Infantryman – MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Indiana Army National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Andrew St. John, 29, died in a military training accident at Fort Hood, Texas on August 15, 2019. According to media reports the incident was described as a tactical vehicle accident or a humvee rollover. Staff Sgt. St. John served in the Army National Guard for 10 years and was an infantryman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment. Staff Sgt. St. John’s obituary stated “during his service, he served in the Haiti Humanitarian Effort, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. Most recently, he took a position as Observed Controller/Trainer (OCT) training fellow service members in an operation named Wolf. Additionally, Andrew had taken classes at Central Nine in Greenwood, receiving his state certification for EMT and Firefighter. When able, he volunteered at Nineveh Fire Department.”

At the time of reporting, the cause of death was under investigation but the outcome of the investigation is not available on-line. WTHR reported Staff Sgt. St. John grew up in Martinsville, Indiana and graduated from Martinsville High School in 2009. They said his senior year he was crowned as prom king; he was often referred to as the “life of the party.” And Andrew St. John enjoyed golfing, riding his motorcycle and spending time with loved ones; he was a proud father of two children and a husband. In a statement issued by the Indiana National Guard, Lt. Col. Chad Pittman, commander of the 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment said, “He continually sought ways to ensure the success of subordinates, better himself as a leader, and contribute to the achievements of the organization. My deepest sympathy for his family at this sad and difficult time.”

“It’s important for us to realize these young men and women are all volunteers, and every one of those people serves and protects 100 people in the United States, it’s a 1 in 100 deal, 1 percent serves to protect the other 99 and people need to realize that’s a big commitment on young shoulders.” -Bruce McKee, Indiana Spirit of ’45 (Fox 59)

Andrew St. John ArNG — ING: Staff Sgt. Andrew Michael St. John, 29, Dies at Fort Hood

Andrew St. John FB — Nineveh Fire Department Message | Facebook (August 21, 2019)

Fort Hood Army Cpl. Christopher Martin Ferguson, 21, died of undetermined causes on March 25, 2007 in Killeen, Texas. Christopher was born and raised in Pataskala, Ohio and enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 2004 after graduating from high school. Cpl. Ferguson worked as a combat infantryman on behalf of the Bravo Company, 3-67 AR Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood in Texas. Cpl. Ferguson deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005; he conducted over 200 combat patrols and participated in over 30 joint operations with Iraqi counter-parts in Baghdad.

Christopher Ferguson was born on April 12, 1985, in Columbus, Ohio, the son of Theophil Ferguson of Florida, and Patty Gibson Ferguson of Pataskala. He attended the Watkins Memorial School system, and graduated from the Criminal Justice program at Licking Co JVS, Class of 2004. He was fascinated by security systems and the military since a small child. He was described as a “peacekeeper.” He entered the U.S. Army in 2004, spent one year in Iraq, and was stationed at Ft. Hood at the time of his death. Cpl. Ferguson was survived by his mother and two sisters of Pataskala, Ohio when he passed.

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July 13, 2020:

“My brother is Corporal Christopher Martin Ferguson…he passed away March 25, 2007 at Scott and White Hospital in Texas…he was stationed at Fort Hood…he had just got back from Iraq and was at a party right off of base with fellow soldiers…story was that he fell from a three-story building on his head (alcohol involved or not, you don’t fall from a balcony to your head and not fracture one other bone, not have anything broken, only have your brain bleeding)…my mom, myself and my sister were flown out to see him and he was never awake…he was on life-support for seven days…everybody that came to the hospital was not allowed to talk to us…they told us that they had been told that they were not allowed to talk about anything that happened that night…we were left with no answers…my brother’s Sergeant brought us his blazer so we had something to drive while there and my sister and myself found a grocery bag in the back of his blazer that had the clothes he was wearing that night…the paramedics had cut them off him…it was just stuffed in the back of his blazer…there was a detectives card in there that was just placed in his shoe so I called and the detective let me know that the army had taken the investigation from Killeen PD…At the same time we found his camera and his blazer, there were fellow soldiers in the pictures with him that night who claimed that they were not there…my brothers death certificate says cause unknown [undetermined]…No one would tell us what happened and it was ruled as an accident years later…One of his fellow soldiers that does surfing for veterans put my brother on national news with his picture, his name along with saying that he committed suicide, but my family was never told that…there’s a lot more to the story…it’s very fishy and there was a lot of no talking or lies and I really want to know what happened to my brother.” -Christina McDonald (sister)

Christopher Ferguson Balcony — Christopher Ferguson with two Army soldiers. Picture taken on the balcony in question in 2007.

CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell:

About 20 veterans die by suicide each day. A hotline launched in 2007 has answered more than 3.5 million calls, sending help to thousands of people. Dean Reynolds got an inside look. -CBS News with Norah O’Donnell (August 26, 2019)

Christopher Ferguson CBS News — Screenshot of the soldiers Army veteran Danny O’Neel claimed died by suicide. (CBS News)

“This is the national news episode that a fellow soldier of my brothers did! He added my brother to posters and news saying he committed suicide! If this was the case, why weren’t we told this?! The Army took the investigation from Killeen Police Department. If there was a real investigation going on, why did my sister and I find my brothers belongings, clothes, and shoes from that night…there’s blood on them, they stuffed everything in a grocery bag, and had it in the back of his blazer…they treated it like it was trash…wouldn’t you think they would need that as part of their investigation? Cpl. Christopher M. Ferguson deserves justice..please help our family find out what exactly happened to him at Fort Hood.” -Christina McDonald (sister)

Additional Photos:

Christopher Ferguson

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: Infantryman

Indiana Army National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Andrew St. John Died in a Military Training Accident at Fort Hood, Texas (August 15, 2019)

Fort Hood Army Cpl. Christopher Ferguson Died of Undetermined Causes; CID Claimed Death Was Accident; CBS News Reported Suicide (March 25, 2007)

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