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8 soldiers charged in private's 'apparent' suicide in Afghanistan
LA Times ^ | December 21st, 2011 | AP

Posted on 12/21/2011 1:50:42 PM PST by KantianBurke

In October, Danny Chen, a U.S. Army private from New York City, was found dead in a guard tower in southern Afghanistan. The official statement said he had sustained "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound."

On Wednesday, the Army announced that eight fellow soldiers have been charged in connection with his death. And a spokeswoman for the Chen family expressed doubts that Chen's death was actually a suicide.

In naming the men, the Army listed the charges faced by each one and said that more information would be published as it became available. The charges include dereliction of duty, maltreatment, assault and involuntary manslaughter.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; suicide
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To: ExpatCanuck

We had plenty of known gays male and female that were just as much part of our unit as anyone. When your overseas and far from the USA, your sexual preference is pretty low on the priority list.


21 posted on 12/21/2011 3:13:58 PM PST by Tailback
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To: DeathBeforeDishonor1

“Bottom line, noone made that pathetic gutless whimpering coward off himself”

Did you even read the article? It does not appear to be a suicide. It was merely assumed to be so initially.


22 posted on 12/21/2011 3:17:05 PM PST by KantianBurke (Where was the Tea Party when Dubya was spending like a drunken sailor?)
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To: DeathBeforeDishonor1
Actually I was speculating in order to illustrate how the media twists a story. But being your ignorant response, Ill oblige..

And I'll oblige your obvious ignorance too. 8 members of the military have been charged in the death of this soldier and will be tried under the UCMJ, that's all I need to know.......

If you want to rely on speculation, then I speculate you're a closet homo who suffers from self hatred due to your deviant sexual desires so you take out your anger towards everyone else who you deem may be homosexual too because of your subconscious sexual attraction towards those males......

You're one sick dude.......

23 posted on 12/21/2011 3:18:24 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (Be good, Santa is coming)
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To: Hot Tabasco

24 posted on 12/21/2011 3:27:30 PM PST by KantianBurke (Where was the Tea Party when Dubya was spending like a drunken sailor?)
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To: KantianBurke

Armed forces under the Democrats,always turns into a violent and pathetic environment where everyone is willing to screw over everyone else.The idea that that kind of an environment produces rough but tough soldiers is pretty much just that...a myth.

It is not the kind of place where people get along with each other,a shame the Army under former President Bush was probably more willing to accept other cultures because of the real dangers it faced and because there was an honest to God character to a lot of the leadership and the soldiers there.


25 posted on 12/21/2011 3:30:20 PM PST by Del Rapier
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To: Del Rapier

26 posted on 12/21/2011 3:46:28 PM PST by KantianBurke (Where was the Tea Party when Dubya was spending like a drunken sailor?)
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To: ExpatCanuck

I would guess that the Muslim in your son’s unit was Pakistani. My guess is that Chen was too fresh out of boot camp and had not assimilated into military life.


27 posted on 12/21/2011 3:52:06 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.)
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To: Del Rapier
Armed forces under the Democrats,always turns into a violent and pathetic environment where everyone is willing to screw over everyone else.The idea that that kind of an environment produces rough but tough soldiers is pretty much just that...a myth.

It is not the kind of place where people get along with each other,

I served from 1969 - 1972 and would vehemently disagree with you. The homosexuals I served with were known to all, kept their preferences to themselves and performed their jobs as any professional would be expected to do and everyone got along just fine..........

As another posted said above, you are in the military overseas, tasked with performing your job, your sexuality takes a far backseat to all the daily stresses you are forced to endure.........

But back to this story, there is no mention in the article that this soldier was a homosexual (not that it should make any difference) and so I take extreme displeasure at anyone here who would imply that this soldier was. He was an enlisted member of our Armed Forces and there are now 8 fellow soldiers being charged with his death.........That's all I need to know.........

28 posted on 12/21/2011 3:57:27 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (Be good, Santa is coming)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

“I don’t believe it for a minute. We had Koreans, Filipinos, ex-Cubans, Chinese, Puerto Ricans, and practically everything else when I was in the Navy and I can tell you that any “bullying” they are reporting is nothing but good natured teasing. If anyone got out of line, the rest of us would put him in his place. There is more to this story that they aren’t telling or more likely deliberately leaving out.”

So we can extrapolate from your experience, all that goes on in the military?

I experienced quite a range of situations, often racial, during my time.

I’m not surprised to have problems like this occur.


29 posted on 12/21/2011 4:04:25 PM PST by truth_seeker (l)
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To: truth_seeker

Yes, I think I can. I was on a ship with 5000 other men and we pretty much got along. Next question?


30 posted on 12/21/2011 4:52:44 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

I can believe it. Things have changed a lot in the past ten years in this society. Amorality has come of age...not for all but a lot of yutes.


31 posted on 12/21/2011 6:33:44 PM PST by SaraJohnson
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To: Blood of Tyrants

“Yes, I think I can. I was on a ship with 5000 other men and we pretty much got along. Next question?”

My experience in the US Army in Germany had several racial incidents.

—Previously reported deadly fist fight, started by cracker cook pvt.

—Gunshots at a 1st Lt. using 45 stolen from armory.

Racial issues were serious enough to prompt the top command to run a study of such matters.


32 posted on 12/21/2011 7:06:15 PM PST by truth_seeker (l)
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To: SaraJohnson

Perhaps. Kids coming out of public schools are very different than when I was in the Navy.


33 posted on 12/21/2011 7:47:16 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.)
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To: truth_seeker

Interesting. Maybe I am just from a different time when civility was expected from the service members.


34 posted on 12/21/2011 7:49:41 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.)
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To: Hot Tabasco

I didn’t even read he was a homosexual,I was referring to the man’s homosexual preferences.I served from 2003 to 2009 then I did some IRR special for about a year.

I care little about culture,homosexuals don’t usually “work” in the military but again as you pointed out they keep it hidden.The only time I learned soldiers I’d served with,in Iraq,were possibly gay(again I don’t particularly care)was afterwards.

Hmmm to be it was about addressing this nationwide rot that kicks in everywhere,with everyone,once the Dems take control.The Army always seems to get so much worse.

By getting along with each other,I do mean agreeing not to have issues with certain people no matter how “funny” they are or what their ethnicity is,everyone that went to Iraq eventually got along with everyone as long as they were squared away.To me that was the doctrine that took place during the Bush era.After the Dems took over......it turned into an @ss-kissing parade.


35 posted on 12/21/2011 8:12:28 PM PST by Del Rapier
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To: Blood of Tyrants

US Army, Germany 1969-70. (Almost all draftees went to US Army).


36 posted on 12/21/2011 9:23:06 PM PST by truth_seeker (l)
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To: Hot Tabasco

Ill propose you are the “sick dude” freak for condoning the fudgepacking, human Habitrail lifestyle.


37 posted on 12/22/2011 8:24:50 AM PST by DeathBeforeDishonor1
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To: Scotsman will be Free
I’m guessing the guy was a queer, got harrassed, popped himself and the army is going to make an example of these eight soldiers that queers will not be bothered.

If he was gay, all kinds of pro-gay groups would have been crawling out of the woodwork trying to be a part of this story. From the article and from other articles, it sounds like it was some light hazing/horseplay.
38 posted on 12/22/2011 10:01:23 AM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: af_vet_rr

Yeah, from later info I think that you are right.


39 posted on 12/22/2011 10:13:03 AM PST by Scotsman will be Free (11C - Indirect fire, infantry - High angle hell - We will bring you, FIRE)
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