Hero Stories for May 2009

Maj. Matthew P. Houseal, 54, of Amarillo, Texas, died May 11, 2009, in Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in a non-combat related incident. Maj. Houseal was assigned to the 55th Medical Company, Indianapolis, Indiana. </d

Spc. Jacob D. Barton, 20, of Lenox, Missouri, died May 11, 2009, in Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in a non-combat related incident. Spc. Barton was assigned to the 277th Engineer Company, 420th Engineer Brigade, Waco, Texas. </d

Staff Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, New Jersey, died May 11, 2009, in Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered in a non-combat related incident. Staff Sgt. Bueno-Galdos was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany. </d

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - The U.S. military is fielding a new vehicle rollover simulator to troops in Iraq and Afghanist

Commander Charles K. Sprin

Sgt. Lukasz D. Saczek, 23, of Lake in the Hills, Illinois, died May 10, 2009, in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. Sgt. Saczek was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment, Illinois Army National Guard, Woodstock, Illinois. </d

Maj. Steven Hutchison, 60, of Scottsdale, Arizona, died May 10, 2009, in Basrah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Al Farr, Iraq. Maj. Hutchison was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas. </d

Spc. Omar M. Albrak, 21, of Chicago, Illinois, died May 9, 2009, in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a motor vehicle accident. Spc. Albrak was an Individual Ready Reserve soldier assigned to the Headquarters, Multi-National Forces Iraq. </d

CAMP BEUHRING, Kuwait - With limited time for build-up and training in Kuwait air crews fly right into dust qualifications before heading to Ir

Pvt. Justin P. Hartford, 21, of Elmira, New York, died May 8, 2009, at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. Pvt. Hartford was assigned to the 699th Maintenance Company, Corps Support Battalion, 916th Support Brigade, Fort Irwin, Calif. </d