Defense Officials Identify Army Casualties

DoD announced today the deaths of seven soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom on Jan. 29 west of Ghazni, Afghanistan. The seven soldiers and an additional soldier, whose status is currently being listed as "duty status whereabouts unknown," were working around a weapons cache when there was an explosion. Another soldier died from wounds suffered in Iraq.

Killed were: Staff Sgt. Shawn M. Clemens, 28, of Allegany, N.Y., Spc. Robert J. Cook, 24, of Sun Prairie, Wis., Spc. Adam G. Kinser, 21, of Sacramento, Calif., Sgt. 1st Class Curtis Mancini, 43, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Staff Sgt. James D. Mowris, 37, of Aurora, Miss., Spc. Justin A. Scott, 22, of Bellevue, Ky., and Sgt. Danton K. Seitsinger, 29, of Oklahoma City, Okla.

Sgt. Benjamin L. Gilman, 28, of Meriden, Conn., is listed as duty status whereabouts unknown. Gilman was assigned to the 41st Engineer Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, N.Y.

Pfc. Luis A. Moreno, 19, of Bronx, N.Y., died on Jan. 29 at the Lakenheath Medical Treatment Facility, United Kingdom. Moreno was shot on Jan. 23 while he was guarding a gas station in Baghdad, Iraq. He later died of his injuries. Moreno was assigned to Battery A, 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery, based at Fort Riley, Kan.

Adam Kinser, an excellent man. Rest in peace Adam.

Adam G. Kinser, 21, was killed in a munitions blast near Ghazni.

Afghan blast killed reservist from Rio Vista
By Lakiesha McGhee -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Sunday, February 1, 2004

Adam G. Kinser, a high school football star from Rio Vista and soon-to-be father, went to Afghanistan last summer to help its people, family members said.
His mission was suddenly cut short.

Spc. Kinser, 21, an Army reservist of the 304th Psychological Operations Company in Sacramento, died Thursday in a munitions blast near Ghazni, about 60 miles southwest of Kabul.

Officials said Kinser was one of seven soldiers mortally wounded when a weapons cache exploded during an investigation. Three other soldiers and an interpreter were injured.

Kinser's family and his hometown Solano County community are now coping with the loss. Flags in Rio Vista were lowered to half-staff Friday after the news spread. At Rio Vista High School, from which he graduated, final exams and a school basketball game were canceled.

The community is sending the message that Kinser succeeded in touching the hearts of people at home, where he would have returned when his mission ended next month.

"He was a wonderful, giving and loving person who was dedicated to his wife, unborn baby and family," said Kinser's aunt, Christi Bowers. She said Kinser had just celebrated his 21st birthday and seemed so "full of life and hope. He was looking forward to coming home."

Kinser was born in Valencia in Los Angeles County on Jan. 16, 1983. He moved to Rio Vista with his parents, Paul and Audrey Kinser, when he was 5 and became a dedicated student and athlete, family members said. He had two sisters and two brothers.

P.J. Kinser, one of the soldier's brothers, spoke of his athletic and academic accomplishments: Kinser was an honor roll student with a 4.0 grade point average; a four-year letterman who ran track, played basketball and was the football team's starting quarterback.

P.J. Kinser said his brother returned to Rio Vista in December for two weeks. During that time he spoke at his former high school about his experience in Afghanistan.

"He was out there to win the minds and hearts of the people," Kinser said. "He would often ask us to send him color books and crayons so that he could give them to the kids."

Steven Tolle, a former sergeant of the 304th Psychological Operations Company, said the soldiers' missions in Afghanistan ranged from handing out informational leaflets to the community, to trying to address Afghan concerns and conveying the military's goals.

Tolle, whose enlistment ended in August, said Kinser's death marks a milestone for the local military unit.

"We've had some close calls, but Kinser is the first from our unit to be killed in action," he said.

Tolle said he will establish a fund for Kinser's family and for soldiers in the unit who remain in Afghanistan. More information is available at his Web site, www.stevetolle.com.

Kinser joined the Army Reserve during his senior year and worked a civilian job at Golden State Lumber in Sacramento County, family members said. He was deployed to Fort Bragg, N.C., last April, two weeks after he married Tiffany Madewell of Vaca-ville. Three months later he was sent to war. The couple's first child, a son, is expected next month.

The Kinser family said they have been receiving community support throughout their ordeal. The family is the owner of Pizza Factory franchises in Walnut Grove and Live Oak. Bowers said the family sold its Rio Vista restaurant last fall.

Saturday, she recalled when her nephew was 7 and had to stand on a stool to wash dishes at the restaurant.

"The basketball team is scheduled to play Tuesday," Bowers said. "If they do play, it will be in his honor."

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