Soldiers dying from non-hostile, non-combat related injury or illness, no cause given

[ProSense]

Topeka Paper Covers Father's Quest To Find Out Why Son Died in Iraq

By E&P Staff and The Associated Press

Published: September 21, 2007 1:05 PM ET

NEW YORK For many months, E&P has been featuring articles that draw attention to local newspapers (sometimes quite small ones) probing how man or woman from the area died in Iraq from what is officially described only as a "non-combat related" injury or illness. The military usually puts off the press, saying that the incident is under investigation, and the story is forgotten.

But reporters or family members often dig deeper into what turn out to be vehicle accidents, suicides or cases of friendly fire.

<...>

Kansas Army National Guard Sgt. Courtney D. Finch, 27, of Leavenworth, died July 24 of unknown causes. The Department of Defense reported only that Finch died of “injuries sustained from a noncombat-related incident.”

Finch’s father, David Finch, said he was told he would receive a cause of death within six weeks. Seven weeks later, he is upset at what he sees as the slow progress.

more

Since September 15 (from icasualties.org):

US Specialist David L. Watson Ba'qubah - Diyala Non-hostile - accident
US Command Sergeant Major Jonathan M. Lankford Diyala Province Non-hostile
UK Sergeant Mark Stansfield Basra (Basra Air Station) - Basrah Non-hostile - vehicle accident
US Specialist John J. Young Baghdad (Camp Stryker) Non-hostile
US Captain (Doctor) Roselle M. Hoffmaster Kirkuk - At-Ta'mim Non-hostile - accident
US Corporal Graham M. McMahon Balad - Salah ad Din Non-hostile - illness
US Sergeant Edmund J. Jeffers Al Taqaddum - Anbar Non-hostile - accident
US Specialist Matthew J. Emerson Ninawa Province Non-hostile - vehicle accident
US Staff Sergeant Michael L. Townes Balad - Salah ad Din Non-hostile (illness according to release)
US Private 1st Class Brandon T. Thorsen Baghdad Non-hostile
US Corporal Terrence P. Allen Al Anbar Province Non-hostile

[TomInTib]

1. My guess is worn-out troops using worn-out equipment and weaponry.

Nothing good can pssibly come out of that brew.

[ProSense]

2. They are not all vehicle accidents! n/t

[TomInTib]

5. That's why I added weaponry.

I have often wondered how many guys got killed because of fucked-up M16s in my little dust-up.

[ProSense]

7. Two soldiers dying of non-combat related illnesses in less than a week with

one definitely identified as being in a combat unit. That's odd!

[TomInTib]

8. I am not too sure on that.

Cholera, you know.

The average American's system cannot deal with that business.

Keep in mid that I am not arguing with the premise of the report, just trying to apply my own experience and semi-logic.

But I will bet that the suicide rate is highy underreported.

[ProSense]

9. That's what I suspect too,

which is really devastating if true.

[madokie]

19. I didn't trust the M-16 during my tour

being a postal clerk who had to travel in-country I chose a 45 hand gun with a riot-gun with me at all times whereas my shotguns carried the weapons of their choice

[beachmom]

3. You mean weaponings malfunctioning or errors being made? n/t

[TomInTib]

6. Both.

A worn-out heavy weapon can kill you all by itself.

So can an exhausted troop or spotter.

[fedupinBushcountry]

4. Thanks for this post

This has been bugging me. I have noticed the number is up on what really happened to these individuals. This needs to be thoroughly looked into.

[phillysuse]

10. I vote for Heat Stroke

It's been awfully hot there, they have a shortage of water, they are wearing layers and layers and it is hot inside the Humvees.

[mvccd1000]

17. Heat stroke is a possibility, but...

There is no shortage of drinking water over here, and the HMMWVs are air-conditioned.

I'm not sure how deaths from things like mortar and rocket attacks are counted. While deaths from such are infrequent, they do happen. If a crowd of people is playing basketball or standing around a barbecue and a mortar lands nearby, killing one, is that a combat death?

[Skittles]

20. please do not assume you speak for all

because you do NOT

[mvccd1000]

21. Huh?

I've been in Iraq continuously since July of 2004, with the exception of a couple of two-week vacations each year. I've lived and worked on three different bases, communicate closely with co-workers on ten others, and my company installs armor and air conditioning on HMMWVs, among other tasks. While I will admit to not speaking for "ALL," I will also suggest that I'm probably more qualified than most here to talk about living conditions Americans in Iraq experience.

[DrunkenMaster]

11. Suicide

I've heard rumors that the rates are pretty high. They don't want it known.

[w8liftinglady]

12. the ones who are listed as "non-hostile" are never resolved

go look back over the months.I even tried googling the soldiers' names-no cause of death.

[TomInTib]

14. Kind of like us losing guys in Laos.

That is one reason that I do not have totally blind faith in icasualties.com.

Too many loose threads.

[Bluerthanblue]

13. could this be about the 'new' way of catagorizing deaths for

the 'surge'?

[KoKo]

15. Three soldiers died in Iraq this weekend ...2 were listed as 'non combatant'

but both were listed as having 'gunshot wounds to the head.' It was in my local newspaper and i wondered about how that could be. :shrug: Glad to see an article about it.

[TheLastMohican]

18. Fragging perhaps?

Some soldiers settle the old scores. It always happens like that.

[Booster]

16. It worries me that a lot of the noncombat-related deaths are women.

Every time I see one of these deaths reported in the paper, I look on the internet for more information - never is much.