A U.S. Soldier died early Tuesday in a "nonhostile" incident

[bigtree]

What's non-hostile about duty in an attack helicoptor in a war zone? Do they use these classifications like this just to screw the soldiers out of compensation? Anyone know?

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/09/02/sprj.irq.main/index.html

[RobertSeattle]

1. I don't think so

The compensation would be the same regardless. But this administration has this warped numbers game they are playing with hostile -vs- non-hostiles KIAs. It's very Orwellian.

As FYI, most soldiers are under SGLI ($250K Max) which is a drastically reduce Life Insurance policy subsidized by Uncle Sam. Only a fool doesn't subscribe to it while in the military. More info at:

http://www.insurance.va.gov/sgliSite/SGLI/SGLI.htm

[bigtree]

2. Then it must be just about the numbers

Bush must be trying to split the casualty #s, hoping we won't add it all up. Fat chance. Even with the exclusions the #s and the frequency of the casualties are alarming enough.

[leftchick]

3. there were actually three soldiers killed today....

yet I only saw this one "non-hostile" death reported. The two others were MPs heading somewhere outside of Baghdad. I wonder how their deaths are labeled? Sickening.... :(

[kodi]

4. how many "non-combatant" names are on that viet nam war wall?

i never noticed any.