Mother fights Army over son's cause of death

[LiberalNation]

Hope she finds the answers she seeks.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080323/ap_on_re_us/combat_casualty

WAUSAU, Wis. - Joan McDonald believes her son was a casualty of the war in Iraq, but the Army says that while he did suffer a severe head wound in a bomb blast, the cause of his death is undetermined, keeping him off the casualty list.

She and her family are demanding more answers in the death of Sgt. James W. McDonald. "I don't want it to be an undetermined cause of death," said Joan McDonald. "That is ridiculous."

McDonald, 26, was injured in a roadside bomb blast in Iraq last May. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment based at Fort Hood, Texas. After treatment in Germany, McDonald returned to Fort Hood and underwent extensive facial surgery in August. His body was found in his barracks apartment Nov. 12, a Monday. He was last seen alive the previous Friday.

The Army ruled out suicide and accidental factors, but an autopsy could not determine the exact cause of death, in part because of the decomposition of the body, said Col. Diane Battaglia, a base spokeswoman. As a result, McDonald's death is considered noncombat-related, with the caveat that medical experts couldn't rule out that "traumatic brain injury" may have been a factor, Battaglia said.

Joan McDonald, of Neenah, has no doubts about her son's death. "If my son was not at the war, he would not be dead, plain and simple," she said. "He was a strong healthy boy. ... Don't tell me it was unrelated to the war. I will never accept that."

Tom Wilborn, a spokesman for Disabled American Veterans in Washington, said the question of whether McDonald was a war casualty is the first that he was aware of from the Iraq war.

[Gunny]

Hope she finds the answers she seeks.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080323/ap_on_re_us/combat_casualty

WAUSAU, Wis. - Joan McDonald believes her son was a casualty of the war in Iraq, but the Army says that while he did suffer a severe head wound in a bomb blast, the cause of his death is undetermined, keeping him off the casualty list.

She and her family are demanding more answers in the death of Sgt. James W. McDonald. "I don't want it to be an undetermined cause of death," said Joan McDonald. "That is ridiculous."

McDonald, 26, was injured in a roadside bomb blast in Iraq last May. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment based at Fort Hood, Texas. After treatment in Germany, McDonald returned to Fort Hood and underwent extensive facial surgery in August. His body was found in his barracks apartment Nov. 12, a Monday. He was last seen alive the previous Friday.

The Army ruled out suicide and accidental factors, but an autopsy could not determine the exact cause of death, in part because of the decomposition of the body, said Col. Diane Battaglia, a base spokeswoman. As a result, McDonald's death is considered noncombat-related, with the caveat that medical experts couldn't rule out that "traumatic brain injury" may have been a factor, Battaglia said.

Joan McDonald, of Neenah, has no doubts about her son's death. "If my son was not at the war, he would not be dead, plain and simple," she said. "He was a strong healthy boy. ... Don't tell me it was unrelated to the war. I will never accept that."

Tom Wilborn, a spokesman for Disabled American Veterans in Washington, said the question of whether McDonald was a war casualty is the first that he was aware of from the Iraq war.

You STILL like dredging up any and all dirt on the military you possibly can.

When Joan McDonald produces her doctorate in forensic science THEN I'll take her word for it. Otherwise, she's just making up facts to suit her emotions.

If the Army doesn't know, it doesn't know. You wouldn't want them to report something unsupported by evidence or untrue to appease a grieving family would you? We saw how well that went over with the Tillman deal.

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

[LiberalNation]

It's kinda suspicious they'd go with we don't know. They know he's dead, they know what surrounded his death, they ruled out suicide/drugs........

[Gunny]

It's kinda suspicious they'd go with we don't know. They know he's dead, they know what surrounded his death, they ruled out suicide/drugs........

There's nothing at all suspicious about it. What does the Army stand to gain by saying they don't know vs assuming that injuries incurred in Iraq are what killed him? Nothing. That means there would be no point to lying.

The mother just wants someone or something to blame and the media's willing to sensationalize her emotional stress-driven "medical" opinion because it is yet another negative story they can aim at the military and by extension the administration.

You know ... kind of like YOU do.

[LiberalNation]

hat does the Army stand to gain by saying they don't know vs assuming that injuries incurred in Iraq are what killed him? Nothing.
Fewer "war" casualties which are being counted closely.

Plus why not, died fighting for your country it quite a bit more honored then just died for unkown medical reasons. At least give the guy that seeing as he can't be made undead.

[Noir]

i'm in two minds of this, how much decomposition could have occoured in 3 days? i know i've left food lyin around for 3 days and its been *fine*
At the same time if the army says there's nought they can do then there's nought they can do, does beg the question how they can know what it isn't if they don't know what it is though



When Joan McDonald produces her doctorate in forensic science THEN I'll take her word for it.
Its her right to question the death certificate, whether she can forensicly examin the body or not


Otherwise, she's just making up facts to suit her emotions.
What fact did she make up? if you are refering to "If my son was not at the war, he would not be dead, plain and simple," i don't see this a made up fact, more a dose of realism

[Gunny]

Fewer "war" casualties which are being counted closely.

