Posted on 02/22/2005 12:59:45 PM PST by Pilsner
Military Probes Hoax of GI Death Notice
By RUSS BYNUM, Associated Press Writer
SAVANNAH, Ga. - Military police are investigating a cruel hoax in which a man wearing an Army dress uniform falsely told the wife of a soldier that her husband had been killed in Iraq (news - web sites).
Investigators are trying to determine why the man delivered the false death notice and whether he was a soldier or a civilian wearing a military uniform.
"We're taking it extremely seriously. Whatever motivation was behind it, it was a sick thing to do," said Fort Stewart spokesman Lt. Col. Robert Whetstone.
Last month, 19,000 soldiers from the Fort Stewart-based 3rd Infantry Division deployed for their second tour of duty in Iraq. At least eight division soldiers have been killed since then.
Fort Stewart officials would not identify the Army wife who reported to military police that a man posing as a casualty assistance officer came to her door Feb. 10.
"Right off the bat, she noticed some things were not right," Whetstone said. "The individual's uniform wasn't correct — there were no markings or name tags. Plus, the person was alone, and she knew one person does not make (death) notifications."
Whetstone said no similar hoaxes have been reported.
When the 3rd Infantry first deployed to Iraq for the 2003 invasion, some Fort Stewart families reported receiving phone calls from pranksters saying their soldiers had been killed.
This time around, troops and their spouses got pre-deployment briefings that included detailed explanations of how death notices work. Two soldiers, including a chaplain, in dress uniform always arrive to tell the family in person. The Army never makes notifications over the telephone.
Fort Stewart spouses have been spreading news of the latest hoax, said Army wife Michelle Dombrowski, who received an e-mail more than a week ago reporting the incident.
"I can't believe that someone would do that," said Dombrowski, whose husband, Staff Sgt. Joe Dombrowski, is deployed with the 3rd Infantry. "I know the protocol, though."
Military police described the suspected hoaxer as being 6-feet, 1-inch tall and about 180 pounds with black or brown hair and a pale complexion. He was reported to be driving a blue or green pickup truck with chrome wheels, oversized tires and a Georgia license plate.
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On The Net:
Fort Stewart: http://www.stewart.army.mil
Somebody is in for a real ass-kicking.
Cruelty. What a sick bastard.
Thought I'd PING y'all to this.
Anti-war rallies, some brainless teacher getting kids to write flame-mail to troops, and now a fake Casualty Asistance visit....
The Intel guy in me is thinking...
"The penalty for impersonating a member of the Armed Forces shall be up to 18 months in prison and up to a $5,000 fine for each offense..."
DU field operative.....
Those sick bastards did things like this in the early `70s, calling the families of MIA or KIA.
Plus making damn sure that the other inmates at the asylum know precisely what the sick bastard is in for.
> Investigators are trying to determine why the man delivered the false death notice ...
Why? WHY?!?! Because he's a sick bastard, that's why. Find him, beat the bejesus out of him, dump him at the nearest military parade ground. Case closed.
The guy that did this is way lower than whale .....
The old granny in me is thinking there are people on the anti war loony left that are so filled with hate that they get pleasure out of scaring a poor wife to death. I would not believe it if I had not read DU and seen the terrible sick posts.
I hope they find him and prosecute him to the fullest extent..preferrably hanging..but I know that isn't possible.
Send this Ahole to my freaking door and I'll have a few words and more for him.
What an abomination!
Sounds like one of A.N.S.W.E.R.'s bright ideas.
Let some of the canteen women have hold of him....
This is beyond sick... it's evil and downright ugly.
BTTT
BTTT!!!!!!
That's just wrong. I'm sure the sorry SOB will get what he deserves.
You bet!!
Let me get my hands on 'im.....this hillbilly gal knows some nasty tricks AND ways of leaving nothing behind to find. *totally evil grin*
I keep thinking the Leftists can't do anything that would make me hate them more, then today TWO things come up back to back that prove me wrong. This makes me want to go out and hurt something.
I think I'll go shopping instead for more goodies to send in care packages. That ALWAYS puts me in a good mood. Be back later! :-)
Honestly, the first words out of my mouth were "You've gotta be sh**ing me." What kind of sick twisted person could come up with something like this. Thank goodness the wife knew something wasn't right. I'd love to giver her a hug and won't say what I'd love to do to that...uh...waste of carbon.
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