In Memoriam

[Grace]

And then there is this - perhaps the saddest of all.

The Army released suicide data for the month of June today. Among active-duty soldiers there were no confirmed suicides and nine potential suicides. In May, the Army reported one confirmed suicide and 16 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since that time, seven have been confirmed and nine remain under investigation.

There have been 88 reported active-duty suicides in the Army during calendar year 2009. Of these, 54 have been confirmed, and 34 are pending determination of manner of death. For the same period in 2008, there were 67 confirmed suicides among active-duty soldiers.

[blue]

Fort Richardson soldier killed in Afghanistan


Anchorage Daily News / adn.com

(07/08/09 16:36:13)

A Fort Richardson soldier died Monday of wounds suffered during an attack on his unit in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense announced today. Eight other soldiers in the same unit were wounded in the incident.

Statements from the department and from Fort Richardson identified the dead soldier as Pfc. Nicolas H.J. Gideon, 20, of Murrieta, Calif. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson.

Gideon's unit came under attack Monday at Forward Operating Base Salerno in Paktya, Afghanistan. He was wounded during the attack and died later in the day, according to a statement from Fort Richardson.




Copyright © Thu Jul 09 2009 20:05:35 GMT-08001900 The Anchorage Daily News (www.adn.com)

Link.

An Army carry team carries a transfer case containing the remains of Pfc. Nicolas Hugh Joseph Gideon at Dover Air Force Base, Del., July 7, 2009. Statements from the Department of Defense and Fort Richardson said Gideon, 20, of Murrieta, Calif., was wounded Monday when his unit came under attack in Paktya, Afghanistan, from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades. He died later the same day. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson. He is the third Fort Richardson soldier to die in Afghanistan in recent days.

May God bless our soldiers and their families.

[Grace]

Thank you, blue, for posting that picture.

[Grace]

July 9, 2009

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Roger G. Hager, 20, of Gibsonville, N.C., and Master Sgt. John E. Hayes, 36, of Middleburg, Fla., died July 8 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. They were assigned to 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

[lizbud]

Thanks for collecting these & posting updates. I used to read the list
from newspapers every week, but I don't always stop to think & pray
for these brave soldiers I can't help but think of Sen Kerry saying.

How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam -– How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?”

-- John Kerry in his 1971 appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Just substitute Iran Or Afganistan for Vietnam.

[Grace]

You're most welcome, lizbud. I'm glad to know that people are stopping in to read the updates.

[Grace]

July 9, 2009

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

Spc. Joshua R. Farris, 22, of La Grange, Texas, died July 9 in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.