DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a
soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Dennis K. Samson Jr., 24, of Hesperia, Mich., died on
July 24 in Taqaddum, Iraq, of injuries sustained by enemy small arms fire.
Samson was assigned to 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne
Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.
Two servicemembers have died in Iraq since
yesterday, and officials have identified earlier casualties.
A sailor assigned to Multinational Corps Iraq died around 2:15 p.m.
today in Baghdad. Officials said the incident does not appear to be due to
enemy action and is under investigation.
A servicemember assigned to 43rd Military Police Brigade was killed in
action north of Baghdad yesterday. Officials did not identify the
individual's branch of service.
The names of the deceased servicemembers are being withheld pending
next-of-kin notification.
DoD officials have identified three soldiers reported killed earlier in
Iraq and Afghanistan:
- Army Sgt. David M. Hierholzer, 27, of Lewisburg, Tenn., died July 24
in Pesch, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his platoon
encountered enemy small-arms fire. Hierholzer was assigned to 1st Battalion, 32nd
Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division,
Fort Drum, N.Y.
- Army Spc. Stephen W. Castner, 27, of Cedarburg, Wis., died July 24 of
injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near
his Humvee in Tallil, Iraq. Castner was assigned to the Army National
Guard's 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery, Milwaukee.
- Army Cpl. Adam J. Fargo, 22, of Ruckersville, Va., died July 22 in
Baghdad of injuries suffered when his convoy encountered enemy small-arms
fire. Fargo was assigned to the 4th Brigade Troop Battalion, 4th
Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a
soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Stephen W. Castner, 27, of Cedarburg, Wis., died on
July 24, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated
near his HMMMV during combat operations in Tallil, Iraq. Castner was assigned
to the Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery, Milwaukee,
Wis.
Two soldiers assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st
Armored Division, died in separate incidents in Iraq's Anbar province
yesterday, military officials.
Officials provided no further details about the incidents. The
soldiers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Defense Department officials have identified three earlier casualties
from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Army Capt. Blake H. Russell, 35, of Forth Worth, Texas, died July 22
of injuries caused by enemy forces while investigating a possible
mortar cache in Baghdad. Russell was assigned to 1st Battalion, 502nd
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air
Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
- Marine Capt. Christopher T. Pate, 29, of Hampstead, N.C., died July
21 in Anbar province. He was assigned to 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison
Company, Command Element, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune,
N.C.
- Army 1st Sgt. Christopher C. Rafferty, 37, of Brownsville, Pa., died
July 21 in Sharana, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered a day earlier,
when his unit encountered small-arms fire. Rafferty was assigned to 37th
Engineer Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C.
Three severely wounded soldiers recovering
in the Washington area got "a dream come true," as Washington's Major
League Baseball team honored them and military members everywhere July
21.
The Washington Nationals invited the three soldiers to throw out
ceremonial first pitches as part of events surrounding the team's "Paint the
Town Red" celebration as they took on the visiting Chicago Cubs this
weekend.
All three wounded soldiers -- Army Capt. Rob Taber, Staff Sgt. John
Borders, and Sgt. Derek Drew -- said the chance to throw out a pitch here
was a dream come true.
The soldiers said they'd practiced throwing a baseball for the event.
"I've been practicing with my dog," said Taber, who was severely wounded
in Iraq. He said he was especially excited to be throwing a pitch at a
Nationals game because his first trip out of the hospital after nine
months as an in-patient was to the Nationals inaugural game here in April
2005.
Taber was so thrilled for this opportunity that he chose this over
showing up on time for a good friend's bachelor party. "I called him up,
and I said: 'Hey man, what would you do? Would you come to my bachelor
party, or would you throw out the first pitch?' And he said: 'I'd throw
out the first pitch; go ahead.'"
The captain, a field artillery officer, said several friends said
they'd be watching and that he'd better not flub the pitch. "All my buddies
from college have been telling me they're going to try and watch it,"
he said. "And they've been giving me all kinds of advice -- you know,
don't bounce it."
After a great throw that sailed into the glove of a waiting Nationals
player, Taber said he thought his buddies would be proud. "I hope they
saw it," he said.
