US Soldier in Iraq: "Just get me out of here."

Spencer Ackerman is implying that, after four disastrous years, most troops on the ground in Iraq still "want to stay and fight". He says that he's found that those "who clearly have a vivid sense of day-to-day rhythms in the conflict continue to keep faith with the war". He asks,

....can we trust civilians in Washington who favor withdrawal to know better?

I'm afraid that Mr. Ackermman is giving us a false choice from what I'm hearing from troops who are actually out there in the blogosphere speaking their mind.

A soldier serving in Iraq who calls himself "Soldier Boy" tugs strongly at our conscience by making this appeal tonight:

I don't even wake up during mortar attacks anymore. I'm tired of the heat, of carrying an M16 everywhere, of listening to the local Iraqi government rep explain why he needs more money to advance a project that's a year behind. I'm tired because I just came off of one shift at the battalion TOC, and have just a few hours downtime until the next one. So I send out this diary, this first post on DailyKos and ask everyone back home, and the people who just voted to keep me here for months more; bring me home.

Hell, just listen to my story from the whole last tour: All Quiet On The Southwest Asian Front One warblog, all yours.


Just get me out of here.

Now, I'm not saying that, on their public face, those in the military may be the last people to believe or want to admit that a war is lost. What I'm saying is that the way they feel, as individual human beings is, "Get us out of here."

Mr. Ackerman says,

The uncomfortable reality is this: nothing in Iraq worth fighting for remains achievable, and nothing achievable in Iraq remains worth fighting for. Democrats have made the decision—rightly, I think—that withdrawing from Iraq is the least bad of many bad options. But they shouldn’t kid themselves into thinking that a majority of the troops doing the fighting agree with them.

I'm saying that, knowing how much these troops are stretched and want to come home, I think this is likely the least of our worries.

Become The Sky

Mark Twain's 'The War Prayer' (New Video)

Sacramentan Markos Kounalakis has directed and produced a video rendition of Mark Twain's war protest poem, "The War Prayer," which can be seen on Youtube.com now through the Memorial Day weekend.

Part One:




Part Two:

Clinton Foundation Announces Green City Makeovers

I wanted to make my readers aware that former President Clinton's William J. Clinton foundation announced earlier this month that, as a project of the Clinton Climate Initiative, there will be a $5 billion global effort to fight global warming by retrofitting existing buildings with more energy efficient products, thereby reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. Fifteen of the world's largest cities, including New York City, are slated for a "green" makeover. NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg has said,

"Mayors are responsible for coming up with pragmatic solutions and implementing them effectively – and this program will allow us to do that. We've laid out an ambitious agenda to reduce our carbon emissions, 80 percent of which come from buildings, while being economically competitive and continuing to grow."

Here are some facts about the new initiative from The Environment News Service website:

The Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program will provide both cities and their private building owners with access to the necessary funds to retrofit existing buildings with more energy efficient products, which is exptected to produce energy savings of between 20 and 50 percent.

Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Inc, Siemens and Trane will conduct energy audits, perform building retrofits, and guarantee the energy savings of the retrofit projects.


ABN AMRO, Citi, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, and UBS have committed to arrange $1 billion each to finance cities and private building owners to undertake these retrofits at no net cost, doubling the global market for energy retrofit in buildings.


These banks will work alongside energy efficiency finance specialist Hannon Armstrong and CCI to develop effective mechanisms to deploy this capital globally. Cities and building owners will pay back the loans plus interest with the energy savings generated by the reduced energy costs thanks to the building retrofits.


An initial group of 15 of the world's largest cities has agreed to participate in the retrofit program, and offer their municipal buildings for the first round of energy retrofits - Bangkok, Berlin, Chicago, Houston, Johannesburg, Karachi, London, Melbourne, Mexico City, New York, Rome, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Tokyo, and Toronto.

ASHRAE [The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers] will play a primary role in former President Bill Clinton’s initiative to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings by providing design guidance and tools to reach energy efficiency targets.



A link to excerpts from the Press Conference about the new project is linked at The Clinton Foundation website.

