In Memoriam

[Grace]

9 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Loren M. Buffalo, 20, of Mountain Pine, Ark., died March 9 in Kandahar province of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

[Grace]

10 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Eric S. Trueblood, 27, of Alameda, Calif., died March 10 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 391st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, Spinelli Barracks, Mannheim, Germany.

[Grace]

Ireland

It is with sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm that Lance Corporal Stephen McKee, from 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, was killed in Afghanistan on 9 March 2011.

Ministry of Defence statement

[Grace]

11 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Andrew M. Harper, 19, of Maidsville, W. Va., died March 11, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat incident. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

[Grace]

12 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Daehan Park, 36, of Watertown, Conn. died March 12, in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

[Grace]

11 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Ian M. Muller, 22, of Danville, Vt., died March 11 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

[Grace]

12 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Arturo E. Rodriguez, 19, of Bellflower, Calif., died March, 12 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

[Grace]

16 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Travis M. Tompkins, 31, of Lawton, Okla., died March 16 in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained on March 15, when enemy forces attacked his unit with a rocket propelled grenade. He was assigned to the Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.

[Grace]

16 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation New Dawn.

Senior Airman Michael J. Hinkle II, 24, of Corona, Calif., died March 16 due to a non-combat related incident in Southwest Asia. He was assigned to the 28th Communications Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.

[Grace]

17 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Meis, 20, of Bennett, Colo., died March 17 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

[Grace]

Army Released February Suicide Data

The Army released suicide data today for the month of February. Among active-duty soldiers, there were eight potential suicides: none have been confirmed as suicide, and eight remain under investigation. For January 2011, the Army reported 15 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, five cases have been confirmed as suicide, and 10 cases remain under investigation.

During February 2011, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were eight potential suicides: one has been confirmed as a suicide, and seven remain under investigation. For January 2011, among that same group, there were eight total suicides. Of those, two were confirmed as suicides and six are pending determination of the manner of death.

“Efforts to mitigate risk and improve the health of the force demand decisive engagement at every echelon. The complexity of suicide demands the need for a coordinated effort by every member across the Army to reduce the negative outcomes of high-risk behavior, risk-related deaths and suicides,” said Col. Chris Philbrick, deputy director, Army Health Promotion, Risk Reduction Task Force.

Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Trained consultants are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and can be contacted by dialing 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or by visiting their website at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org .

[Grace]

Country of Georgia

Cpl. Valeri Verskiani

From: Kutaisi, Georgia
Age:
Unit: 32nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade
Died: March 14, 2011

Died on March 14, 2011, at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany of wounds sustained in an explosion in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

[Grace]

19 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died March 19 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when they were allegedly shot with small arms fire by an individual from a military security group. The incident is under investigation. They were assigned to the 4th Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.

Killed were:

Cpl. Donald R. Mickler Jr., 29, of Bucyrus, Ohio;

Pfc. Rudy A. Acosta, 19, of Canyon Country, Calif.

Cpl. Mickler -

Pfc. Acosta -

[Grace]

19 March 2011

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Mecolus C. McDaniel, 33, of Fort Hood, Texas, died March 19 in Khowst province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. He was assigned to the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

[Grace]

England

Pvt. Daniel Steven Prior

From: Peacehaven, Sussex
Age: 27
Unit: Company D, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
Died: March 18, 2011

Died on March 18, 2011, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England, of wounds sustained on March 16, 2011, when a roadside bomb detonated near his patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province.