Borders and Drew were both members of 4th Battalion, 1st Field
Artillery, when they were injured in Iraq. They said they used to play softball
together back home at Fort Riley, Kan.
This event was a special thrill for Borders, who said he's become a
huge Nationals fan during his time recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical
Center here. Borders was wounded in Iraq in early January, and was at
the game Friday wearing a prosthetic left leg and an involved halo-type
device on his right leg.
He said he became a Nationals fan when he arrived at Walter Reed and
learned the former Montreal Expos had moved to Washington. He said he
stops by the Walter Reed office that handles tickets every day and asks if
any Nationals tickets are available.
Borders has been to several games and said he watched excitedly from
the stands as two other wounded soldiers threw out pitches before the
Fourth of July game. "I was like: 'Man, I want to do that so bad,'" he
said. "And now here I am; it's like a dream come true."
Also calling it "a dream come true," Drew said he's been a baseball fan
his whole life. He said he inherited a love of the Los Angeles Dodgers
from his parents, even though the family lived in North Carolina.
However, he added, his two young children are growing into real Nationals
fans because they've been to a few games here during their dad's
recovery.
All three men's wives and Drew's two children were on hand as their
loved ones threw out the pitches.
Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England accompanied the soldiers onto
the field and said it's great that the Nationals were supporting the
military. "I think it's terrific. It's another appreciation for America,
for those who serve and particularly for our wounded," he told American
Forces Press Service. "They're real heroes, and America recognizes it.
So it's a great appreciation for them."
England said the three wounded soldiers who threw out pitches
represented all wounded servicemembers and troops everywhere. "So God bless
them, everybody who serves," England added.
The three soldiers throwing out pitches was the highlight of several
military-themed parts of the July 21 game. Between the fourth and fifth
innings, the stadium announcer saluted Army Staff Sgt. Fred L.
Hernandez, of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison, Fort
Myer, Va., who was attending the game.
With Harrison waving at the crowd from the Jumbotron screen overlooking
the field, the announcer said Harrison had trained several hundred
Iraqi policemen and was soon headed to drill sergeant school. The crowd
responded with a lengthy standing ovation.
Also before game, the U.S. Army Chorus sang the national anthem, and
the chorus and the Herald Trumpets, part of the U.S. Army Band, performed
several patriotic songs. Four F-18s from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron
332, from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., thrilled the crowd
with a flyover minutes before game time.
One hundred fifty teenagers taking part in National Guard Youth
Challenge programs in Maryland and New Jersey unfurled a huge flag -- roughly
the size of a football field -- across the outfield.
Before the teens took the field to unfurl the flag, England greeted the
youths and congratulated them on their decision to enter the program.
The National Guard Youth Challenge Program gives at-risk 16- to
18-year-olds a chance to straighten their lives out and earn high school or
general equivalency diplomas through the course of a 17-month program.
A program official explained the program consist of a five-month
resident program, followed by a year of mentoring. Participants develop
leadership skills and skills in eight core competency areas, Jorge Martinez,
a spokesman for the program, said. "The 12-month period allows them
time to decide if they want to go to college, or want to attain a vocation
to get a job, or go into the military," Martinez said.
He noted that the program is voluntary for the teens -- "Their parents
can't force them into it," he said -- and has a 97 percent success
rate.
England praised the program and its high success rate, noting that more
than 67,000 young adults have completed the program and about 20
percent go into the military. "That's terrific," he said. "We're just pleased
to help."
England also praised the Defense Department's America Supports You
program, which highlights grassroots and corporate support for America's
servicemembers. "The Nationals have been terrific partners of the America
Supports You program," he said. "The support of the Nationals and the
35,000-plus fans was evident in a long and loud standing ovation for the
heroes who threw the game's first pitch."
The Nationals were celebrating the "grand reopening" of RFK Stadium.
The team hosted the weekend's Paint the Town Red fan celebration to
introduce new managing principal owner Theodore Lerner and his partners and
incoming team president Stan Kasten. The Lerner group bought the team
from Major League Baseball in a deal that is final tomorrow.
The Nationals came from behind in the 9th inning to beat the Cubs 7-6.
"The Nats come-from-behind win capped an evening that was, indeed, the
dream of a lifetime," England said after the game.
