BAGHDAD -- The U.S. military says two American soldiers have died of wounds sustained during a roadside bomb attack in the Iraqi capital.
A military statement says the two soldiers died Friday following an attack on a patrol in eastern Baghdad.
Military spokesman, Lt. Col. David Patterson, says the soldiers were assigned to Multi-National Corps Iraq. The statement says the two were with the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).
It says the soldiers identities are being withheld pending notification of next of kin, and the incident is under investigation.
The death raises to at least 4,337 members of the U.S. military who have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003. That's according to an Associated Press count.
A parent of a soldier commented on OregonLive.com wondering why the story ran before the names were available. Because of this, the commenter said, "all 2,600 families of Oregon servicemen and women were made to suffer and grieve instead of just the three unfortunate families."
Seriously? Selfish much? I said this in return: "Don't you think all 2,600 families are grieving anyway? And news needs to come out when it's new instead of two days later when the names are available. That would do more disservice to the public and families involved."
Maybe that was bitchy. The person sort of has a point. But I cannot fathom waiting two days to know of this, especially if it's my loved one. It's scary, yes, and worrisome, but it's news.
But do I think this only because I'm a journalist? Would I think differently were I just some other Army girlfriend?
Seriously, though, that comment made me mad. We are all grieving. The two families, possibly three, are grieving harder, yes, but this is a loss for the whole Oregon Guard, all of Oregon, all of America. They are not "three unfortunate families." They are families of soldiers who deserve to be honored, remembered and cherished. They are not families that got unlucky because their loved ones died or got wounded and yours didn't.
6 comments:
Damn right.
Wow.
Wow.
I guess the spectrum of different ways people can react to great stress will never cease to amaze...
Plus, the families already know. They are notified way before the information that it even happened is released. If you didn't have a army officer in dress uniform knock on your door, your family member is ok. They just have not released names yet, but trust me. They ate quick to tell the families.
Admittedly, now that I read this again, my comment was probably unnecessary and antagonizing. But I have always been one to act on impulse, for better or worse ... I do still think it was a selfish thing to say, though.
You would know information if the information pertained to you and you needed to know.
Yes!! These two men are in our 41rst family. I am not happy it wasn't mine. My heart breaks because it was a sister who lost her husband or son. We are all in this together.
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