Joe Gould, jgould@militarytimes.com
A Fort Bragg, N.C., paratrooper shot and killed a fellow soldier at his house earlier this month and waited in his front yard for the police to arrest him, according to Fayetteville police.
"He walked outside into his front yard, put the rifle on the ground and sat on a telephone box," said police spokesman Dan Grubb. "He was very cool, calm and collected."
Police charged Spc. Jaime Aaron Guzman, 21, with first-degree murder in the May 18 death of Pvt. Brian Goldberg, 21, of Wilmington, N.C., Grubb said.
Goldberg was a forward observer with 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He deployed to Iraq between December 2008 and June 2009. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal posthumously.
Guzman is a wheeled vehicle mechanic with the 503rd Support Company, 189th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 82nd Sustainment Brigade.
Grubb said it appeared there had been a party the night before at Guzman's house, which is near the post. Guzman left, returned later and encountered Goldberg, whom he knew, Grubb said.
During an argument between the two, Guzman used a .308-caliber rifle to shoot Goldberg in the right side of his chest, said Grubb. "It was a very powerful, very long sniper rifle," he said.
Guzman was in the custody of the Cumberland County Detention Center on May 20.
The murder is the latest in a string of unrelated violent assaults involving Fort Bragg soldiers that have made headlines.
On May 18, Spc. Eric Mead, 26, was charged in the death of Stephen Harris, 26, a former infantryman, and with injuring his wife. Mead is an indirect fire infantryman with the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.
On April 28, Spc. Travis D. Condor, 25, was charged in an attack on a homeless man in Cincinnati. Condor is an infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Regiment.
On Jan. 29, Spc. Aaron Michael Pernell, 22, was charged with multiple criminal charges in a series of break-ins and rapes of women in Fayetteville, N.C., and Hoke County. Pernell is an indirect fire infantryman
with the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.
Fort Bragg soldier charged with murder
Paratrooper allegedly killed brother-in-law, attacked wife
Joe Gould, jgould@militarytimes.com
Former Pvt. Stephen Harris' family is in anguish over unanswered questions about his death at the hands of his estranged wife's brother, Fort Bragg, N.C., paratrooper Spc. Eric A. Mead, at the post earlier this month.
Weeks after Mead allegedly killed Harris and injured Mead's wife, Melissa Younce, the Harris family said the Army is not providing them with answers about the events leading to Harris's death.
"No one from the Army has contacted my parents. Period. And mom has left 50 messages," said the sister, Juanita Ware, of Hayesville, N.C. "We know he was murdered and that's all we know."
The Army has said Mead and his wife had argued, and that on May 8, Mead's unit commander issued a no-contact order to keep him away from his wife, and he was to sleep in a unit barracks.
Nevertheless Mead came to his quarters in the Casablanca housing area the following day, where he attacked Younce, who was there with Harris. Mead was caught at a post exit by military police.
Ware said Harris' throat was slit, though the Army has not disclosed publicly the nature of his injuries.
On May 18, Mead was charged with murder and attempted murder. His wife was in stable condition at Womack Army Medical Center, according to Maj. Brian Finkel, an Army spokesman.
Mead, 26, of Detroit, is an indirect fire infantryman with 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He joined the Army in 2002 deployed to Afghanistan in 2005 and Iraq in 2006.
He and Harris, 26, of Hayesville, N.C., had a tangled relationship. Harris was Mead's roommate years before, which was how Harris met Mead's sister Jessicah, married her and became Mead's brother-in-law.
Both men had since fathered children with their respective wives and, Ware said, separated from them.
Harris enlisted in October 2001 and separated last month. His sister said he was injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, but an Army spokesman said Harris never deployed.
Ware said Harris' mother has called military police and Army criminal investigators and was told that they cannot share information while the investigation is open. She said they are however speaking with Jessicah
Harris, his estranged wife, the sister of his accused murderer.
"It's horrible because we know nothing," she said. "We know who did it, we know he is in jail, but that's all we know. We're so angry, so angry about the whole situation."
Ware learned from a reporter that Mead had been charged.
"Thank God," she said. "I hope he rots in hell."
Maj. Kristian Sorensen, a post spokesman, said the Army must withhold some information while the investigation is ongoing.
