TAPS
RIP MSgt Thomas A Crowell
SSgt David A Wiege
Civilian Nathan J Schuldheiss
Sgt Ryan A Balmer
SSgt Matthew J Kuglics
Posted on 11/03/2007 9:50:37 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq — The Air Force has identified three Office of Special Investigations agents killed Monday by a roadside bomb near Balad.
The Pentagon announced Saturday that the men — Master Sgt. Thomas A. Crowell, 36, of Neosho, Mo.; Staff Sgt. David A. Wieger, 28, of North Huntingdon, Pa.; and civilian Nathan J. Schuldheiss, 27, of Newport, R.I. — died from wounds sustained from the blast. All were attached to the Air Force OSI detachment at Balad during their deployment to Iraq. Their home units are in the United States.
Crowell was assigned to Detachment 301 at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Wieger belonged to Detachment 303 at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Schuldheiss was attached to Detachment 204 out of Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
A memorial service is scheduled for Sunday at Balad Air Base, said Maj. John Sheets, an Air Force spokesman at Balad.
“I know, without a doubt, that Tom, Dave and Nate would want one thing, for us to continue the right fight; to keep the mission focused and to continue to take the fight to our enemy,” Brig. Gen. Dana A. Simmons, the AFOSI commander, said in a statement.
“That’s what they did every day and that is what they were doing when this tragic event happened. We must honor that passion and their sacrifice.
“Despite this adversity, we must not lose focus of the fact that these brave men paid the ultimate sacrifice ... so that we can continue the fight and protect the freedoms of our way of life and our loved ones. ...”
The OSI has lost five agents in Iraq this year.
On June 5, Tech. Sgt. Ryan A. Balmer and Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Kuglics were killed when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. Both were assigned to Air Force OSI Expeditionary Detachment 2410.
OSI is the Air Force’s investigative agency and includes 2,533 active-duty, Reserve and civilian personnel. Nearly 800 members are enlisted airmen, according to the Air Force. The agency primarily focuses on criminal investigations and counterintelligence.
Oh no. RIP brave men, and thank you.
Rest in peace.
And thanks.
Prayers go out for their loved ones. May He comfort them and give them strength for the difficult days ahead.
I salute their service.
I will pray for their families and friends.
RIP MSgt Thomas A Crowell
SSgt David A Wiege
Civilian Nathan J Schuldheiss
Sgt Ryan A Balmer
SSgt Matthew J Kuglics
May God comfort their families, and may they know the peace which passes all understanding.
Their Airmen are patrolling the Heavens; in God’s Wild Blue Yonder, there are only fair skies...
In Remembrance of Fallen OSI Agents
Fallen Airmen Memorial
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Brig. Gen. Dana Simmons, Air Force Office of Special Investigations commander, reads the names of his three Airmen that were added to the Fallen Airman Memorial here, Nov. 4. Special Agents Thomas Crowell, David Wieger and Nathan Schuldheiss of AFOSI Expeditionary Detachment 2411 died Nov. 1, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia
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