In Memoriam

[Grace]

Army Releases November Suicide Data

The Army released suicide data today for the month of November. Among active-duty soldiers, there were seven potential suicides: none have been confirmed as suicide and seven remain under investigation. For October 2011, the Army reported 17 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, four cases have been confirmed as suicide and 13 cases remain under investigation.

During November 2011, among Reserve Component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were eight potential suicides (eight Army National Guard and no Army Reserve): two have been confirmed as suicide and six remain under investigation. For October 2011, the Army reported 12 potential suicides among not-on-active-duty soldiers. Since the release of that report, one case has been added for a total of 13 cases (five Army National Guard and eight Army Reserve). Four cases have been confirmed as suicide and nine cases remain under investigation.

As of Nov. 30, 2011, the Army has identified 260 potential soldier suicides for CY 2011. Of that total, 154 were active duty suicides: 100 have been confirmed as suicide and 54 remain under investigation; 106 were Reserve Component not on active duty suicides (73 Army National Guard and 33 Army Reserve): 84 have been confirmed as suicide and 22 remain under investigation. Compared to previous years, the Army had 305 in CY 2010 (159 active-duty and 146 not-on-active-duty) and 242 in CY 2009 (162 active-duty and 80 not-on-active-duty).

“Suicide continues to be a challenge for our Army Family,” said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III. “It is a devastating loss when one of our own, whether soldier, civilian or family member, dies by suicide.” Chandler also said that overcoming this challenge will take the Army’s collective efforts, dedication, support and understanding. “To that end, I am calling on all of our leaders, but especially the noncommissioned officers, the backbone of our great Army, to make a difference. We must cultivate a climate that encourages help-seeking behaviors and supports those who ask for help,” said Chandler. “By standing shoulder to shoulder, we can ensure that no one stands alone!”

An article from the NY Times addressing this - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/31/us...pagewanted=all

[pomtzu]

Gretchen - you have been so diligent and dedicated to keep this thread going for so long. Bless you!

Now that the war is "officially" over (even tho thousands of support troops stay behind), hopefully you will have a lot fewer memorials to post. We can only hope and pray...........

[Grace]

Gretchen - you have been so diligent and dedicated to keep this thread going for so long. Bless you!

Now that the war is "officially" over (even tho thousands of support troops stay behind), hopefully you will have a lot fewer memorials to post. We can only hope and pray...........

Ah - but they are still dying in Afghanistan. That's where most of the deaths have occurred over the past 6-12 months. If someone would stop that fiasco, we might be able to shut this down.

Thanks for the kind comments - and thanks to Pat, and others, for similar remarks. I'm gratified to see that so many of us do read this thread.

[Grace]

TOTAL FATALITIES - to date

Australia (32)
Belgium (1)
Canada (158)
Czech (5)
Denmark (42)
Estonia (9)
Finland (2)
France (76)
Georgia (10)
Germany (56)
Hungary (6)
Italy (42)
Jordan (2)
Latvia (4)
Lithuania (1)
Netherlands (25)
New Zealand (4)
Norway (10)
Poland (31)
Portugal (2)
Romania (19)
Serbia (1)
South Korea (2)
Spain (97)
Sweden (5)
Turkey (2)
United Kingdom (392)
United States (1858)

Journalists (21)
Aid Workers (46)

Afghan Military (8587 est.)
Afghan Civilians (8,813 est.)

[Grace]

21 December 2011

LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — The Pentagon on Friday announced that Spc. Mikayla A. Bragg, 21, of Longview, Wash., died Wednesday in Afghanistan.

She was assigned to the 201st Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, Ky.

Her family told The Daily News of Longview (http://is.gd/69n5zi ) she was shot in a guard tower.

Her stepmother, Amber Bragg of Longview, said she had been scheduled to leave Afghanistan and return to the United States on Jan. 6.

Bragg's father, Steve Bragg, flew to Dover Air Force Base to identify the body.

Mikayla Bragg joined the Army after graduating from Mark Morris High School in 2008. She was deployed in August as truck driver. Her mother, Sheyanne Baker, lives in Shelton.

