[Vision2020] The Human Toll

[Tom Hansen]

>From the August 6, 2006 edition of the Army Times -

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U.S. service members who died while supporting combat operations in Iraq,
confirmed by the Defense Department from July 21 through July 27:

Army Cpl. Matthew P. Wallace, 22, of Lexington Park, Md.; assigned to the
10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort
Hood, Texas 

Army 1st Sgt. Christopher C. Rafferty, 37, of Brownsville, Pa.; assigned to
37th Engineer Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C. 

Marine Capt. Christopher T. Pate, 29, of Hampstead, N.C.; assigned to the
2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Command Element, II Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. 

Army Capt. Blake H. Russell, 35, of Forth Worth, Texas; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne
Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. 

Army Cpl. Adam J. Fargo, 22, of Ruckersville, Va.; assigned to the 4th
Brigade Troop Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division,
Fort Campbell, Ky. 

Army Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Swanson, 25, of Rose Haven, Md.; assigned to
the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder,
Germany

Army Spc. Stephen W. Castner, 27, of Cedarburg, Wis.; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 121st Field Artillery, Wisconsin Army National Guard, Milwaukee,
Wis.

Army Capt. Jason M. West, 28, of Pittsburg, Pa.; assigned to the 1st
Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany

Army Sgt. David M. Hierholzer, 27, of Lewisburg, Tenn.; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain
Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Army Spc. Dennis K. Samson Jr., 24, of Hesperia, Mich.; assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell,
Ky. 

Army Spc. Joseph A. Graves, 21, of Discovery Bay, Calif.; assigned to the
110th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th
Military Police Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas

Army Spc. Andrew Velez, 22, of Lubbock, Texas; assigned to the Corps Support
Battalion, Theater Support Command, Fort Irwin, Calif.; died July 25 from a
non-combat related injury in Sharona, Afghanistan. 

Navy Electrician's Mate (Petty Officer) 2nd Class Edward A. Koth, 30, of
Towson, Md.; assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eight,
serving with Multinational Corps Iraq in Baghdad

Marine Lance Cpl. James W. Higgins, 22, of Frederick, Md.; assigned to the
1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Marine Lance Cpl. Adam R. Murray, 21, of Cordova, Tenn.; assigned to the 3rd
Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Cpl. Timothy D. Roos, 21, of Cincinnati, Ohio; assigned to the 3rd
Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Pfc. Enrique C. Sanchez, 21, of Garner, N.C.; assigned to the 3rd
Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

July 21 - July 27
Killed: 17; wounded in action: 169


March 19, 2003 - July 27, 2006
Killed: 2,582; wounded in action: 19,157

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Remember, not so long ago, when President Bush said that he was planning on
slowly reducing troop strength in Iraq (to 130,000 by end of 2006 . . . to
120,000 by end of 2007 . . . etc. . . . etc.) eventually reducing troop
strength to under 90,000?

Well . . . he lied.

I could go into detail.  But, then, why not simply let the front page of the
August 6, 2006 Army times sum it up:

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/080706armycover.JPG

The 172nd Stryker Force was scheduled to return to its home station in the
next couple weeks.  Wrong.  They have been extended 16 MONTHS.

And the beat goes on . . .

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil
and steady dedication of a lifetime." 

--Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.