10 Things You Can Do Over Memorial Weekend to Support the Troops and End the War

10 Things You Can Do Over Memorial Weekend to Support the Troops and End the War


Throughout our history, military men and women and their families have sacrificed for America. The troops in Iraq and their families continue to sacrifice today. So this Memorial Day Weekend, John Edwards is asking the American people to give some part of their weekend in return—to honor and remember all those who have gone before in service to our country, and to let our government know we want to honor our troops by ending the war and bringing them home.

This Memorial Day weekend, John Edwards is asking that we all take responsibility for the country we love and the brave men and women who protect us. As citizens, let’s volunteer in support of our troops, and offer our service to honor theirs. As Americans, let’s take a moment to join in prayer for our troops. And as patriots, let’s gather together this weekend and make our voices heard. It’s up to us. If we are loud enough, and clear enough, we can end this war. Because it really is possible to stop a president who believes he can do no wrong—it just takes people with the courage to do what’s right.

Get local, get active, and get outdoors. Walk the streets of your neighborhood. Get everyone you know to sign a petition to your local government body—for instance, your town or city council or neighborhood association—to pass a resolution requesting that Congress use its funding authority to support our troops and end the war. Bring the petition to the next meeting. Share your plans here.

Send our troops a taste of home. Go shopping with your kids, your friends, your neighbors, and buy a whole bunch of stuff that would make a soldier happy to receive (check for restrictions). Then go through a site like Anysoldier.com, OpGratitude.com, or TroopCarePackage.com to send your package to a soldier in Iraq. Take photos and tell us about it.

Gather in public. On Memorial Day weekend, get your friends, kids, co-workers, neighbors, aunts, uncles, grandfathers, grandmothers, and anyone and everyone you know together to publicly support the troops and end the war. If you hold an event on Memorial Day itself, please make sure that everyone you gather knows it is a day for honoring the fallen only. Be sure to check with your local authority for any permits you need for public gatherings. Contact local media to publicize your event. Before you get started, please take a moment of silence to honor the fallen. And during your event, make sure you conduct yourself respectfully—both for those serving in Iraq and the memory of the brave servicemen and women that Memorial Day honors. Share your plans here.

Pray. Organize a prayer vigil for our troops at your house of worship. Honor the fallen. Tell us about it.

Make your voice heard in Washington. Call President Bush at (202) 456-1111 or email him at comments@whitehouse.gov. Call your Representative and U.S. Senator and ask them to use their funding power to support our troops and end the war. Tell us about it.

Get vocal. Buy a bunch of poster-board and markers. At a picnic or with family and friends, make signs that say “SUPPORT THE TROOPS - END THE WAR.” Bring them to your local Memorial Day parade. Many parades are held on Saturday or Sunday. If your parade is on Monday, however, we ask that you choose another action to honor the fallen. Then take a digital photo of yourself and your family or friends holding up the poster and tell us about it. We’ll include it in a “Democracy Photo Album” on our site.

Greet a vet. Before Memorial Day Weekend gets started, get in touch with the Yellow Ribbon Fund and volunteer to provide welcome-back services and mentorships to injured soldiers returning home. Tell us about it.

Say thank you. Send a thank-you note to our troops through organizations like Let's Say Thanks or A Million Thanks. Better yet - gather folks together to write thank-you notes at a picnic. Tell us about it.

Help an injured vet. Before Memorial Day Weekend gets underway, contact your local VA Hospital and learn how you can volunteer. Tell us about it.

Light up the night. Get your friends and family together and organize a Memorial Day candlelight vigil to support our troops, end the war, and honor the fallen. Share your plans here.

Two Videos as We Approach Memorial Day

Please watch both these videos. The first is from Keith Olbermann of MSNBC. I'm not sure where we'd be without people like Mr. Olbermann - a lone breath of sheer honesty in a chaotic swirl of media garbage. MSM's become a carousel of meaningless symbolisms and slogans forwarded by spin doctors who are taking America off the cliff with this disgustingly backward foreign policy.

Support our troops. END this war!

