Casualties

July 18, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Willington M. Rhoads, 23, of Las Vegas, Nevada, died July 16 in Bagram, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered from a non-combat related incident.

He was assigned to the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion (Airborne), Vicenza, Italy.

The incident is under investigation.

Source: DOD

July 18, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

1st Lt. Jason D. Mann, 29, of Woodlynne, New Jersey, died July 17 from a non-hostile incident in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The incident is currently under investigation.

Source: DOD

July 18, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Tech. Sgt. Jackie L. Larsen, 37, of Tacoma, Washington, died of natural causes July 17 at Balad Air Base, Iraq.

She was assigned to the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.

Source: DOD

July 17, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Jeffery S. Stevenson, 20, of Newton, New Jersey, died July 13 from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq.

He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The incident is currently under investigation.

Source: DOD

July 17, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. David W. Textor, 27, of Roanoke, Virginia, died Jul 15 in Mosul, Iraq, of injuries suffered from a vehicle incident.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Lewis, Wash.

The incident is under investigation.

Source: DOD

July 16, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Vrooman, 28, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, died Jul 15 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while his unit was conducting combat operations in Kn'an, Iraq.

He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Vilseck, Germany.

Source: DOD

July 16, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of nine soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died of wounds suffered when their outpost was attacked by small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades from enemy forces in Wanat, Afghanistan, on July 13.

They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503d Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.

Killed were:

1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom, 24, of Hawaii.

Sgt. Israel Garcia, 24, of Long Beach, Calif.

Cpl. Jonathan R. Ayers, 24, of Snellville, Ga.

Cpl. Jason M. Bogar, 25, of Seattle, Wash.

Cpl. Jason D. Hovater, 24, of Clinton, Tenn.    » read more »

Current military health insurance denies access to proven therapies

August 5, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill this week asked the Department of Defense to expand health care coverage for the nearly 20 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who may be suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI). McCaskill and nine of her Senate colleagues are urging Secretary Robert Gates to expand TRICARE, the military’s health insurance program, to include cognitive rehabilitation therapy, a proven treatment for TBI which is currently excluded from the insurance policy.    » read more »

Senators ask Secretary Gates to ensure soldiers with traumatic brain injuries have access to proven therapy

August 4, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - With an estimated 320,000 American soldiers who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan experiencing a possible traumatic brain injury (TBI), Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Barack Obama (D-IL) today called on Defense Secretary Robert Gates to extend military health care coverage to include proven treatment for the signature injury of the two wars.    » read more »

June 17, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pvt. Eugene D. M. Kanakaole, 19, of Maui, Hawaii, died June 11 in Balad Iraq, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident.

He was assigned to the 87th Engineer Company, 8th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas.

The incident is under investigation.

Source: DOD

June 17, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Gerard M. Reed, 40, of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, died June 11 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident.

He was assigned to the 86th Combat Support Hospital, Fort Campbell, Ky.

This incident is under investigation.

Source: DOD

June 16, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of four Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. Michael Toussiant-Hyle Washington, 20, of Tacoma, Washington

Lance Cpl. Layton Bradly Crass, 22, of Richmond, Indiana

Pfc. Dawid Pietrek, 24, of Bensenville, Illinois

Pfc. Michael Robert Patton, 19, of Fenton, Missouri

All four Marines died June 14 while supporting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan.

They were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Source: DOD

June 17, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL) today issued the following statement after reviewing a report issued by the Veterans Affairs Office of Resolution Management (ORM) which assessed the work environment at the VA Medical Center in Marion, Illinois.

“This new report from the VA confirms many of our suspicions about the problem that existed at the Marion VA Medical Center. The report paints a disturbing picture -- a management culture that compounded problems at the facility; management at the regional level that did not serve as a quality check on the Marion facility; and no way for employees to complain or make meaningful suggestions about problems when they arose.”    » read more »

June 16, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Kelly E. C. Watters, 19, of Virginia Beach, Virginia died June 11, from wounds suffered while supporting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.

He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

   » read more »

June 16, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Javier Perales Jr., 19, of San Elizario, Texas, died June 11, from a non-hostile incident in Al Anbar province, Iraq.

He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The incident is currently under investigation.

Source: DOD