I heard about the father's anger earlier, and while your post is good. He was a fallen Marine and a Staff Sargeant.You should always describe him as such.
However,there is more here then meets the eye.
http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/2056537/detail.html Some of the family's statement don't add up.
"Waters-Bey's wife saw television footage of the helicopter crash and recognized the identification numbers. The family came to the conclusion that their son, brother and husband was on helicopter."
To the best of my knowledge the only footage taken of the crash was by Ollie North's cameraman and wasn't released to the public or even FOX news. It was turned over directly to the accident investigators by Oliver North who was visibly shaken by this accident.He was flying in the second Helo of this three bird flight,and the third helo was the one that crashed. He saw it all.
North's footage most probibly taken with a night vision camera and the "MODEX"(squadron identifier)and ID numbers would not even be visible.The mission was also scrubbed because of very poor visiblity.
My guess, someone had a lawyer put a bug in their ear, and someone is building a case to sue for wrongful death.
There's just one problem, you can't sue the military for the death of a serviceman in wartime or peacetime. The best the father might be able to do is collect his son's SGLI and personal effects instead of that money going to the wife, assuming of course that the deceased never changed his will when he got married or before he went into a combat zone.
In short A JAG needs to visit this family and see if some shyster has sold them a bill of goods in their grief. It happens all the time to Families of deceased servicemen.
Thank you for correcting my error, re his designation.
Your summation of this unfortunate situation and exceedingly wise counsel regarding the conspicuous information back to the family would be extremely beneficial to the family.
Let's do hope they are able to come by it in time to save the respect and memory of their dear departed husband, father, and son.
And 4 young men sitting on a front porch were shot yesterday in broad daylight in Baltimore. And known murderers walk free because witnesses are too terrorized to appear in court.
So while I grieve for this family, I believe the sensationalism is hype. The popular 'black' radio stations here are rabidly anti-Bush so there is no shortage of people ready and willing to exploit this family.
And about the tale that the sister recognized the number on the helicopter - truth is optional when the 'story' is better.