It's only the citizens of this country who can support the troops now.




There are some misguided commenters at YouTube who cannot seem to be able to envision a day when our troops will not be occupying Iraq. To the non-believers who say they're not able to imagine an ending to this disaster in Iraq:

Start imagining.


Democrats may look like they've failed the People right now and someof us are enraged about what looks like their political betrayal. Yet, I know we'll be out of Iraq soon. The American people have withdrawn their support for the mess our leaders have made in acting out disastrous foreign policy. Until the day democracy in America is declared DOA, our Constitution is designed to work so that no President can act as a stubborn (wrong) monarch and get away with it for very long. Only the people have the power to stop this war now. Watch a true leader - John Edwards - tell you how this can be accomplished:

Memorial Day 2007 - Dedicated to Our Troops

I hope you'll LISTEN to this music as you read. Right-click HERE, choose "Open in New Window" and enjoy this post dedicated to all men and women who have died while serving our nation.







No soldiers choose to die
It's what they risk by being who and where they are
It's what they dare while saving someone else
Whose life means suddenly
As much to them as theirs - or more.






To honor them, why speak of duty
or the will of governments?

Think first of love
each time you tell their story.





It gives their sacrifice a name
and takes from war its glory."



- Sam Hazo (Real Audio - right click HERE and choose "open in a new window" to hear the song while you read.)

Here is a list of troops who have sacrificed all they had on this earth for service to their country and to their fellow soldiers:




May 01, 2007
Marine Lance Cpl. Johnathan E. Kirk,
25, of Belhaven, N.C.; assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 1 from wounds received while conducting combat operations on April 23 in Al Anbar province, Iraq.



Army Pfc. Zachary R. Gullett,
20, of Hillsboro, Ohio; assigned to the 984th Military Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Carson, Colo.; died May 1 in Baghdad as a result of a non-combat-related incident. His death is under investigation.



May 02, 2007

---

Army Pfc. Katie M. Soenksen,
19, of Davenport, Iowa; assigned to the 410th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 2 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near her vehicle.

Katie's father said, "She was on a mission. She wanted to go over there and keep [the war] on foreign soil. That was her main goal."

Army 1st Lt. Ryan P. Jones,
23, of Westminster, Mass.; assigned to the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died May 2 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Also killed was Spc. Astor A. Sunsin-Pineda.



Army Spc. Astor A. Sunsin-Pineda,
20, of Long Beach, Calif.; assigned to the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died May 2 in Baghdad of wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Also killed was 1st Lt. Ryan P. Jones.





May 03, 2007

---

Army 1st Lt. Colby J. Umbrell,
26, of Doylestown, Pa.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 3 in Musayyib, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Army Pfc. Joseph G. Harris,
19, of Sugar Land, Texas; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 3 at Forward Operating Base Warrior, Afghanistan. His death is under investigation.

Army Spc. Andrew R. Weiss,
28, of Lafayette, Ind.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 3 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.


Army Sgt. Felix G. Gonzalez-Iraheta,
25, of Sun Valley, Calif.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died May 3 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire.

Army Pfc. John D. Flores,
21, of Barrigada, Guam; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died May 3 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire.

Army Spc. Kelly B. Grothe,
21, of Spokane, Wash.; assigned to Company B, 321st Engineer Battalion, Army Reserve, Hayden Lake, Idaho; died May 3 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his armored personnel carrier was struck by an improvised explosive device.

Army Pfc. Jerome J. Potter,
24, of Tacoma, Wash.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 3 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.




May 04, 2007

---

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Hamlin,
24, of London, Ky.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 4 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations.





May 05, 2007

---

Marine Master Sgt. Kenneth N. Mack,
42, of Fort Worth, Texas; assigned to II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, II MEF, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 5 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed was Cpl. Charles O. Palmer II.

Marine Cpl. Charles O. Palmer II,
36, of Manteca, Calif.; assigned to 8th Communication Battalion, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, II MEF, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 5 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq. Also killed was Master Sgt. Kenneth N. Mack.

