddance to Stanley McChrystal

When NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman died at the hands of US troops in a case of “friendly fire,” the spin machine at the Pentagon went into overdrive. Rumsfeld and company couldn’t have their most high-profile soldier dying in such an inelegant fashion, especially with the release of those pesky photos from Abu Ghraib hitting the airwaves. So an obscene lie was told to Tillman’s family, his friends and the American public. The chickenhawks in charge, whose only exposure to war was watching John Wayne movies, claimed that he died charging a hill and was cut down by the radical Islamic enemies of freedom. In the weeks preceding his death, Tillman was beginning to question what exactly he was fighting for, telling friends that he believed the war in Iraq was ” [expletive] illegal.” He may not have known what he was fighting for, but it’s now clear what he died for: public relations. Today, after five years, six investigations and two Congressional hearings, questions still linger about how Tillman died and why it was covered up.

Army Spc. Christopher Opat Died of a Non Combat-Related Incident in Baquah, Iraq (June 15, 2010)

On June 15, 2010June 1, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

opat-older — Spc. Christopher Opat, U.S. Army

Army Spc. Christopher W. Opat, 29, died of a non combat related incident on June 15, 2010 in Baquah, Iraq. Spc. Opat was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on behalf of the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. According to the Department of Defense, at the time of the press release the circumstances surrounding the incident were under investigation.

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Category: Non Combat Death

Gangs in the Military: Armed and Dangerous Forces (December 23, 2010)

Army Sgt. Amanda Sheldon’s Mom Speaks Out on Suicide; Family Hopes to Inspire Military-Wide Change (October 14, 2010)

Ada family of soldier who died off-base in North Carolina says death was not suspicious

Military Rape Survivor Army Sgt. Amanda Sheldon Died by Suicide After Suffering With Depression; Family Hopes Her Death May Spark Change (October 7, 2010)

Why Pat Tillman’s Death Matters (September 10, 2010)

August: U.S. Department of Defense Casualties Report (2010)

Fort Bragg Army Spc. Morganne McBeth Killed by Fellow Soldier in Iraq; Spc. Nicholas Bailey Sentenced to Nine Months in Prison (July 2, 2010)

The Nation | In the Name of Pat Tillman: Good Riddance to Stanley McChrystal (June 25, 2010)

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