The Defense Department evacuated 957 U.S.
citizens from Lebanon to Cyprus yesterday aboard the contracted cruise
ship Orient Queen, bringing the total to 12,870 since the crisis in
Lebanon began July 16, DoD officials said today.
Also, DoD airlifted the first humanitarian supplies promised to those
in the war-torn country, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. Three
helicopters delivered three kits of medical supplies to Red Cross
personnel. Each of the three medical kits has enough medicine and supplies to
meet the needs of 10,000 people for three months. Seven other kits have
arrived in Cyprus and will be delivered later.
Today the contract vessel Rahmah will end its contract period with the
U.S. effort and will make its final run from Beirut to Cyprus. The last
scheduled ship evacuation will be tomorrow, U.S. embassy officials in
Beirut said.
About 6,100 servicemembers -- 5,900 of them afloat -- are participating
under the command of Task Force 59, U.S. officials said.
Officials said they will conduct future evacuations on an emergency,
case-by-case basis. Embassy officials are continuing to develop and
facilitate departure options for a number of citizens who wish to leave
southern Lebanon. Whitman said "a few hundred" Americans are still in
southern Lebanon, and that busing them to the port in Beirut is the favored
method of evacuation.
The Ocean Queen, the contracted vessel Vittoria M, and the Swift, a
high-speed vessel manned by U.S. Navy personnel, will continue to make
runs into Beirut evacuating American citizens or delivering humanitarian
supplies.
The USS Nashville, USS Trenton, USS Whidbey Island, USS Mount Whitney,
USS Gonzalez, USS Barry and the Swift -- part of the USS Iwo Jima
Expeditionary Strike Group -- will remain in the region, officials said.
Air Force military flights and DoD-chartered commercial aircraft
transported 1,749 Americans from Cyprus and Turkey to the United States
yesterday. A total of 6,130 Americans have used these flights, with another
3,800 expected to arrive in the U.S. today.
The Defense Logistics Agency has delivered supplies to the effort. DLA
has delivered 2,000 cases of individual military rations, 240 modules
of group rations that feed 50 people each, 11,700 cases of bottled
water, 2,000 cots, 1,412 blankets and jet fuel.
Retiree Wages 10-Year Battle to Clear Name After Identity Theft
John Smith's* house wasn't
ransacked, his wallet was never snatched, nor was his life threatened in
exchange for a handful of cash on a dimly lit city street.
Yet he was robbed of something he will spend the rest of his life
trying to reclaim -- his identity.
The crime left him saddled with thousands of dollars of debt, a
plunging credit score and costly disputes with creditors that have lasted for
more than a decade.
"I've been fighting this battle since 1996," the retired Army major
said. "The scary part is I don't know when or if it will ever end."
Smith is a victim of identity theft, one of an estimated 10 million
U.S. victims each year, according to the FBI.
Identity thieves steal records, bank statements, mail, credit reports
and even "dumpster dive" to obtain personal information. They use the
stolen information to open credit card, bank and cell phone accounts, and
may even use a stolen identity to get a job or skip out on a court date
after an arrest. Victims can spend years recovering their good name and
credit record, both infinitely more valuable than any number of stolen
ID or credit cards.
"Thieves have gotten more sophisticated over the years," said Brian J.
Novak, legal assistance attorney here. "Identity theft offers a way to
rob the bank without physically running into the bank and risking
violence."
The topic has become a hot one in today's globally connected society
where company laptops are stolen and hacked and consumers regularly send
off personal information into cyberspace, and into the hands of
"phishers," without a second thought. Along with the personal devastation, the
crime has a hefty price tag, costing American businesses and consumers
a reported $50 billion a year, according to the FBI.
Although in the limelight today, 10 years ago identity theft was barely
a household term, particularly for an Army major with a flawless
payment history and perfect credit.
Smith was blissfully unaware of any troubles in 1996. He and his family
had just served a three-year stint at an Army post in Europe. He
returned home and applied for a home loan with the confidence brought about
by years of low interest rates. To his surprise, he was denied.
"They told me I had horrible credit," he said. "I couldn't believe it.
I never missed a payment on anything."
He immediately ordered a credit report and saw delinquent charge after
delinquent charge racked up throughout the southern half of the country
-- New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Kentucky, Tennessee and California.
