FOLLOWING ORION

Tracking the National Guard 27th Infantry Brigade at Home & in Afghanistan

Wounded

by Dave Tobin

Wednesday August 27, 2008, 11:44 AM

"Notify primary next of kin (PNOK) of the information contained in the INIT (initial casualty) report, precluding any gory or embarrassing details. Be careful to fullly disclose all facts to lessen the concern and anxiety of the PNOK."

from Army Casualty Program regulation 600-8-1

.

Soldiers: Have you been wounded? How? What has the recovery process been like? What's gone through your mind as you recover?

Family members: Has your soldier been wounded? How have you coped with the news? How did the military handle it with you?

The Dept. of Defense doesn't identify wounded soldiers.

However, at least 19 soldiers serving with Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix have been awarded Purple Hearts since the 27th Brigade Combat Team took over in April. The military won't release the names of Purple Heart recipients, citing privacy act protections.

Casualty incidents in Iraq or Afghanistan are often first reported in the media as the number killed or wounded, without identities. Days later, after next-of-kin have been notified, names of those who died are released. What happens with the wounded?

"It depends", says Eric Durr, a spokesman with the NY Division of Military and Naval Affairs, referring to Army Regulation 600-8-1, chapter 5.

"If somebody gets hurt and they're okay, basically you hand them a cell phone and tell them 'call home,'" he said. "If it's more serious, you may get a phone call from a casualty assistance officer. 'Mam, this is Capt X. Your son's in the hospital but he's okay.'"

"If it's a even more serious injury - unconscious in the hospital - that may entail a personal visit from an officer."

The same triage for notification is used when soldiers are sick or injured from a non-combat incident.

Military personnel are instructed to consider the details of every soldier's circumstances.

Is the person "newsworthy"? If so "use the quickest (notification) means possible that the PNOK does not learn of the incident through other then official channels," the regulation states.

Behind the scenes, other information is being considered. Ann Marie Lara, a military family assistance center specialist in Syracuse, said she offers to casualty assistance officers information about families the officers might not know - if a spouse is deaf, or just had a baby.

Lara said she calls families with wounded soldiers to offer support, after the emergency period is past.

"I have been having phone visits with one Mom for a few weeks now," Lara said. "Her son was WIA (wounded in action) recently. She has other kids and could not go to him."

Continue reading "Wounded" »

Leave

by Dave Tobin

Wednesday August 27, 2008, 11:22 AM

For a number of reasons, not all soldiers will come home for leave during their mission in Afghanistan.

Spc. Gary Wiggins, of Memphis, NY, is one who won't.

"He decided not to come home, because he was afraid the kids would be overcome," said Crystal Baker-Wiggins.

The Wiggins have four children, 9, 4, 2 and 1. Crystal says that her husband is rethinking that decision, because their oldest child, Jade, has had two brain tumor scares. One was a benign tumor removed in December, before Gary left for Ft. Bragg. Recently Crystal found another bump on Jade's head and rushed to have it diagnosed. Jade is okay.

The Wiggins kids talk to and see their Dad on the computer using Skype. The two-year-old, Julian Kayle Wiggins, identifies the computer with Dad.

"Whenever we talk about Daddy, my two year old runs to the computer - 'Daddy, Daddy, Daddy', because he doesn't really know him anywhere else," said Crystal. "The first time he did it, it kind of made me cry. It's sweet, but it's sad."

Active duty soldiers earn 30 days of leave per year. All members of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix 7 who want to take leave are given the chance to take it. Soldiers can also be given leave for emergencies, such as a death or a life-threatening illness in the immediate family (parents, spouse, children, siblings).

Soldiers who don't take leave from Afghanistan can use their paid leave when they get home. They can also "sell" their leave back, but they only receive base pay, without combat allowances. Soldiers who sell leave also lose retirements points (one point for each day of service), so not many soldiers sell their leave time.

Continue reading "Leave" »

War Weary

by Dave Tobin

Wednesday August 27, 2008, 10:48 AM

Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Judson, a Syracuse native now with the North Carolina National Guard,

writes from Kandahar province, an area where soldiers have seen lots of fighting. He is the noncommissioned officer in charge of a police mentoring team made up of members of the New York 27th Brigade Combat Team. Unlike his teammates, he is near the end of his tour. We wish him Godspeed home.

"I've been really busy -- lots of patrols, checkpoints, searches, ambushes and stuff, " he writes.

"The (Afghan National) police have come a long way since I got here in January. Training has gone well and operations with them are actually a reality. Still a lot of work to be done."

"My bosses think we should be farther ahead than we are now. It's easy to think that from their comfortable chairs back on the FOB (Forward Operating Base). Wish I could get them out of the wire to see for themselves. The last three months have just been exhausting. A little sick of this place right now."

Continue reading "War Weary" »

Alabama soldier dies in Afghanistan

by Dave Tobin

Friday August 22, 2008, 11:43 AM

Sgt. 1st Class David J. Todd Jr., 36, of Marrero, La., died Aug. 20 in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire, the Department of Defense announced Friday.

Todd was assigned to the Afghan Regional Security Integration Command-West, Herat, Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Alabama soldier dies in Afghanistan" »

Afghanistan's first-ever Olympic medal

by Dave Tobin

Wednesday August 20, 2008, 5:24 PM

Respite from grim war news:

Afghan Rohullah Nikpai, 21, defeated world champion Juan Antonio Ramos of Spain, Wednesday, winning a bronze medal in the men's under 58-kilogram taekwondo competition.

Only four Afghan athletes came to Beijing.

Sprinter Robina Muqimyar, who was last in a field of 85 women in the 100 meters, ran with a scarf covering her head.

Teammate Massoud Azizi finished 76th in the men's 100.

Continue reading "Afghanistan's first-ever Olympic medal" »

Pa. Guardsman dies in Afghanistan

by Dave Tobin

Wednesday August 20, 2008, 10:56 AM

Pfc. Jonathan L. Luscher, 20, of Scranton, Pa., died Aug. 17, the Department of Defense announced.

Luscher died at Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Scranton, Pa.

The incident is under investigation.

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A-stan: 2 incidents; 3 killed

by Dave Tobin

Tuesday August 19, 2008, 2:56 PM

The identities of three soldiers killed in two separate incidents last week were released Tuesday by the Dept. of Defense.

On Aug. Aug. 15 in Wardak Province, west of Kabul, two soldiers were killed when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device and they were ambushed with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades.

Killed were:

1st Lt. Donald C. Carwile, 29, of Oxford, Va., and

Pfc. Paul E. Conlon Jr., 21, of Somerville, Mass.

They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

On Aug. 16, in Korengal, in the eastern border province of Kunar,

Staff Sgt. Kristopher D. Rodgers, 29, of Sturgis, Mich., died when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Rodgers was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Continue reading "A-stan: 2 incidents; 3 killed" »