"I understand the family wants answers. CID wants answers too," he said. "As soon as they complete their investigation, they will definitely let them know."
Jessicah Harris did not respond to a request for comment, but she expressed regret and sadness May 16 on her MySpace page. She and their baby daughter live in Colbert, Ga.
"I'm lost without him. How can I deal with losing the person I love the most?" she said in one post, and in another: "He's dead! He missed his daughter's first birthday. I never told him I was sorry ... I wanted to show him I had changed. I loved him more than anything in the world. I don't even think he knew that."
A memorial service with an Army honor guard was set for May 20, Ware said.
Harris will be remembered by his parents, two brothers and two sisters as someone who loved to serve.
"The Army could tell mom and dad, 'We're sorry our soldier killed your son, and we're grateful for everything he's done,'" said Ware. "We just want to know what's going on because they won't tell us anything. We just want to know what's going on."
Joe Gould
Reporter
Army Times
--submitted by Cilla McCain
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Air Force stands down to talk over suicides, noncombat issues
By Kent Harris, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Friday, May 21, 2010
Facing a spike in the number of troops taking their own lives, Air Force leaders have called for bases to hold stand-downs to talk about suicide.
Through May 7, 22 active-duty airmen have committed suicide, according to the Air Force Surgeon General’s Office. At that pace, the service would far surpass figures for the past seven years. The Air Force has averaged 39 suicides a year since 2003.
“The Air Force is experiencing an alarming number of deaths due to non-combat causes,” according to a letter signed by Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy.
As evidence, the letter references 18 suicides, meaning four more airmen have taken their lives since the letter was written a couple of weeks ago.
The Air Force, along with the other services, have had similar stand-downs in recent years to focus on the issue.
The Army began a suicide awareness campaign last spring after seeing a spike in its suicide numbers. Through the first four months of the year, it has reported 49 “potential suicides” among active-duty troops through April, with only 16 of them confirmed. At that pace, roughly 150 soldiers would take their own lives, after 163 suicides in 2009.
The Marines have reported 14 suicides so far in 2010 after 52 in 2009, and the Navy has registered eight suicides through April, which is far below the 2009 numbers, when 48 sailors committed suicide.
In addition to the 22 active-duty airmen, 10 members of the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve and four Air Force civilians have killed themselves this year.
Read the rest of the story by clicking here.
European edition, Friday, May 21, 2010
Facing a spike in the number of troops taking their own lives, Air Force leaders have called for bases to hold stand-downs to talk about suicide.
Through May 7, 22 active-duty airmen have committed suicide, according to the Air Force Surgeon General’s Office. At that pace, the service would far surpass figures for the past seven years. The Air Force has averaged 39 suicides a year since 2003.
“The Air Force is experiencing an alarming number of deaths due to non-combat causes,” according to a letter signed by Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy.
As evidence, the letter references 18 suicides, meaning four more airmen have taken their lives since the letter was written a couple of weeks ago.
The Air Force, along with the other services, have had similar stand-downs in recent years to focus on the issue.
The Army began a suicide awareness campaign last spring after seeing a spike in its suicide numbers. Through the first four months of the year, it has reported 49 “potential suicides” among active-duty troops through April, with only 16 of them confirmed. At that pace, roughly 150 soldiers would take their own lives, after 163 suicides in 2009.
The Marines have reported 14 suicides so far in 2010 after 52 in 2009, and the Navy has registered eight suicides through April, which is far below the 2009 numbers, when 48 sailors committed suicide.
In addition to the 22 active-duty airmen, 10 members of the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve and four Air Force civilians have killed themselves this year.
Read the rest of the story by clicking here.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Army Releases April Suicide Data
The Army released suicide data today for the month of April. Among active-duty soldiers, there were ten potential suicides: one has been confirmed as suicide, and nine remain under investigation. For March, the Army reported 13 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers. Since the release of the report, four have been confirmed as suicides, and nine remain under investigation. During April 2010, among reserve soldiers who were not on active duty, there were five potential suicides. For March, among that same group, there were nine total suicides. Of those, three were confirmed as suicides and seven are pending determination of the manner of death.
The Army is also announcing updated numbers for 2009 to now reflect 163 active duty suicides. This adjustment is based on subsequent review of additional case information by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, resulting in the re-characterization of 2 cases initially deemed to be accidental deaths, now confirmed as suicides, and one case, previously pending determination, now also confirmed as suicide.
"So far for 2010 we are noticing an upward trend in the number of non-active duty suicides. There are some indications that our reservists are being doubly affected with additional stress by the challenging job market, recovering economy and uncertainty" said Col. Chris Philbrick, director, Army Suicide Prevention Task Force.
"The Army continues engagement efforts with a multitude of veteran and military service organizations, other government agencies, concerned citizens, and the total Army family to develop innovative and comprehensive strategies to help both our active and non-active duty soldiers," said Philbrick. "Given the complex nature of suicide, and the different environments our soldiers serve in, and are returning to, we welcome the opportunity to develop relationships and common approaches to this national challenge. Our soldiers are representatives of our nation." he said.
Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact Military OneSource or the Defense Center of Excellence (DCoE) for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Outreach Center. Trained consultants are available from both organizations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
The Military OneSource toll-free number for those residing in the continental U.S. is 1-800-342-9647; their Web site address is http://www.militaryonesource.com . Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource Web site for dialing instructions for their specific location.
The Army's comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/default.asp .
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 .
Suicide prevention training resources for Army Families can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20 (requires Army Knowledge Online access to download materials).
The DCoE Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at http://Resources@DCoEOutreach.org and at www.dcoe.health.mil .
Information about the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program is located at http://www.army.mil/csf/.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: http://www.afsp.org/.
Suicide Prevention Resource Council: http://www.sprc.org/index.asp .
The Army is also announcing updated numbers for 2009 to now reflect 163 active duty suicides. This adjustment is based on subsequent review of additional case information by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, resulting in the re-characterization of 2 cases initially deemed to be accidental deaths, now confirmed as suicides, and one case, previously pending determination, now also confirmed as suicide.
"So far for 2010 we are noticing an upward trend in the number of non-active duty suicides. There are some indications that our reservists are being doubly affected with additional stress by the challenging job market, recovering economy and uncertainty" said Col. Chris Philbrick, director, Army Suicide Prevention Task Force.
"The Army continues engagement efforts with a multitude of veteran and military service organizations, other government agencies, concerned citizens, and the total Army family to develop innovative and comprehensive strategies to help both our active and non-active duty soldiers," said Philbrick. "Given the complex nature of suicide, and the different environments our soldiers serve in, and are returning to, we welcome the opportunity to develop relationships and common approaches to this national challenge. Our soldiers are representatives of our nation." he said.
Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact Military OneSource or the Defense Center of Excellence (DCoE) for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Outreach Center. Trained consultants are available from both organizations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
The Military OneSource toll-free number for those residing in the continental U.S. is 1-800-342-9647; their Web site address is http://www.militaryonesource.com . Overseas personnel should refer to the Military OneSource Web site for dialing instructions for their specific location.
The Army's comprehensive list of Suicide Prevention Program information is located at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/default.asp .
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 .
Suicide prevention training resources for Army Families can be accessed at http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20 (requires Army Knowledge Online access to download materials).
The DCoE Outreach Center can be contacted at 1-866-966-1020, via electronic mail at http://Resources@DCoEOutreach.org and at www.dcoe.health.mil .
Information about the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program is located at http://www.army.mil/csf/.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: http://www.afsp.org/.
Suicide Prevention Resource Council: http://www.sprc.org/index.asp .
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Minot AFB Clandestine Nukes 'Oddities'
By Lori Price, http://www.legitgov.org/
Updated: 01 May 2010
Minot AFB airman identified --The base Safety Office is 'investigating' the accident. 01 May 2010 Officials at Minot Air Force Base have identified the airman who died Thursday after being struck in the head by a training missile during routine training at the base. Senior Airman Richard Allan Gallelli Jr., 22, was a member of the 17th Munitions Squadron, said 2nd Lt. Kidron Farnell, deputy chief of Public Affairs at the Minot base. Gallelli had been in the Air Force for three years and three months.
Minot Air Force Base Airman Killed --Internal investigation underway 29 Apr 2010 The Minot Air Force Base says one of their Airmen was killed in a training exercise around midnight. In a press release officials say a male Airman from the 17th Munitions Squadron was struck in the head while at work, and died of injuries soon after. They are not releasing the name of the Airman. A spokeswoman from the Minot Air Force Base says cases like this are extremely rare and it has been at least ten years [?!?] since something like this has taken place. [*Math check.* See: Minot base crew commander found dead --Cause of death unclear 03 Feb 2009.]
The following section was compiled by 'The Pundit.'
Since the Minot story broke a week ago about the missing nukeclandestine operation from Minot, we have the following (for those who are paying attention):
1. All six people listed below are from Minot Airforce base
2. All were directly involved as loaders or as pilots
3. All are now dead
4. All within the last 7 days in 'accidents' [Not all of them --LRP]
http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=10465
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070915/BREAKINGNEWS/70915012
http://www.kxmc.com/News/161562.asp
http://www.kxmc.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=140988
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/07/20/news/state/136489.txt
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/9679367.html
Silly me, seeing more than there is to this story. I guess this is just another coincidence.
But no doubt now that there will be more coincidences in the near future because as I have stated before, you need about fourteen signatures to get an armed nuke onto a B-52, and they may have told their wives and friends.
"The Pundit"
http://www.legitgov.org/minot_afb_nukes_oddities.html
--submitted by Patti Woodard
See also: http://cryptogon.com/?p=1299 and http://www.e-thepeople.org/article/528101/view?viewtype=
Updated: 01 May 2010
Minot AFB airman identified --The base Safety Office is 'investigating' the accident. 01 May 2010 Officials at Minot Air Force Base have identified the airman who died Thursday after being struck in the head by a training missile during routine training at the base. Senior Airman Richard Allan Gallelli Jr., 22, was a member of the 17th Munitions Squadron, said 2nd Lt. Kidron Farnell, deputy chief of Public Affairs at the Minot base. Gallelli had been in the Air Force for three years and three months.
Minot Air Force Base Airman Killed --Internal investigation underway 29 Apr 2010 The Minot Air Force Base says one of their Airmen was killed in a training exercise around midnight. In a press release officials say a male Airman from the 17th Munitions Squadron was struck in the head while at work, and died of injuries soon after. They are not releasing the name of the Airman. A spokeswoman from the Minot Air Force Base says cases like this are extremely rare and it has been at least ten years [?!?] since something like this has taken place. [*Math check.* See: Minot base crew commander found dead --Cause of death unclear 03 Feb 2009.]
The following section was compiled by 'The Pundit.'
Since the Minot story broke a week ago about the missing nukeclandestine operation from Minot, we have the following (for those who are paying attention):
1. All six people listed below are from Minot Airforce base
2. All were directly involved as loaders or as pilots
3. All are now dead
4. All within the last 7 days in 'accidents' [Not all of them --LRP]
http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=10465
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070915/BREAKINGNEWS/70915012
http://www.kxmc.com/News/161562.asp
http://www.kxmc.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=140988
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/07/20/news/state/136489.txt
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/9679367.html
Silly me, seeing more than there is to this story. I guess this is just another coincidence.
But no doubt now that there will be more coincidences in the near future because as I have stated before, you need about fourteen signatures to get an armed nuke onto a B-52, and they may have told their wives and friends.
"The Pundit"
http://www.legitgov.org/minot_afb_nukes_oddities.html
--submitted by Patti Woodard
See also: http://cryptogon.com/?p=1299 and http://www.e-thepeople.org/article/528101/view?viewtype=
Do People Burn Books in America?
Cilla McCain has written a post about her book, Murder in Baker Company, on the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cilla-mccain
Monday, May 03, 2010
Return home from war not always peaceful for young vets
Study finds servicemen and women at increased risk for suicide
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – When young servicemen and women return home from a tour of duty, their family and friends breathe a sigh of relief, knowing their loved ones finally are safe and sound. New research, however, shows that is not always the case.
Young veterans are at risk for violent deaths at home, especially suicide, according to a study to be presented Monday, May 3 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Adolescent and young adult veterans die violent deaths in war zones throughout the world, yet little is known about the noncombat violent deaths at home. To explore this issue, researchers, led by Tamera Coyne-Beasley, MD, MPH., studied violent deaths among young veterans in North Carolina.
Using data from the 2004-2006 North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System, researchers found that there were 132 deaths at home among young veterans (51 veterans were 18-24 years old, and 81 were 25-34).
Suicide was the most common form of violent death, accounting for 70 percent of the cases. Almost half of those who took their own life (43 percent) had a history of mental illness, most commonly depression. While those with depressed mood reportedly were receiving treatment, all had a crisis in the two weeks before their death, according to the data. Intimate partner problems contributed to more than half of the suicides, and job problems contributed to 21 percent.
Also concerning was the rise in homicides among the youngest veterans ages 18-24 involving interpersonal conflicts, according to the authors. However, the risk of homicide was lower among 18- to 34-year-old veterans than nonveterans of the same age.
Firearms were used in 67 percent of the deaths, and hanging accounted for 24 percent.
"With the troop deployment surge to Afghanistan involving as many as an additional 30,000 veterans, including young veterans, it will be important to ensure that our young men and women who serve our country and their families are given the support and treatment they and their families may need upon their return home," said Dr. Coyne-Beasley, a researcher in the Department of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at University of North Carolina.
Support should include management and treatment for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses; ongoing screening and management for domestic violence; marital and partner counseling as needed; conflict management training; safe firearm storage counseling; and employment assistance should young veterans choose not to re-enlist, Dr. Coyne-Beasley said.
###
To see the abstract, go to http://www.abstracts2view.com/pas/view.php?nu=PAS10L1_3415&terms
The Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) are four individual pediatric organizations who co-sponsor the PAS Annual Meeting – the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, the Academic Pediatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Members of these organizations are pediatricians and other health care providers who are practicing in the research, academic and clinical arenas. The four sponsoring organizations are leaders in the advancement of pediatric research and child advocacy within pediatrics, and all share a common mission of fostering the health and well being of children worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.pas-meeting.org/. Follow news of the PAS meeting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/PedAcadSoc
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – When young servicemen and women return home from a tour of duty, their family and friends breathe a sigh of relief, knowing their loved ones finally are safe and sound. New research, however, shows that is not always the case.
Young veterans are at risk for violent deaths at home, especially suicide, according to a study to be presented Monday, May 3 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Adolescent and young adult veterans die violent deaths in war zones throughout the world, yet little is known about the noncombat violent deaths at home. To explore this issue, researchers, led by Tamera Coyne-Beasley, MD, MPH., studied violent deaths among young veterans in North Carolina.
Using data from the 2004-2006 North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System, researchers found that there were 132 deaths at home among young veterans (51 veterans were 18-24 years old, and 81 were 25-34).
Suicide was the most common form of violent death, accounting for 70 percent of the cases. Almost half of those who took their own life (43 percent) had a history of mental illness, most commonly depression. While those with depressed mood reportedly were receiving treatment, all had a crisis in the two weeks before their death, according to the data. Intimate partner problems contributed to more than half of the suicides, and job problems contributed to 21 percent.
Also concerning was the rise in homicides among the youngest veterans ages 18-24 involving interpersonal conflicts, according to the authors. However, the risk of homicide was lower among 18- to 34-year-old veterans than nonveterans of the same age.
Firearms were used in 67 percent of the deaths, and hanging accounted for 24 percent.
"With the troop deployment surge to Afghanistan involving as many as an additional 30,000 veterans, including young veterans, it will be important to ensure that our young men and women who serve our country and their families are given the support and treatment they and their families may need upon their return home," said Dr. Coyne-Beasley, a researcher in the Department of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at University of North Carolina.
Support should include management and treatment for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses; ongoing screening and management for domestic violence; marital and partner counseling as needed; conflict management training; safe firearm storage counseling; and employment assistance should young veterans choose not to re-enlist, Dr. Coyne-Beasley said.
###
To see the abstract, go to http://www.abstracts2view.com/pas/view.php?nu=PAS10L1_3415&terms
The Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) are four individual pediatric organizations who co-sponsor the PAS Annual Meeting – the American Pediatric Society, the Society for Pediatric Research, the Academic Pediatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Members of these organizations are pediatricians and other health care providers who are practicing in the research, academic and clinical arenas. The four sponsoring organizations are leaders in the advancement of pediatric research and child advocacy within pediatrics, and all share a common mission of fostering the health and well being of children worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.pas-meeting.org/. Follow news of the PAS meeting on Twitter at http://twitter.com/PedAcadSoc
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)