Pure conjecture.


Plus why not, died fighting for your country it quite a bit more honored then just died for unkown medical reasons. At least give the guy that seeing as he can't be made undead.

They tried that one with Tillman, remember? Died a hero sounded much better than killed by friendly fire. That didn't stop you lefties from going ape and claiming coverup for a couple of years beating that dead horse to microcosmic particles.

[rppearso]

Pure conjecture.



They tried that one with Tillman, remember? Died a hero sounded much better than killed by friendly fire. That didn't stop you lefties from going ape and claiming coverup for a couple of years beating that dead horse to microcosmic particles.

When will the house of cards come tumbling down. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042400181.html

There is a reason people bring up dirt on the military because there is alot of it, I call a spade a spade. It is so easy to find dirt on the military its not even funny.

[Hobbit]

i'm in two minds of this, how much decomposition could have occoured in 3 days? i know i've left food lyin around for 3 days and its been *fine*

Food is designed to be packed and shipped, already dead, across the country for days at a time. Unless you buy it straight from the farmer, it's undergone processes and had chemicals added to increase its shelf life. Even a good amount of salt can delay decomposition significantly. The human body, however, has no such preservatives. It rots where it lies. In a climate controlled, indoor environment, such as a barracks, the decomposition in 3 days would have turned any exposed soft tissue gooey, softened and distorted anything with direct exposure to oxygen, and rendered most chemical tests inconclusive at best. If the barracks was unusually warm or humid, it would be enough time for some maggots to appear. If they had managed to find an exact cause of death through all that, I'd be impressed.

[rppearso]

Food is designed to be packed and shipped, already dead, across the country for days at a time. Unless you buy it straight from the farmer, it's undergone processes and had chemicals added to increase its shelf life. Even a good amount of salt can delay decomposition significantly. The human body, however, has no such preservatives. It rots where it lies. In a climate controlled, indoor environment, such as a barracks, the decomposition in 3 days would have turned any exposed soft tissue gooey, softened and distorted anything with direct exposure to oxygen, and rendered most chemical tests inconclusive at best. If the barracks was unusually warm or humid, it would be enough time for some maggots to appear. If they had managed to find an exact cause of death through all that, I'd be impressed.

The whole point is there is significant evidence just by the fact that he was involved in a violent explosion along with whatever other stress induced injury occured, its not a total mystery and they know it, I agree with liberal nation they are watching the death toll very closely and I can bet if they were being counted correctly we would be alot closer to vietnam numbers right now not to mention the debilitating injurys that effect a persons quality of life for the rest of there life.

[Gunny]

When will the house of cards come tumbling down. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042400181.html

There is a reason people bring up dirt on the military because there is alot of it, I call a spade a spade. It is so easy to find dirt on the military its not even funny.

Stating your unsubstantiated opinion as fact again, are you?

The "so easy" thing here is YOU, junior.

If you've got something to say, spit it out and back it up with some evidence or go back to your hole.

[Gunny]

The whole point is there is significant evidence just by the fact that he was involved in a violent explosion along with whatever other stress induced injury occured, its not a total mystery and they know it, I agree with liberal nation they are watching the death toll very closely and I can bet if they were being counted correctly we would be alot closer to vietnam numbers right now not to mention the debilitating injurys that effect a persons quality of life for the rest of there life.

Please point out where anyone has claimed it is a total mystery. They said they don't know the exact cause of death.

You agreeing withe libnat's pure speculation and $1.25 will get you a cup of coffee at the Stop-n-Rob up the street. Otherwise, it's worthless.

[rppearso]

Please point out where anyone has claimed it is a total mystery. They said they don't know the exact cause of death.

You agreeing withe libnat's pure speculation and $1.25 will get you a cup of coffee at the Stop-n-Rob up the street. Otherwise, it's worthless.

The biggest point I agreed with is the fact that death tolls are being closely watched which creates a motivation on the part of the military to prevent as much as they can any death from being counted as a "combat related death", the fact that the military is sand bagging on counting this as a combat death by using a technicality shows they are using that very motivation. Why do you bother posting if you have nothing really to say other than a flame.

[Sitarro]

The biggest point I agreed with is the fact that death tolls are being closely watched which creates a motivation on the part of the military to prevent as much as they can any death from being counted as a "combat related death", the fact that the military is sand bagging on counting this as a combat death by using a technicality shows they are using that very motivation. Why do you bother posting if you have nothing really to say other than a flame.

Have I missed something? When did the media start counting only "combat related deaths"? From what I understood, the 4,000 number includes training exercises, accidents and direct combat deaths. This number is still higher than it should be because our military isn't allowed to do the job the way they see fit. Too much coverage by the biased media, too many comments from the chickenshits in the antiwar club, too much bullshit from idiot politicians watching poll numbers.

We need to let the military do their job and shut the fuck up about it.:salute: