U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq 

As of Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009, at least 4,332 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. …

Since the start of U.S. military operations in Iraq, 31,463 U.S. service members have been wounded in hostile action, according to the Defense Departments weekly tally. …

Latest identifications: 

• Army Spc. Richard A. Walters Jr., 41, Cleveland; died Aug. 10, 2009 in Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, of injuries from a non-combat incident; assigned to the 14th Combat Support Hospital, Fort Benning, Ga. 
• Army Pvt. Keiffer P. Wilhelm, 19, Plymouth, Ohio, died August 4, 2009 in Maysan Province, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2^nd Battalion, 13^th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. [See update below.] 

U.S. Military Deaths in Afghanistan 

As of Monday, Aug. 10, 2009, at least 699 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department. …

Latest identifications:

The latest identifications reported by the military:

• Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick W. Schimmel, 21, Winfield, Mo., died Aug. 9, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.
• Marine Lance Cpl. Javier Olvera, 20, Palmdale, Calif. died Aug. 8, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
• Army Staff Sgt. Tara J. Smith, 33, Nashville, N.C., died Aug. 8, 2009 in Bagram, Afghanistan, from a non-combat related incident that occurred Aug. 4 at Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan. She was assigned to the 50th Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.
• Army Spc. Matthew K. S. Swanson, 20, Lake Forest, Calif., died Aug. 8, 2009 at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., of injuries from a vehicle roll-over July 19 in Logar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
• Marine Lance Cpl. Dennis J. Burrow, 23, Naples, Fla., died Aug. 7, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
• Army Sgt. Jerry R. Evans Jr., 23, Eufaula, Ala., died Aug. 7, 2009 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, after an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.
• Marine Capt. Matthew C. Freeman, 29, Richmond Hill, Ga., died Aug. 7, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Kapisa province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.
• Marine Lance Cpl. James D. Argentine, 22, Farmingdale, N.Y., died Aug. 6, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay.
• Marine Lance Cpl. Travis T. Babine, 20, San Antonio, Texas, died Aug. 6, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay.
• Marine Sgt. Jay M. Hoskins, 24, Paris, Texas, died Aug. 6, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay.
• Marine Cpl. Christian A. Guzman Rivera, 21, Homestead, Fla., died Aug. 6, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.
• Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Anthony C. Garcia, 21, Tyndall, Fla. died Aug. 5, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Farah Province, Afghanistan.

Remember Their Sacrifice

Related links

Iraq Casualties

Afghanistan Casualties 

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8/21/09 Update

Four U.S. Troops Charged with Soldier Cruelty

Video

Soldiers accused of driving teen to suicide  (NBC Nightly News, Aug. 21) — Four U.S. soldiers in Iraq have been charged with hazing and terrorizing a young soldier who took his own life after being in Iraq for 10 days. NBC’s Jim Miklaszewski reports. (01:17)

Aug. 21, 2009

WASHINGTON — Four American soldiers have been charged with cruelty and maltreatment of an 19-year-old soldier who committed suicide after being in Iraq for 10 days, the U.S. military told NBC News Friday.

The four Multi-National Division-South soldiers are accused of hazing Private Keiffer P. Wilhelm of Ohio. They abused Wilhelm with excessive physical fitness, said Lt. Col. Kevin Olson, a military spokesman.

One defense official told NBC News that Wilhelm eventually stopped going to public areas to avoid being harassed repeatedly for being overweight. …

The Fort Bliss soldier locked himself inside a portable toilet and shot himself with a rifle on Aug. 4 in Maysan Province, military officials told NBC. They spoke on condition of anonymity.

Military officials identified the charged officers as Sgt. Enoch Chatman, Staff Sgt. Bob Clements, Sgt. Jarrett Taylor and Spc. Daniel Weber, all of B Troop, 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment from Fort Bliss, Texas.

The four soldiers also are accused of abusing other male soldiers, Olson said.

The accused are part of the first brigade to deploy to Iraq for the new Advise and Assist mission, whose job is to train Iraqi security forces to be better soldiers. …

[See full report for details about charges against individual defendants.]

8/28/09 Update

Mom Says Soldier Son Called Her Telling of Abuse
‘I don’t have anybody to turn to here,’ he said day before suicide

Aug. 28, 2009

WILLARD, Ohio – Before killing himself with a single gunshot, Pvt. Keiffer Wilhelm called his mother twice from Iraq and told her he was being targeted in his new unit and forced to run for miles with rocks in his pockets that smashed against his knees.

He told her he hated it, she said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday, marking the first time anyone has said Wilhelm spoke to them about the abuse.

“He said ‘Mom, I don’t have anybody to turn to here,’” said Kathe Wilhelm, recalling the last conversation she had with her son, a day before he died. …

Full story

10/8/09 Update

Family Wants Answers After Privates Suicide

Keiffer Wilhelm, a 19-year-old Army private from Willard, Ohio, killed himself in Iraq in August 2009. (Photo credit: The Associated Press)

Oct. 8, 2009

WILLARD, Ohio – Just about everyone in Keiffer Wilhelm’s life – his father, his brother, his best friends – had worn a military uniform or grew up around someone who did.

So when he decided that was his best option too, he heard plenty of advice about surviving boot camp and beyond. He ended up liking the Army so much, he wanted to make it a career. He even volunteered to join another unit so he could speed up his departure to Iraq.

Just days after arriving, everything changed.

Now his family and his friends want to know what happened in Iraq that pushed the gentle, playful 19-year-old to kill himself two months ago. His final desperate act, they say, doesn’t fit with the young man who grew up in a proud military family and always wanted to please everyone.

They hope to get some answers on Friday when two soldiers who served with Wilhelm in Iraq are expected to appear at a military hearing similar to a civilian grand jury. They have been charged with cruelty and maltreatment related to Wilhelm and at least two others. Two more soldiers also have been charged and are scheduled to appear at hearings next week.

Full story

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago Today – August 11, 2008

On the Campaign Trail: Day 28

One-year retrospective: One year ago today, on the 28th day of my campaign against U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann for the Republican nomination as House of Representatives candidate in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I continued my 100-mile Sixth District Walking Tour, setting out on foot from Sauk Rapids and proceeding south along Highway 10 to Clear Lake, Becker, and Salida.

Aubrey Immelman at the east end of the new Sauk Rapids bridge across the Mississippi River at the start of the second leg of his Sixth District walking tour, Aug. 11, 2008.