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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Feb 7, 2012 - 5:42:54 PM |
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Blackanthem Military News
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| First Sgt. James McLeod of the 467th Medical Detachment holds the unit guidon as 467th Soldiers pay their final respects to the 13 victims of the Nov. 5 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, during a memorial ceremony held Nov. 10. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Gary M. Stacy, First Army Division West Public Affairs Office) |
FORT HOOD, Texas - Army Reserve units that had Soldiers both killed and wounded during the Nov. 5 shooting on Fort Hood deployed as scheduled to Afghanistan and Iraq.
The 1908th Medical Detachment (Combat Stress Control) departed Monday afternoon for Iraq. The 467th deployed early Friday morning to Afghanistan.
Both units have the unique mission to provide mental health resources to Soldiers in a combat zone.
With a normal unit roster of 43 Soldiers, both units suffered heavy losses in the Nov. 5 shooting. Three Soldiers from the Madison, Wisc.-based 467th were killed during the shooting: Maj. Libardo Caraveo, 52, of Woodbridge, Va.; Capt. Russell Seager, 41, of Racine, Wisc; and Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wisc. The 467th also had six Soldiers seriously wounded.
Capt. John P. Gaffaney, 54, of San Diego, Calif. and Spc. Kham Xiong, 23, of St. Paul, Minn. were lost from the 1908th, which also had seven Soldiers seriously wounded.
Both units were carefully assessed to ensure the Soldiers were capable of deploying. Replacements volunteered from across the U.S. Army Reserve to join the units on their deployment.
"I think they decided that same day (of the shooting) that they were more dedicated than ever in honor of the Soldiers that we lost, and have stood firm in that commitment," said 467th commander Maj. Laura Suttinger. "They were all very dedicated, caring Soldiers, and they will not be forgotten. We're carrying on in their honor."
Members of the unit will be better able to help Soldiers overseas since surviving this tragedy themselves, said 1st Sgt. James McLeod. "We are now better equipped to help soldiers in theater from this incident," he said. "We're better equipped to talk with soldiers and understand their feelings and emotions.
"Even though we lost our fallen comrades ... 'no one is going to stop us from completing our mission' is really what their goal is," said McLeod.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Soldiers of the 1908th Medical Detachment, (Combat Stress Control), gather with others at a chemical light vigil held at the North Fort Hood training site Nov. 6 in remembrance of comrades and loved ones who were killed and wounded in the shooting tragedy at Fort Hood . (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Tony M. Lindback, First Army Division West Public Affairs Office) |
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| Soldiers of the 1908th Medical Detachment, (Combat Stress Control), walk across the tarmac at Robert Gray Army Airfield, Fort Hood Texas, Dec. 7 to load a plane for their deployment to Iraq. (Ann Ciarico, Hood Mobilization Brigade) |
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| Soldiers of the 1908th Medical Detachment (Combat Stress Control), board a plane at Robert Gray Army Airfield, Fort Hood, Texas, Dec. 7 prior to their deployment to Iraq. (Ann Ciarico, Hood Mobilization Brigade) |
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