Although Smith never physically lost his wallet or ID cards, a thief
had obtained his information and was roaming throughout the country
posing as Smith, using his name, past addresses and Social Security number.
Smith contacted a few of the creditors and saw the forms the identity
thief filled out with handwriting completely different from his own. For
a cell phone company, the thief even posed as a carpet cleaner, a job
the physician assistant had never held.
In the three years Smith was in Europe, the fugitive had piled up
thousands of dollars in debt and left a breadcrumb trail of overdue cell
phone bills, delinquent credit cards and exorbitant, unpaid department
store purchases.
Smith was shocked.
"He had too much information, more than he could have gotten off of a
check," he said. "It had to be someone who found information in my
wallet while I was at the gym or someone from finance or personnel."
Smith immediately ordered a fraud alert so he would be notified
whenever someone used his name or Social Security number to apply for credit
and told credit agencies about his situation. He also painstakingly
copied records and reports proving he was nowhere near where the debts were
incurred.
But for dozens of unpaid creditors, the question was never which was
the real John Smith, but which one was going to pay.
Smith's answer every time has been, "not me."
"I have a two-drawer file cabinet just devoted to identity theft," he
said. "For every discrepancy on my report, I have to make copies and
send them through certified mail. It's exceedingly time consuming, but I
haven't had to pay for a debt yet."
However, Smith has paid a different price.
"I had bad credit for a while, very poor credit," he said. "Each time I
apply for credit I have to go prove that I'm not a bad risk. My credit
has improved a lot but my interest rates are still higher than they
should be.
"Even if you win a case, you still lose," Smith said. "You take a loss,
whether it's paperwork or credit scores."
Smith is still haunted 10 years later by crimes he didn't commit with
delinquent notices and threats of lawsuits. He can't change the past,
but Smith hopes that by sharing his story he can help others protect
their future.
"Protect your identity," he advises. "Don't leave your personal
information unlocked in the gym or in your car. Limit how much information you
give out. And check your credit report once or twice a year.
"I made the mistake of not checking my credit annually, especially
while I was overseas," he added. "If I had, I may have been able to catch
the problem sooner and nip it in the bud before it got as far as it
did."
And for those battling the crime, "Get to a lawyer," he said. "You can
get through it, but you'll need the help."
*The name was changed to protect the subject's identity.
President Bush participated in the
naturalization ceremony for three soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
here today.
The three men are recovering from wounds suffered in combat in Iraq.
"Through the generations, our nation has remained strong and free
because men and women put on our uniform and defend this country, and defend
our beliefs," Bush said before the swearing-in. "The three men we honor
today have brought honor to America. Like those who have come before,
each of these men chose to protect our country because they love what
America stands for."
Army Spc. Sergio Lopez joined the Army in 2003, and was assigned to the
4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. Lopez, originally from
Mexico, grew up in Bowlingbrook, Ill. The infantryman was driving a Humvee
south of Baghdad when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.
His legs were shattered, and when he arrived home, he had to make the
decision to amputate both legs.
"Specialist Lopez says that becoming a citizen 'represents being
acknowledged as having done my duty, having done my part for the country,
like the oath says, defending the United States,'" Bush said.
Army Pfc. Eduardo Leal-Cardenas is also originally from Mexico. He,
too, hit an IED. The blast shattered the bones in both legs, broke his
femur, broke his ribs, broke his back and neck. "Private Leal-Cardenas is
a man of few words, and he's a man of action," the president said.
"When some questioned whether he would ever walk again, he laughed, and he
began his rehab while still in his bed. When Private Leal-Cardenas is
asked what citizenship in America means to him, he just said one word:
'Freedom.'"
Army Spc. Lito Santos-Dilone was injured while serving as part of the
protection detail in Iraq. "I first met Specialist Santos-Dilone at this
year's National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast," Bush said. "I was working
the rope line. He grabbed my hand, and he said, 'I'm not a citizen of
the United States and I want to be one.' Now, here's a man who knows how
to take it directly to the top. I'm proud to be here when he gets sworn
in."
There are more than 33,000 non-U.S. citizens serving in the U.S.
military. "Just like everybody else who wears the uniform, they understand
the stakes of what it means to serve in the United States military,
particularly after Sept. 11, 2001," Bush said. "After that date, I signed an
executive order making foreign-born members of our military immediately
eligible for U.S. citizenship when they serve on active duty. It made
sense to me. If somebody is willing to risk their life for our country,
they ought to be full participants in our country."
Bush said it was a joyful day for the soldiers and a joyful day for
him, "and it's a proud day for our nation. We gain three new citizens
today, men who knew the cost of freedom and are willing to pay that cost so
others can live free. It's a privilege to be their commander in chief,
and I look forward to calling them fellow citizens," he said.
The Defense Department and the American
Legion today pledged to mutually support a nationwide program that assists
severely injured military veterans.
The American Legion is in a unique position to partner with the Defense
Department, the Veterans Affairs Department and other agencies to
garner community support for severely injured servicemembers and their
families, Leslye A. Arsht, deputy undersecretary of defense for military
community and family policy, said at a ceremony held at the Pentagon
Military Severely Injured Center.
Arsht and American Legion National Commander Thomas L. Bock signed a
memorandum of understanding outlining each organization's respective
roles in support of the "Heroes to Hometowns" program.
The Legion can help build relationships at the local level to assist
injured servicemembers and their families in transitioning to civilian
life, Arsht said.
"It's a real honor and privilege for the American Legion to fit in on
this," Bock said.
"We're so proud to be able to join with you to do this," he told Arsht.
Arsht thanked Bock and his organization for their role in encouraging
communities to welcoming military heroes home. "We very much look
forward to working with you," she said.
The Heroes to Hometowns program encourages local communities to prepare
support programs for injured veterans and their families, said Pam
Crespi, a civilian administrator in DoD's Morale, Welfare and Recreation
Policy office who's knowledgeable about the program.
Community assistance may entail job searches, home remodeling,
transportation requirements, or anything a family might need to transition back
to civilian life, she said.
The American Legion is a non-profit veterans-service organization
that's active in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines. The organization has 15,000
posts across the United States and overseas and boasts nearly 3 million
members. The Legion's national headquarters is in Indianapolis, and it
also has offices in Washington, D.C.
The American Legion is a perfect choice to partner with DoD to provide
assistance for returning injured veterans because of their state
networks and their local contacts, Crespi said.
The United States backs Israel's right to
defend itself against terrorist groups like Hezbollah, but it also wants
to aid thousands of suffering Lebanese who've fled the fighting,
President Bush said here today.
The Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorists who are assaulting Israel with
rocket fire are afraid of democracies, Bush said during a White House
press briefing with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Hezbollah's attacks illustrate "a terrorist organization trying to stop
the advance of democracy in the region," the president said. Fighting
erupted after Hezbollah guerillas crossed into Israel from Lebanon to
kidnap two Israeli soldiers on July 12.
News reports say some 650,000 Lebanese have fled their homes amid
warfare between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah guerillas in southern
Lebanon. Hezbollah is a radical Muslim military organization that's bankrolled
and supplied by Syria and Iran, both of whom have vowed to destroy
Israel.
Maliki urged that the international community work to establish a
ceasefire between the warring parties.
Bush told reporters he is sympathetic to Lebanon's plight and of the
suffering of its people.
"I assured the prime minister that I care deeply about the suffering
that takes place, that we understand the anguish of leaders in the region
who see innocent people losing their lives," the president said.
Bush said the United States will provide $30 million in humanitarian
aid. "We care about the people; we will help to get aid to the people,"
Bush said.
Bush said any cessation in hostilities must be within the provisions of
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, which stipulates that no armed
militant organizations, such as like Hezbollah, operate in Lebanon.
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah led the U.S. military to evacuate
more than 12,000 Americans from Lebanon.
Maliki contrasted today's battle between Israelis and radical Muslim
fundamentalists with his new government's policy of treating all Iraqis
with fairness and respect.
Under Iraqi law "there is no killing or discrimination against anyone,"
Maliki emphasized. Fair treatment of all citizens is a key tenet of
Iraq's constitution, he said. "The government's responsibility is to
protect all Iraqis, regardless of their ethnic or religious background," he
said.
