In Memoriam

[Grace]

10 September

30-year-old US Army Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Quintana, from Huntington Park, California died on 10th September 2011 from wounds caused by small-arms fire during an insurgent attack on his unit in Paktika province.

Staff Sgt. Quintana served with the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment based in Germany. He deployed to Afghanistan in July this year.

[Grace]

13 September 2011

US Special Forces Sergeant 1st Class Danial R. Adams, was killed in action in Wardak province on 13th September 2011 during a battle with enemy forces. He was serving with the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), based in Stuttgart, Germany.

35-year-old Sfc. Adams, from Portland, Oregon, joined the Army in 1995. Military officials said he was married with three children.

[Grace]

Army Releases August Suicide Data

The Army released suicide data today for the month of August. Among active-duty soldiers, there were 19 potential suicides: three have been confirmed as suicides and 16 remain under investigation. For July 2011, the Army reported 22 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, five cases have been confirmed as suicide, and 17 cases remain under investigation.

During August 2011, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were nine potential suicides: none have been confirmed as suicide and nine remain under investigation. For July 2011, the Army reported 10 potential suicides among not-on-active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, one case has been added for a total of 11 cases. Three cases have been confirmed as suicide and eight cases remain under investigation.

“Suicide prevention training and awareness are vital components of the Army's health promotion and risk reduction efforts against the tragic occurrence of suicide within our ranks,” said Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1. “It is a priority that deserves our full attention and continued emphasis by all leaders. Junior leaders and first-line supervisors can be especially effective in assisting those in a moment of crisis. We collaborate extensively with other federal and national programs to assure we remain abreast of the very latest research and best practices. To date, our focused efforts have resulted in thousands of trained individuals throughout the Army who now have the skills to recognize the signs of suicide, exercise appropriate intervention techniques, and engage the numerous organizations within the Army and DoD that stand ready to help at any hour of the day or night. These skills are invaluable and have equipped many in our Army to lend a hand to fellow soldiers, Department of the Army civilians, and their families in their daily encounters,” said Bostick.

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 athttp://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org .

Army leaders can access current health promotion guidance in newly revised Army Regulation 600-63 (Health Promotion) at: http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r600_63.pdf and Army Pamphlet 600-24 (Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention) at http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/p600_24.pdf .

The Army's comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at http://www.preventsuicide.army.mil .

Suicide prevention training resources for Army families can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicid...asp?sub_cat=20 (requires Army Knowledge Online access to download materials).

Information about Military OneSource is located athttp://www.militaryonesource.comor by dialing the toll-free number 1-800-342-9647for those residing in the continental United States. Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource website for dialing instructions for their specific location.

Information about the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program is located at http://www.army.mil/csf/ .

The Defense Center for Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at [email protected] and at http://www.dcoe.health.mil .

The website for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is http://www.afsp.org/, and the Suicide Prevention Resource Council site is found athttp://www.sprc.org/index.asp .

The website for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors is http://www.TAPS.org, and they can be reached at 1-800-959-TAPS (8277).

[Grace]

Great Britain

The British Ministry of Defence has reported the death of 21-year-old Fusilier Dean Griffiths, from 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh, while on a live-firing range in Kent on 14th September 2011. Fusilier Griffiths was in training for deployment to Afghanistan.

According to The Guardian newspaper, Fusilier Dean was shot in the head during a "fire and move" drill.

The young soldier was due to become a father. His brother, Dewi Griffiths, paid this tribute: "Dean was fun, loving and caring, and was so excited at becoming a father. He touched the lives of so many and we will all miss our Deano."

Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Webb, described Fusilier Griffiths as "an outstanding soldier with the potential for a long and very successful career in The Royal Welsh."

The incident is being investigated by the civil police.

[Grace]

14 September 2011

US Army Sergeant Rodolfo "Rudy" Rodriguez Jr., age 26, from Pharr, Texas, was killed in action on 14th September 2011 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. He died from injuries sustained from an enemy bomb blast.

Sgt. Rodriguez served with the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. He deployed to Afghanistan in August and was due home in December.

Sgt. Rodriguez leaves his wife Melissa, 7-year-old son Derek, 5-year-old daughter Kathlyn and his parents, Rodolfo and Cristella.

[Grace]

Great Britain

British Lance Corporal Jonathan James McKinlay, of B Company, 1st Battalion The Rifles, was killed in action on 14th September 2001.

L-Cpl McKinlay deployed to Afghanistan as a battle casualty replacement in June 2011, having recently qualified as a Bravo Mortar Fire Controller. He was based in Checkpoint Chaabak in the Nahr-e Saraj (South) district of Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was killed by a burst of small arms fire while on patrol with his team and members of the Afghan Uniform Police (AUP) in a village near to his checkpoint.

Lieutenant Colonel James de Labillière DSO MBE, Commanding Officer, The First Battalion, The Rifles, said this about L-Cpl McKinlay: "To anyone who met him, Lance Corporal Jon McKinlay made an instant impression. On the one hand a hard professional soldier who demanded the very highest standards from himself and his men and yet on the other a man of great compassion, humour and somebody who had time for others. He had irrepressible energy and was industrious to the core."

He leaves behind a loving family - his wife, Lisa, his mother, Valerie, sister, Becca, daughter, Megan, and his stepchildren, Ollie and Piper.

[Grace]

15 September 2011

Oklahoma National Guard Sergeant Mycal L. Prince was killed in action on 15th September 2011 in Laghman province, Afghanistan in a battle with enemy forces involving rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire.

28-year-old Sgt. Prince, from Minco, Oklahoma, joined the National Guard shortly after his 17th birthday and had deployed to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Iraq in 2008. He was a serving police officer with the Minco Police Department.

Maj. Gen. Myles L. Deering, adjutant general with the Oklahoma National Guard, paid tribute to Sergeant Prince saying the he "served his nation and this great state for more than a decade with honor and distinction.”