Army Pfc. Larry I. Guyton,
22, of Brenham, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 5 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations May 4 in Baghdad.





May 06, 2007

---

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher S. Kiernan,
37, of Virginia Beach, Va.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 6 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire during combat patrol operations.

Army Staff Sgt. Virgil C. Martinez,
33, of West Valley, Utah; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died May 6 in Kadhimiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire in Baghdad.

Army Spc. Robert J. Dixon,
27, of Minneapolis; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died May 6 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Army Sgt. Sameer A.M. Rateb,
22, of Absecon, N.J.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 6 at Forward Operating Base Summerall in Bayji, Iraq, from injuries sustained froma non-combat-related incident. His death is under investigation.

Army Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo,
23, of Lodi, N.J.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Sgt. Joel W. Lewis,
28, of Sandia Park, N.M.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Sgt. Jason R. Harkins,
25, of Clarkesville, Ga.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander, Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander,
21, of Gretna, Neb.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw,
21, of San Antonio; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander and Cpl. Michael A. Pursel.

Army Cpl. Michael A. Pursel,
19, of Clinton, Utah; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 6 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Vincenzo Romeo, Sgt. Jason R. Harkins, Sgt. Joel W. Lewis, Cpl. Matthew L. Alexander and Cpl. Anthony M. Bradshaw.

Army Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr.,
36, of Chicago; assigned to the U.S. Military Police School, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; died May 6 at Pol-e-Charki, Afghanistan of wounds suffered from small-arms fire. Also killed was Col. James W. Harrison Jr.

Army Col. James W. Harrison Jr.,
47, of Missouri; assigned to the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; died May 6 at Pol-e-Charki, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire. Also killed was Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr.

Col. Harrison had earned a Master of Business Administration from Syracuse University.

May 08, 2007

---

Army Sgt. Timothy P. Padgett,
28, of DeFuniak Springs, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 8 in Tarin Kwot, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by enemy forces during combat patrol operations.

Army Spc. Dan H. Nguyen,
24, of Sugar Land, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 8 in Tahrir, Iraq, when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire.

Army Sgt. Blake C. Stephens,
25, of Pocatello, Idaho; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.; died May 8 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed was Spc. Kyle A. Little.

Army Spc. Kyle A. Little,
20, of West Boylston, Mass.; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga.; died May 8 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed was Sgt. Blake C. Stephens.

Army Sgt. Maj. Bradly D. Conner,
41, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 9 near Al-Hillah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improved explosive device detonated near his vehicle.





May 09, 2007

---

Marine Lance Cpl. Walter K. O’Haire,
20, of Lynn, Mass.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 9 from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.





May 10, 2007

---

Army Spc. Michael K. Frank,
36, of Great Falls, Mont.; assigned to the 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 10 of injuries sustained in Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during combat operations.

His father said, "I’m very proud of him. He went in with a specific purpose. He knew the risks; we knew the risks. The country was at war and he said, ‘I’ve got this training. I want to go do my part.’ He joined up with the idea of going to Iraq...There is no easy way to lose a child. But there are a lot worse ways to lose a child..."

Army Sgt. Jason W. Vaughn,
29, of Iuka, Miss.; assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 10 in Baqubah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Army Pfc. Roy L. Jones III,
21, of Houston; assigned to the 984th Military Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.; died May 10 in Diwaniyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained from small-arms fire.

Army Pvt. Anthony J. Sausto,
22, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 10 in Baghdad of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire.





May 11, 2007

---

Army Pfc. William A. Farrar Jr.,
20, of Redlands, Calif.; assigned to the 127th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, Darmstadt, Germany; died May 11 in Al Iskandariyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

His father was a police captain. A police spokesman who knew the Farrar family said, "We were all real proud of him and his decision to join the armed forces and serve the country. We’ve lost a part of our law enforcement family."

Marine Maj. Douglas A. Zembiec,
34, of Albuquerque, N.M.; assigned to Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps National Capital Region, Henderson Hall, Arlington, Va.; died May 11 while conducting combat operations in Baghdad.





