In Memoriam

**Grace** · 11-10-2009, 11:11 PM

8 November 2009

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Nov. 8 in Tikrit, Iraq, of injuries sustained when their OH-58D helicopter crashed. They were assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Killed were:

Chief Warrant Officer Mathew C. Heffelfinger, 29, of Kimberly, Idaho; and

Chief Warrant Officer Earl R. Scott III, 24, of Jacksonville, Fla.

The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.

**Grace** · 11-12-2009, 07:37 PM

10 November 2009

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

Lance Cpl. Justin J. Swanson, 21, of Anaheim, Calif., died Nov. 10 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

**Grace** · 11-13-2009, 06:16 PM

From the DoD website -

Army Releases October Suicide Data

The Army today released suicide data for the month of October. Among active-duty soldiers, there were 16 potential suicides, all of which are pending determination of the manner of death. For September, the Army reported seven potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, three have been confirmed as suicides, and four remain under investigation.

There were 133 reported active-duty Army suicides from January 2009 through October 2009. Of those, 90 have been confirmed, and 43 are pending determination of manner of death. For the same period in 2008, there were 115 suicides among active-duty soldiers.

During October 2009, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were eight potential suicides. Among that same group, from January 2009 through October 2009, there were 69 reported suicides. Of those, 41 were confirmed as suicides, and 28 remain under investigation to determine the manner of death. For the same period in 2008, there were 47 suicides among reserve soldiers who were not on active duty.

**Grace** · 11-16-2009, 10:23 PM

9 November 2009

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

Staff Sgt. Stephen L. Murphy, 36, of Jaffery, N.H., died Nov. 9 as a result of a non-hostile incident in Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Intelligence Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The incident is under investigation.

**Grace** · 11-16-2009, 10:24 PM

13 November 2009

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

Lance Cpl. Shawn P. Hefner, 22, of Hico, Texas, died Nov. 13 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

**Grace** · 11-16-2009, 10:25 PM

13 November 2009

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

Spc. Christopher J. Coffland, 43, of Baltimore, Md., died Nov. 13 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 323rd Military Intelligence Battalion, Fort Meade, Md.