Head of Marine Corps Officer Candidates School relieved of command

WASHINGTON — The commander of the Marine Corps’ Officer Candidates School has been relieved in the wake of the murder-suicide there that left three Marines dead.

Commandant Gen. James Amos told the Marine Corps Times that he lost confidence in Col. Kris J. Stillings’ ability to command the school after the shootings last month.

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New civil trial ordered in Army training death

HONOLULU — A federal appeals court has ordered a new trial in a lawsuit filed by the family of a Texas soldier who was killed and others who were injured during a live-fire training exercise in Hawaii.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling overturned a jury verdict that found the manufacturer of mortar cartridges not liable for causing the 2006 explosion that killed Staff Sgt. Oscar Rodriguez.

The 27-year-old from Beeville, Texas, was hit by shrapnel at the Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island. He was supervising the firing of two mortars when a shell detonated in the cannon. The blast seriously injured Samuel Oyola-Perez, Julius Riggins and Wilfredo Dayandante.

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Death Memorial

PFC Robert A. Guy

 

My son, PFC Robert A. Guy, a Marine, died on April 21st, 2005. He allegedly committed suicide. Which I was told two months later on the phone. He was put on Zoloft by a base doctor with no supervision. He and two other Marines were requested to guard an Iraqi detainee, he allegedly pointed his rifle at the detainees head, racked the bolt and sent the bolt home. It is a matter of record that his rifle was empty.

 

He denied these allegations and stated he was guilty of improper clearing procedures. So of course, he was involved in an NJP. The most he could get out of this was…1) Lose 1/2 months pay for two months. 2) Bust him down a rank, from PFC to Private. 3) Give him 45 days extra duty (which would have been suspended, due to time served in Iraq).

 

The day of the NJP hearing (April 21st, 2005) the Company Commander felt he wasn’t qualified to dole out punishment and passed it up the chain of command to the Battalion Commander. A 1st Sgt. allegedly told him (when he signed the paper stating he understood what had taken place), “Boy, you just signed your ass away. You’re getting a dishonorable and spending thirty years in Leavenworth.”

Later that evening he asked to see the Chaplain. He was told there was not a Chaplain on base, in order for him to speak to him they would have to get a convoy together. He was asked if it could wait until the morning. Knowing my son… not wanting to inconvience anyone and feeling he had no choice, he said “I guess so”.

 

Well, apparently it couldn’t. A very short time later he went into a port-a-john and blew his brains out.

 

Immediately all the Sgt’s were called together and told ‘to tell their men what had happened and to tell them there was a Chaplain available if anyone needed to speak to him’.

 

I received the ‘Field Investigation Report’ that was so full of discrepancies. It had been almost 2 years before I received the ‘Command Investigation Report’. I’ve waited so long for this report, hoping it would give me some answers. When it came, the answers were not there. It was more questions and more confusion than before. I want to get an attorney, but do not know what kind of attorney I need and where to find one. I have called everyone I can think of and all I get is a run-around. I have written a letter to the President of the United States, contacted my local Congressman, contacted both my State Senators and had my son’s story put in the newspaper. I have called numerous people affiliated with the Marine Corps and NCIS and all I get is lies, promises and people who apparently get paid to due nothing but say, “I’ll check into that and get back to you”.

 

My son died in Iraq, he was not killed by Iraqis, he was killed by the United States Marine Corps. I hold them responsible completely. In my yard about 18 feet high flies an American flag and a Marine Corps flag. Bobby was so proud to be a Marine, he was going to make it his life’s choice. He wasn’t in there just for his four years.

So many times I’ve wanted to set fire to the Marine Corps flag, but as I told the newspaper people, “It flies for Bobby and the guys who went before him and the ones who will go after him, it damn sure don’t fly for the Corps.”

 

I am still very angry and my heart breaks anew every day. He was my son long before he was a Marine. I need someone to help me. Tell me where to turn and who to talk to. I will never give up, someone needs to be held accountable for his death. All I’ve asked for from the beginning is the truth and I can’t even get that.

Thank you for your time and any assistance you may be able to provide.

 

Warmest regards,

Ann R. Guy

Army Releases March 2013 Suicide Information

The Army released suicide data today for the month of March 2013. During March, among active-duty soldiers, there were 10 potential suicides: three have been confirmed as suicides and seven remain under investigation. For February 2013, the Army reported 11 potential suicides among active-duty soldiers; four have been confirmed as suicides and seven are under investigation. For 2013, there have been 41 potential active-duty suicides: 15 have been confirmed as suicides and 26 remain under investigation. Updated active-duty suicide numbers for 2012: 184 (158 have been confirmed as suicides and 26 remain under investigation). During March 2013, among reserve component soldiers who were not on active duty, there were 12 potential suicides (eight Army National Guard and four Army Reserve): none have been confirmed as suicides and 12 remain under investigation. For February 2013, among that same group, the Army reported 14 potential suicides (eight Army National Guard and six Army Reserve); six have been confirmed as suicides and eight cases remain under investigation. For 2013, there have been 40 potential not on active duty suicides (22 Army National Guard and 18 Army Reserve): 19 have been confirmed as suicides and 21 remain under investigation. Updated not on active duty suicide numbers for 2012: 140 (93 Army National Guard and 47 Army Reserve); 138 have been confirmed as suicides and two remain under investigation. 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 at http://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/suicide/training_sub.asp?sub_cat=20 (requires Army Knowledge Online access to download materials). Information about Military OneSource is located at http://www.militaryonesource.comor by dialing the toll-free number 1-800-342-9647 for 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 Resources@DCoEOutreach.organd 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 at http://www.sprc.org/index.asp. Source:  DOD Announcement, verbatim

Death Memorial

Col. Philip Michael Shue

Died April 16, 2003

As Navy rape case unravels, questions of homicide appear

Pineda, a seaman from Barstow, Calif., training as a Navy SEAL, spent three months in jail for sexual assault. Antonacci, a 22-year-old ordnance disposal trainee from Long Island, N.Y., was threatened with prosecution. The case didn’t go far: Antonacci’s body was found hanging in a closet, his nose bleeding, his face and back bruised.

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