May 12, 2007

---

Army Sgt. 1st Class James D. Connell Jr.,
40, of Lake City, Tenn.; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 12 in Al Taqa, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using automatic fire and explosives. Also killed were Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya and Pfc. Christopher E. Murphy.

Army Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya,
19, of Nashville, Mich.; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 12 in Al Taqa, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using automatic fire and explosives. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class James D. Connell Jr. and Pfc. Christopher E. Murphy.

Army Pfc. Christopher E. Murphy,
21, of Lynchburg, Va.; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 12 in Al Taqa, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using automatic fire and explosives. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class James D. Connell Jr. and Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya.





May 13, 2007

---

Army Spc. Rhys W. Klasno,
20, of Riverside, Calif.; assigned to the 1114th Transportation Company, California National Guard, Bakersfield, Calif.; died May 13 in Hadithah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Army 1st Lt. Andrew J. Bacevich,
27, of Walpole, Mass.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 13 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat patrol operations in Salah Ad Din Province, Iraq.





May 14, 2007

---

Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffrey D. Walker,
21, of Macon, Ga.; assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 14 while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq.

Air Force Staff Sgt. John T. Self,
29, of Pontotoc, Miss.; assigned to the 314th Security Forces Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.; died May 14 as result of enemy action near Baghdad.

Army Pfc. Nicholas S. Hartge,
20, of Rome City, Ind.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany; died May 14 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using grenades and an improvised explosive device.

Army Sgt. Thomas G. Wright,
38, of Holly, Mich., died May 14 en route to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, from a non-combat-related illness while serving at Balad, Iraq. Wright was assigned to the 46th Military Police Company, 210th Military Police Battalion, Kingsford, Mich.

Army Sgt. Allen J. Dunckley,
25, of Yardley, Pa.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; killed May 14 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. Also killed was Army Sgt. Christopher N. Gonzalez.

Army Sgt. Christopher N. Gonzalez,
25, of Winslow, Ariz.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; killed May 14 in Salman Pak, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. Also killed was Army Sgt. Allen J. Dunckley.

Army Sgt. Anthony J. Schober,
23, of Reno, Nev.; assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 12 in Al Taqa, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using automatic fire and explosives. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class James D. Connell Jr., Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya and Pfc. Christopher E. Murphy.

Army Maj. Larry J. Bauguess Jr.,
36, of Moravian Falls, N.C.; assigned to the 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 14 in Teri Mengel, Pakistan, of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire.





May 15, 2007

---

Army Staff Sgt. Joshua R. Whitaker,
23, of Long Beach, Calif.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 15 in Qalat, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained in small-arms fire.





May 17, 2007

---

Army Pfc. Jonathan V. Hamm,
20, of Baltimore; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 17 in Baghdad, of wounds sustained when his forward operating base received indirect enemy fire.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Jesse B. Albrecht,
31, of Hager City, Wis.; assigned to the 725th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 17 in Iskandariya, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Pfc. Victor M. Fontanilla and Spc. Coty J. Phelps.

Army Pfc. Victor M. Fontanilla,
23, of Stockton, Calif.; assigned to the 725th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 17 in Iskandariya, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Jesse B. Albrecht and Spc. Coty J. Phelps.

Army Spc. Coty J. Phelps,
20, of Kingman, Ariz.; assigned to the 725th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 17 in Iskandariya, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Pfc. Victor M. Fontanilla and Sgt. 1st Class Jesse B. Albrecht.

Army Sgt. Steven M. Packer,
23, of Clovis, Calif.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 17 in Rushdi Mullah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his dismounted patrol encountered an improvised explosive device.

Army Pfc. Aaron D. Gautier,
19, of Hampton, Va.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.; died May 17 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his mounted patrol came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire and an improvised explosive device.





May 18, 2007

---

Army Spc. Joshua G. Romero,
19, of Crowley, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 18 in Tahrir, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Sgt. Anselmo Martinez III and Spc. Casey W. Nash.

Army Sgt. Anselmo Martinez III,
26, of Robstown, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 18 in Tahrir, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Spc. Casey W. Nash and Spc. Joshua G. Romero.