[Grace]

Poland

Five Polish soldiers were killed on 21st December 2011 in Ghazni province when an insurgent bomb was detonated beside their patrol. The soldiers, serving with the 20th Mechanized Brigade of Bartoszyce were specialists from a provincial reconstruction team. They were travelling in an armored vehicle when the bomb exploded.

They were immediately evacuated by helicopter to a military field hospital.

Polish spokesman Jacek Sonta said in Warsaw that the soldiers were in a convoy headed to Rawza, in eastern Ghazni province, when it struck the bomb.

22-year-old Polish Army Sergeant Krystian W Banach was one of five Polish soldiers killed in action on 21st December 2011 when his vehicle was hit by a road bomb. He was in a joint Polish American convoy heading for Rawza, eastern Ghazni, when the attack happened.

He served with the 20 Mechanised Brigade Bartoszycka and had been in the Polish Army since 2008. This was his first combat mission. Sgt Banach was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

The other soldiers killed were named as: Marek Tomala, Marcin Szczurowski, Lukasz Krawiec and Piotr Ciesielski, all members of the 20th Mechanised Brigade.

25-year-old Polish Army Sergeant Marek Tomala was one of five Polish soldiers killed in action on 21st December 2011 when his vehicle was hit by a road bomb. He was in a joint Polish American convoy heading for Rawza, eastern Ghazni, when the attack happened.

He served with the 20 Mechanised Brigade Bartoszycka and had been in the Polish Army since 2006. This was his third combat deployment. Sgt Tomala, who leaves behind his wife and daughter, was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

The other soldiers killed were named as: Krystian Banach, Marcin Szczurowski, Lukasz Krawiec and Piotr Ciesielski, all members of the 20th Mechanised Brigade.

30-year-old Polish Army Sergeant Marcin Szczurowski, was one of five Polish soldiers killed in action on 21st December 2011 when his vehicle was hit by a road bomb. He was in a joint Polish American convoy heading for Rawza, eastern Ghazni, when the attack happened.

He served with the 20 Mechanised Brigade Bartoszycka and had been in the Polish Army since 2003. This was his first overseas combat deployment.

Sgt Szczurowski, who leaves behind his wife and two daughters, was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

The other soldiers killed were named as: Krystian Banach, Marek Tomala, Lukasz Krawiec and Piotr Ciesielski, all members of the 20th Mechanised Brigade.

30-year-old Polish Army Sergeant Lukasz Krawiec, was one of five Polish soldiers killed in action on 21st December 2011 when his vehicle was hit by a road bomb. He was in a joint Polish American convoy heading for Rawza, eastern Ghazni, when the attack happened.

He served with the 20 Mechanised Brigade Bartoszycka and had been in the Polish Army since 2007. This was his second overseas combat deployment.

Sgt Szczurowski, a bachelor, was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

The other soldiers killed were named as: Krystian Banach, Marek Tomala, Marcin Szczurowski and Piotr Ciesielski, all members of the 20th Mechanised Brigade.

33-year-old Polish Army Jr Ensign (1st Warrant Officer) Piotr Ciesielski, was one of five Polish soldiers killed in action on 21st December 2011 when his vehicle was hit by a road bomb. He was in a joint Polish American convoy heading for Rawza, eastern Ghazni, when the attack happened.

He served with the 20 Mechanised Brigade Bartoszycka and had been in the Polish Army since 2005. This was his first overseas combat deployment.

WO Ciesielski, who leaves his wife and two daughters, was posthumously promoted to the rank of Junior Ensign (1st Warrant Officer).

The other soldiers killed were named as: Krystian Banach, Marek Tomala, Marcin Szczurowski and Lukasz Krawiec, all members of the 20th Mechanised Brigade.

[katladyd]

Sadly, they are in other countries, also. Our governments, US and Canada, do not reveal where a good majority of the soldiers are fighting now. I have a friend whose husband is in the Canadian army and she told me where her husband and many of his fellow Canadians, Americans, and Europeans are seeing action. She told me by mistake and said I cannot tell anyone where they are, so I won't, but they sure as heck are NOT in Afghanistan or Iraq.