Report: Daphne soldier's death preventable

[Ruby Romaine]

Commanding officers 'cut corners in the interest of speed,' Army concludes
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
By DAN MURTAUGH
Staff Reporter

DAPHNE -- An investigation into the October death of Daphne soldier Paul J. Bueche reveals that the tire explosion that killed him was caused in part by commanding officers deciding "to cut corners in the interest of speed," the Army's report states.

Bueche, 19, of the 131st Aviation Regiment of the Alabama Army National Guard serving in Iraq, died when a Blackhawk helicopter tire he was inflating exploded, killing him and injuring another soldier who lost both arms.

http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/news/108919173019810.xml

[saigon68]

1. Ever wonder why morale suffers ???

Here it is in spades. When I was in the service someone would go to jail for this.

[frylock]

2. The Bueches said they still support President Bush, the war in Iraq..

poor, stupid, fucks. Their son died for a lie, but they still support their president. Poor, stupid, fucks.

[Ruby Romaine]

4. it makes you wonder how they can support Bush since their son's

death was completely bush's fault since we had no business going into Iraq.
Oh I forgot-
It must be all Clinton's fault!

[atreides1]

3. But The Parents Still Support Bush and the War

This is just plain dumb, they readily blame the army without acknowledging the part that the administration through the DoD played in this tragedy.

This whole war was ill planned and the troops were not properly equipped, there were little replacement parts and equipment in the theater of operation. And that was all because this coke monkey in the White House wanted his Cheneying war. And these people have the audacity to put all of the blame on the US Army.

I sorry the troop died because his chain of command had little regard for his safety, but his parents are totally brain dead about whose fault it really is.

I can't feel sorry for stupid people!!!

[Ruby Romaine]

5. I don't feel sorry for the parents but for the soldier who died & the one

who lost his arms, I wonder if he'll vote for Bush?

[LizW]

6. Did you read the article?

They will come around. As they deal with the military and try to get the officer reprimanded for killing their son, their eyes will be opened more and more.

It sounds like the mom already gets it. "Their total disregard for human life is chilling," Maria Bueche said. "Soldiers are just another piece of equipment to be replaced, in their mind."

[atreides1]

10. Yes I Did Read the Article, You Didn't Read All of It

"Their total disregard for human life is chilling", this was not directed at Bush, but at their son's superiors.

Maybe you missed this part of the article:

Maria and Emory Paul Bueche they were appalled by the investigation's
descriptions of officers ordering their son and others to buck
procedure.

And then was the part of the article you quoted:

"Their total disregard for human life is chilling," Maria Bueche said.
"Soldiers are just another piece of equipment to be replaced in their
mind."

This was not directed at the administration, it was directed the officers and NCO's involved.

So perhaps you you missed this part also:

"The Bueches said they still support President Bush, the war in Iraq and the military, they just want to see the Army take better care of its soldiers. Maria Bueche said she will meet with U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Mobile, in August to move toward that goal, and Emory Paul Bueche said he wanted to see the officers involved in his son's death reprimanded--something that has not happened thus far."

You tell me where exactly their eyes were opened to the part played by this administration's lack of proper planning , in their son's death.

[LizW]

13. Of course I read all of it

And I didn't say "their eyes were opened", I said they will come around.

Yes, right now they are focused on the wrongdoing of the officers who were directly responsible for their son's death. I think that is because they are experiencing gut-wrenching grief, and thus have a lot invested in believing that their son died for something important, and that there was some purpose in his sacrifice.

I believe that they will eventually come to realize the administration's part in their son's death.

But it's counterproductive to express such scorn for the military families who have made the greatest sacrifice simply because they don't have sufficient contempt for Bush to satisfy you.

[Frangible]

7. Damn

I never, ever, knew a tire could kill someone like that.

Sad though, just another 19 year kid becoming a corpse.

[htuttle]

8. Split-rim truck tires are even worse

And IIRC, there has been at least one other death in Iraq due to not having the proper safety equipment around to deal with split rims (cage, chains, etc...). They shouldn't even use the damn things anymore!

[atreides1]

11. Had One

I worked in the motor pool, we had a cage for airing up the tires. We had one blow, and let me tell you I was glad that we had that cage.

We had to get a replacement cage because the tire blowing snapped some of the weld points on the cage.

[htuttle]

12. When I worked in a garage years ago, we only used a chain

One time, a truck rim blew and cut right THROUGH the heavy chain and embedded itself 5 inches deep into a cinder block wall.

<gulp!>

[Ruby Romaine]

9. inflating tires can be really dangerous, shops use a tire cage to keep the

rim from knocking someone's head off if the tire explodes.