Army Spc. Casey W. Nash,
22, of Baltimore; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 18 in Tahrir, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device. Also killed were Sgt. Anselmo Martinez III and Spc. Joshua G. Romero.

Army Spc. Marquis J. McCants,
23, of San Antonio; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 18 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. Also killed was Sgt 1st Class Scott J. Brown.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Scott J. Brown,
33, of Windsor, Colo.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; died May 18 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using an improvised explosive device and small-arms fire. Also killed was Spc. Marquis J. McCants.

Army Sgt. Ryan J. Baum,
27, of Aurora, Colo.; assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 18 in Karmah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire.





May 19, 2007

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Army Sgt. Justin D. Wisniewski,
22, of Standish, Mich.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.; died May 19 in Lutfiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit.

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Moore,
28, of Alpaugh, Calif.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 19 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Sgt. Jean P. Medlin, Spc. David W. Behrle, Spc. Joseph A. Gilmore, Pfc. Travis F. Haslip and Pfc. Alexander R. Varela.

Army Sgt. Jean P. Medlin,
27, of Pelham, Ala.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 19 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Christopher Moore, Spc. David W. Behrle, Spc. Joseph A. Gilmore, Pfc. Travis F. Haslip and Pfc. Alexander R. Varela.

Army Spc. David W. Behrle,
20, of Tipton, Iowa; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 19 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Christopher Moore, Sgt. Jean P. Medlin, Spc. Joseph A. Gilmore, Pfc. Travis F. Haslip and Pfc. Alexander R. Varela.

Army Spc. Joseph A. Gilmore,
26, of Webster, Fla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 19 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Christopher Moore, Sgt. Jean P. Medlin, Spc. David W. Behrle, Pfc. Travis F. Haslip and Pfc. Alexander R. Varela.

Army Pfc. Travis F. Haslip,
20, of Ooltewah, Tenn.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 19 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Christopher Moore, Sgt. Jean P. Medlin, Spc. David W. Behrle, Spc. Joseph A. Gilmore and Pfc. Alexander R. Varela.

Army Pfc. Alexander R. Varela,
19, of Fernley, Nev.; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died May 19 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Christopher Moore, Sgt. Jean P. Medlin, Spc. David W. Behrle, Spc. Joseph A. Gilmore and Pfc. Travis F. Haslip.

Army Sgt. Jason A. Schumann,
23, of Hawley, Minn.; assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, La.; died May 19 in Diwaniyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

Army Cpl. Ryan D. Collins,
20, of Vernon, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 19, in Hamiyah, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire.





May 21, 2007

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Army Staff Sgt. Shannon V. Weaver,
28, Urich, Mo.; assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 21 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when multiple improvised explosive devices detonated near their vehicle. Also killed were Sgt. Brian D. Ardron and Spc. Michael W. Davis.

Army Sgt. Brian D. Ardron,
32, of Acworth, Ga.; assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 21 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when multiple improvised explosive devices detonated near their vehicle. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Shannon V. Weaver and Spc. Michael W. Davis.

Army Spc. Michael W. Davis,
22, of San Marcos, Texas; assigned to the 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 21 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when multiple improvised explosive devices detonated near their vehicle. Also killed were Staff Sgt. Shannon V. Weaver and Sgt. Brian D. Ardron.





May 22, 2007

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Marine Lance Cpl. Benjamin D. Desilets,
21, of Elmwood, Ill.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 22 while conducting combat operations in the Anbar province. Also killed was Cpl. Julian M. Woodall.

Marine Cpl. Julian M. Woodall,
21, of Tallahassee, Fla.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died May 22 while conducting combat operations in the Anbar province. Also killed was Lance Cpl. Benjamin D. Desilets.

Army Sgt. Robert J. Montgomery Jr.,
29, of Scottsburg, Ind.; assigned to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska; died May 22 in Jabour, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit.

Army Pvt. Oscar Sauceda Jr.,
21, of Del Rio, Texas; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died May 22 in Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire.