Army casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Julian L. Berisford, 25, of Benwood, W.V., died Nov. 4 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires.  He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Amy C. Tirador, 29, of Albany, N.Y., died Nov. 4 in Kirkush, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.  She was assigned to the 209th Military Intelligence Company, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Army casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Jonathon M. Sylvestre, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died Nov. 2 in Kut, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Marine casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. Cesar B. Ruiz, 26, of San Antonio, Texas, died Oct. 31 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve, New Orleans.

Army casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Christopher M. Cooper, 28, of Oceanside, Calif., died Oct. 30 in Babil province, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Schweinfurt, Germany.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Nothing quite like family

I’ve developed an unfortunate habit: Looking at various family members and trying to figure out how the $*%& I am related to them.

There is good in everyone, I won’t argue that. But some are nuttier than I ever imagined possible, others are downright stupid and then there are those who have such big hearts they get suckered in by every coniving mooch known to man.

Case A: I do not drive around in a red truck packed full of stuff towing a boat or trailer depending on the month because I refuse to take medication that would cure the psychiatric ailments that interrupt my life. Upside to this particular case is that his pension from the Marine Corps makes this possible. However, it would also make it possible to rent a place to live.

Case B: I am not currently dating someone who had me arrested two weeks ago, has yet to recant their statement, whose family stole the furniture my family purchased/family friends loaned me to fill the home. Nor am I currently looking for a new place with that person because we were evicted after kicking in the door to get the furniture.

Case C: I am not kind hearted enough to let said partner stay in my home with my child. My personal suggestion was the homeless shelter. I can understand being sympathetic to a point, but not when all my stuff has been stolen by said person’s family (and the person let them in to do it) and it’s yet to be returned.

Instead, I sit around wondering how in the hell I am related to one of the more well known Jacksonville homeless people, even if it’s for his ridiculously slow driving and the amount of crap he’s piled into his truck, and a person who is dumb enough to date the girl who currently has assault charges pending against him.

I love my family, but I have come to the conclusion that I am more like my grandmother in my thought process (we’re both sympathetic but rarely forgiving), my mother in my humor (we’re both sarcastic, somewhat witty and prefer jokes that if misunderstood make us sound like assholes), and my father in that I have a hard time getting out of my depression. The difference is that I do get out of mine, but then that may be because I don’t have a bunch of voices in my head telling me to stay put.

Air Force casualty

The Department of Defense announced Saturday the death of a Department of the Air Force civilian who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Frank R. Walker, 66, of Oklahoma City, Okla., died of non-combat related medical causes Oct 28 at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 72nd Civil Engineering Directorate, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.

Army casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Lukas C. Hopper, 20, of Merced, Calif., died Oct. 30, southeast of Karadah, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

The circumstances surrounding the accident are under investigation.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Adrian L. Avila, 19, of Opelika, Ala., died Oct. 29 at Khabari Crossing, Kuwait, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related accident.   He was assigned to the 1343rd Chemical Company, 151st Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Battalion, 115th Fires Brigade of the Alabama Army National Guard, in Fort Payne, Ala.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

The Department of Defense announced Saturday the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Brian R. Bates, Jr., 20, of Gretna, La., died Oct. 27 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Army casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Robert K. Charlton, 22, of Malden, Mo., died Oct. 27 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident Oct. 23 in Wardak, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

The circumstances surrounding the non-combat related incident are under investigation.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Joseph L. Gallegos, 39, of Questa, N.M., died Oct. 28 in Tallil, Iraq, in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 720th Transportation Company, New Mexico Army National Guard, in Las Vegas, N.M.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

Army casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Brandon K. Steffey, 23, of Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., died Oct. 25 in Laghman province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 178th Military Police Detachment, 89th Military Police Brigade, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of seven soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Luis M. Gonzalez, 27, of South Ozone Park, N.Y.

Sgt. Fernando Delarosa, 24, of Alamo, Texas.

Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, 29, of Terre Haute, Ind.

Sgt. Issac B. Jackson, 27, of Plattsburg, Mo.

Sgt. Patrick O. Williamson, 24, of Broussard, La.

Spc. Jared D. Stanker, 22, of Evergreen Park, Ill.

Pfc. Christopher I. Walz, 25, of Vancouver, Wash.

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of seven soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  They died Oct. 26 of wounds suffered when the MH-47 helicopter they were aboard crashed in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.

Killed were five soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.:

Chief Warrant Officer Michael P. Montgomery, 36, of Savannah, Ga.

Chief Warrant Officer Niall Lyons, 40, of Spokane, Wash.

Staff Sgt. Shawn H. McNabb, 24, of Terrell, Texas.

Sgt. Josue E. Hernandez Chavez, 23, of Reno, Nev.

Sgt. Nikolas A. Mueller, 26, of Little Chute, Wisc.

Also killed were two soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.:

Sgt. 1st Class David E. Metzger, 32, of San Diego.

Staff Sgt. Keith R. Bishop, 28, of Medford, N.Y.

Marine casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Cody R. Stanley, 21, of Rosanky, Texas, died Oct. 28 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif.