Army Spc. Dennis Poulin Died of a Non Combat-Related Incident in Konar Province, Afghanistan (2011)

On March 31, 2011March 4, 2018 By AdministratorIn Accidents, Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, National Guard, Non Combat DeathLeave a comment

206477_10150156225142377_4516460_n — Spc. Dennis Poulin, Massachusetts Army National Guard

Army Spc. Dennis Poulin, 26, died of a non combat-related incident in Konar Province, Afghanistan on March 31, 2011. Spc. Poulin was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on behalf of the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, Massachusetts National Guard in Milford, Massachusetts. Spc. Poulin was killed after his vehicle rolled over in Afghanistan.

Disappeared: Army National Guard Spouse Bethany Decker Went Missing from Ashburn, Virginia in January 2011

On January 29, 2011June 2, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, National GuardLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-06-02 at 8.47.17 PM — Bethany Decker

Army National Guard spouse Bethany Decker, 21, disappeared on January 29, 2011. Her last known location was in Ashburn, Virginia where she was living alone while her husband was deployed overseas. Bethany was pregnant when she went missing. Her husband Emile Decker was questioned in the disappearance but cooperated and was quickly ruled out early in the investigation. Emile was very concerned when Bethany didn’t show up to the airport to see him off before he left to go to Afghanistan for months. Police learned that the last person to see Bethany Decker alive was Ronald Roldan. Roldan is a person of interest in the disappearance of Bethany but he has not been formally charged. If you or anyone you know has any information about Bethany Decker’s disappearance, please call the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-0445.

21-year-old Bethany Decker is a hard-working student, waitress, mother, and wife of a National Guardsman serving in Afghanistan. When she vanishes while pregnant with her second child, police discover her life was more complicated than anyone realized. -Investigation Discovery

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)

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)

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

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.

Army Pvt. Elizabeth Lynch-Gonzalez Died By Suicide After Jumping Off the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York (June 10, 2010)

On June 10, 2010June 1, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, In Their Name, Military Policy, Suicide1 Comment

Army Pvt. Elizabeth Lynch-Gonzalez, 19, died on June 10, 2010 after jumping off the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York. Her death was ruled a suicide.

JBLM Army Soldier Nathan Smith Sentenced to 11 Years to Life in Prison for Kidnapping, Rape, Attempted Rape, Torture, and Arson (May 28, 2010)

On May 28, 2010May 4, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Felony Crime, Military Policy, Scandals, Sexual AssaultLeave a comment

screen-shot-2016-12-31-at-7-17-36-pm — Nathan Smith, US Army

According to ABC News, US Army Staff Sgt. Nathan Ryan Smith, 29, was charged with kidnapping, rape, arson, and tampering with evidence in the State of Washington. Fort Lewis Army personnel reported that Nathan Smith was Absent Without Leave (AWOL) as of January 5, 2009. Washington state investigators said Smith was suspected of kidnapping and attacking two women.

Smith was accused of grabbing one woman on January 1, 2009 in a Tacoma, Washington parking lot. He allegedly choked her until she became unconscious. The woman claimed when she woke up, she was naked and bound with zip ties in someone’s house. When she tried to free herself, she says she heard a man say, “If you fight, you’ll die.” Then she alleged the man put a knife to her face and said, “If you cooperate, you’ll go home.” According to this victim, the man believed to be Nathan Smith then gagged her and raped her. He also used electrified clamps to torture her and told the woman “If you tell anybody, police or anyone, I will kill you and your family. I can find you. I will find you.”

“After he allegedly raped one woman, Smith told her, I have killed several people in Iraq. I’m crazy in the head, and if I get caught by police I will come looking for you and kill you.” –ABC News

The second victim the police identified was a woman who was kidnapped on January 3, 2009. She claimed once they arrived at the assailant’s home, he choked her until she blacked out. She told police that when she woke up, her hands were bound and she had a gag in her mouth. She managed to escape and ran to a neighbor’s house who called the Washington State police. The second woman gave a similar description as the first victim of the man who kidnapped her. She also identified the same car the first victim identified, the same car Nathan Smith drove.

In both instances the victims said their attacker fit Smith’s description and drove the same kind of car that is registered to Smith. Washington State Police reported that Fort Lewis Army soldier Nathan Smith served as a calvary scout in Iraq from September 2006 to October 2007 and has military and wilderness survival skills. Nathan Smith is considered extremely dangerous. When finally captured and arrested, The News Tribune in Tacoma reported that Smith pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. In 2010, Smith changed his plea to guilty; guilty of one count of second-degree rape, one count of attempted second-degree rape, and one count of first-degree arson. The prosecutor requested 12 years for Smith, adding the brutality he inflicted on the women was off the charts. On May 28, 2010, the Judge sentenced Nathan Smith to 11 years to life in prison and it will be up to the Washington state Indeterminate Sentence Review Board to determine when, if ever, Smith is released.

He apologized to the women before being sentencing, saying he hopes the pain he caused them does not endure. He also apologized to his former comrades in arms. “They’re in Iraq right now, which is where I should be,” said Smith, a former cavalry scout with the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division…Defense attorney Wayne Fricke requested a low-end sentence of nine years, three months, saying his client had served his country honorably before going over the line with the women – prostitutes he’d hired to have sex with him. –The News Tribune

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: Army

Disappeared: Army National Guard Spouse Bethany Decker Went Missing from Ashburn, Virginia in January 2011

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)

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

Army Pvt. Elizabeth Lynch-Gonzalez Died By Suicide After Jumping Off the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York (June 10, 2010)

JBLM Army Soldier Nathan Smith Sentenced to 11 Years to Life in Prison for Kidnapping, Rape, Attempted Rape, Torture, and Arson (May 28, 2010)

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