After Suspicious Death, Guard Laid To Rest

Soldier In Finance Unit At Bagram Air Base Was Found Dead After Having "Discovered Things"

(CBS/AP)  A member of the Massachusetts National Guard found dead under suspicious circumstances in Afghanistan was laid to rest in her hometown of Quincy Saturday.

Specialist Ciara Durkin was discovered, with a single gunshot wound to her head, in a secure area of Bagram Airfield last month.

On Saturday the 30-year-old, born in Ireland and raised in the United States, was buried with full military honors. Durkin was promoted posthumously to corporal.

Residents held flags in silent tribute to the fallen hometown soldier.

Joe Brill of Quincy said, "The least we could do is thank this young woman for giving her life and serving our country," CBS Station WBZ reported.

The service held at St. John the Baptist Church in Quincy was also attended by Governor Deval Patrick and Senator John Kerry.

Her brother Pierce delivered a eulogy, recalling his sister's selflessness and ready smile. Her large family sat next to her flag-draped coffin.

Writing from Afghanistan, Durkin's commander said her loss "creates a hole in our hearts and our formation."

"Corporal Durkin's unparalleled devotion to duty, attention to detail and selfless service contributed significantly to the success of the mission," said Marine veteran Frank Downes.

Durkin was remembered by Major General Joseph Carter, Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard, for the way she cared for fellow soldiers. Carter also recalled her commitment to her mission.

She had joined the Army National Guard in October 2005 after getting laid off from her information technology job. Her duties included making sure the finances of soldiers were in order and that their families were getting benefits.

The death of Durkin, who was found dead within the confines of a secure air base on September 28, were made more mysterious by news she told her family while visiting home three weeks before she was killed. Durkin's said Ciara told her she had "discovered some things I don’t like and I made some enemies because of it," and asked if anything happened to her, to make sure it was investigated.

Her family initially complained that military officials told them she was killed "in action," but then later said she died in a "non-combat related incident."

Durkin's family met with Army investigators this week and were reassured everything was being done in the investigation. The family discounts the possibility of suicide.

[starleo146]

This girl was also Ga@y and maybe someone found out and didn''t like it at all.

[Krazcarl]

Starleo... yes that was my thinking why would a lady practicing an alternate lifestyle choose the military to hang there hat but on the other hand she is obviously ballsy and may have dug something up or refused to play the game it should be investigated.

[starleo146]

es that was my thinking why would a lady practicing an alternate lifestyle choose the military to hang there hat but on the other hand she is obviously ballsy and may have dug something up or refused to play the game it should be investigated.

Posted by crzmeat at 10:29 AM : Oct 07, 2007

I think we should see how this investigation goes there is a lot here that just has a bad odor to it. I hope we do not go through another Pat Tillman coverup.

[stanleyrice]

A good example of the quality and accurateness of the American press! Not only did the reporter know little or nothing about rank in the military, but the editor allowed this to go to press without question as well. Corporal is an E-4 paygrade in the Army. Specialist is E-4 (and up)as well! So how this lady was promoted to the same rank she already held, makes no sense to me. Oh well, who cares about the "truth"? If you can''t get this right, what does that say about the rest of the "story"? Maybe it is just that, a "story"!

[mcvet]

A good example of the quality and accurateness of the American press! Not only did the reporter know little or nothing about rank in the military, but the editor allowed this to go to press without question as well. Corporal is an E-4 paygrade in the Army. Specialist is E-4 (and up)as well! So how this lady was promoted to the same rank she already held, makes no sense to me. Oh well, who cares about the "truth"? If you can''''t get this right, what does that say about the rest of the "story"? Maybe it is just that, a "story"!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by mokenman at 11:15 AM : Oct 07, 2007
+ report abuse

ROFLMAO THAT is all you got out of this story? THIS info is ALWAYS taken from the OFFICIAL press release of the MILITAYR Swastika Breath, you''d have known that by accessing that press release! God what is wrong with you losers... it''s not enough that you are flat getting your brains kicked in with the fight to win the hearts and minds of the people of the world? IF there was something wrong here we need to know what it is. It''s not like our fascist Government hasn''t done something like this before or have you low lifes forgotten Pat Tillman already? Sieg Heil Bush!!

[mcvet]

This girl was also Ga@y and maybe someone found out and didn''''t like it at all.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by starleo146 at 10:21 AM : Oct 07, 2007
+ report abuse

IF this is right then we have bigger problems than the Muslims... we have people in our OWN Military doing exactly the same kind of things the enemy is then. Sieg Heil Bush!

[varaaki]

Mokenman, you too seem to know little to nothing about the military. Before ripping into the reporter, maybe you''d better get your facts straight: Specialist and Corporal are both pay grade E-4, but a Corporal, unlike a Specialist, is an noncommissioned officer. She got promoted to NCO, which is completely legitimate.

I guess this is why they''re doing the reporting, and you''re doing the wild-eyed raving about "truth".

[genabit-2009]

well as far as accuracy goes

Enlisted Ranks

* Private
* Private First Class (one that has been a private for some time)
* Specialist (E-4, But not an NCO.)
* Corporal
a corporal is listed higher than a specialist.... so they quite well could be accurate... but what is in a title awarded posthumously? What troubles me is if she did not die in action, but inside a secure zone why promote her?

[luv2all97]

mokenman, obviously YOU are the one that knows little or nothing about military rank. A Specialist and a Corporal are not the same thing. Yes, they are the same PAY grade, E-4, however, a Corporal is a junior NCO. If they were the same thing, they would be called the same thing. E-4 is nothing more than a pay grade. Perhaps next time you should do your own research before saying someone else doesn''t know what they are talking about.

[luv2all97]

mokenman, obviously YOU are the one that knows little or nothing about military rank. A Specialist and a Corporal are not the same thing. Yes, they are the same PAY grade, E-4, however, a Corporal is a junior NCO. If they were the same thing, they would be called the same thing. E-4 is nothing more than a pay grade. Perhaps next time you should do your own research before saying someone else doesn''t know what they are talking about.

[luv2all97]

mokenman, obviously YOU are the one that knows little or nothing about military rank. A Specialist and a Corporal are not the same thing. Yes, they are the same PAY grade, E-4, however, a Corporal is a junior NCO. If they were the same thing, they would be called the same thing. E-4 is nothing more than a pay grade. Perhaps next time you should do your own research before saying someone else doesn''t know what they are talking about.

[genabit-2009]

There are thousands of our armed services who lead an alternative lifestyle, While we can sit here at home and try to decide what happened we will never know the truth, could have been a stray sniper bullet with a lucky shot, who really knows the truth? The truth is we can speculate, point fingers, etc but without proof positive all it is is speculation!!! You can bash the president all you want sitting in front of your computer but it wont bring her back to life.

[undermyboot]

Where did it say anything about her being g@y? Or are you just making that up and ujsing it to obfuscate the fact that she died after "finding something"? You people have no shame.

[undermyboot]

Typical hypocritical Bushie/Rush/Fake News parrots: Slander an American soldier then claim they "support the troops". Just a shameful bunch of slimeballs.

[stanleyrice]

lov2all, I regret to inform you that being called a Junior NCO does not make a Corporal a higher rank than a Specialist, sorry. Pay Grade represents rank. Rank is exactly that, and Corporal does not outrank a Specialist! I don''t know what Army you served in, but I was in the U.S. Army.

[luv2all97]

lol, you served in the U.S. Army, in real life or in your head? So, tell me, does a 1SG not outrank a MSG? Because they are both E-8''s. That must mean they are the same, right? Do you need to me tell you what those ranks stand for?
Stop lying about being in the Army, because if you were then you would have half a clue about what you''re saying. I actually AM in the Army, on Bagram as a matter of fact and I used to work with Durkin. Not that that has anything to do with you being an idiot, though.

[starleo146]

Where did it say anything about her being g@y? Or are you just making that up and ujsing it to obfuscate the fact that she died after "finding something"? You people have no shame.

Posted by UnderMyBoot at 12:16 PM : Oct 07, 2007

The family said it, her mother was on good morning America I believe it was, she came right out asnd said she was a lesbian.

[starleo146]

Undermyboat I have no reason to say this girl was ga@y the mother said it , she the mother said she wants an investigation she was home 3 weeks ago and was afraid to go back and told her mother if anything happens to me have it investigated. Her and her brother were on.

[starleo146]

Posted by MCVet at 11:48 AM : Oct 07, 2007

I want it known that I do not know that is why a gunshot to her head was found because she was ga@y , she also handled benefit pay and payroll and she could of found some skimming somewhere. But let us not fool ourselves the ga@y matter also should be involved in this investigation. I know her mother said she was afraid to go back and asked for this investigation. I do not know why this article never mentioned that. Got any ideas. It looked like I was starting this and I would never do that.

[Krazcarl]

undermyboot..it was un yesterdays article some of us follow the story so we have a grasp of what were talking about,,,

[Krazcarl]

P.S. no one says she was killed because she was practicing a alternate lifestyle but there is that possibility as I stated begore she could have uncovered something or refused to play the game of the day it shouls be investigated and yes it reaks of Tillman.

[trillion1]

The gay issue just seems to be a smoke screen. With billions of tax payer dollars missing in Iraq it seems more likely she uncovered a kick back scheme. In any case they will just pretend they are investigating it, like Tilman, counting on America''s short memory span.

[starleo146]

Killed US Soldier Warned Family: Investigate If I Die [VIDEO]

Posted by Nick Juliano and David Edwards at 12:00 PM on October 4, 2007.

A finance officer in Afghanistan said before her death, "I discovered some things I don%u2019t like and I made some enemies because of it."
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Killed US Soldier Warned Family: Investigate If I Die

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This post, written by David Edwards and Nick Juliano, originally appeared on Raw Story

Ciara Durkin warned her family before returning to Afghanistan, "If anything happens to me, you guys make sure it gets investigated."

What seemed a joke at the time could have been eerily prescient as Durkin, a National Guard specialist, was found dead, shot once in the head, within the fortified walls of Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. The Pentagon is releasing no details aside from confirmation that Durkin''s was a "non-combat" death.

[starleo146]

"We just want full disclosure," Durkin''s sister Deirdre said on CBS''s Early Show Thursday.

Now Durkin''s family is demanding an independent investigation and has enlisted the help of Sens. John Kerry and Edward Kennedy, who represent their home state of Massachusetts.

Although Durkin was gay, her family does not believe her death had anything to do with that. But Durkin, who worked in a finance office, told her family that she had uncovered some information that would upset other military officials.

[starleo146]

Where did it say anything about her being g@y? Or are you just making that up and ujsing it to obfuscate the fact that she died after "finding something"? You people have no shame.

Posted by UnderMyBoot at 12:16 PM : Oct 07, 2007
+ report

I found an article on this I said Good Morning America but it was the Early show I saw this on.But this article states she was ga@y. I posted part of the article not all I think you can find it.Thanks just wanted your mind to be clear on this.

[cdfoxtrot]

Is this going to be another Tillman-type exercise in lying and obscuring the facts by the military? Sounds like she was about to expose some wrong-doings and was bumped off by her fellow soldiers before she could act on her findings. Billions of dollars have gone missing in Iraq and people have, no doubt, gotten rich off of the US taxpayer. Is the same true in Afghanistan? No one seems to care -- other than a few people like this brave patriot who wasn''t even from the US. Perhaps she would have been better off joining the Irish army. At least they don''t tend to bump each other off.

[starleo146]

The gay issue just seems to be a smoke screen. With billions of tax payer dollars missing in Iraq it seems more likely she uncovered a kick back scheme. In any case they will just pretend they are investigating it, like Tilman, counting on America''''s short memory span.

Posted by trillion1 at 01:26 PM : Oct 07, 2007

I think you are right lets see how the military investigation turns out. What ever she found I bet they will turn it on her to save someone.

[gmond]

ohmigod

[kaelinda]

MCVet posted: "It''''s not like our fascist Government hasn''t done something like this before or have you low lifes forgotten Pat Tillman already? Sieg Heil Bush!!"

Our government isn''t fascist. Do you even know what that MEANS? Try this:

"A governmenal system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commmerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and sometimes racism." - Random House Compact Unabridged Disctionary

And this:

"In contemporary political discourse, fascist has become a slur, used by adherents of some ideologies to describe their opponents." - Wikipedia.org

You''re using "fascist" as a slur, not as a particularly virulent form of nationalism. Bush doesn''t have "complete power." He is not "regimenting all industry and commerce." It''s a shame some people have to resort to name-calling when they run out of reasoned arguments instead of just keeping their uninformed mouths shut.

[nyckate]

how frightening - hse uncovered irregularities that showed our own guys corrupting the system and she ends up dead.

Question is how far up the chain of command does the corrption go - our both our armed forces and our white house corrupt??

[nyckate]

crzmeat

the questions over her alternate lifestyle are nothing more than a diversionary tactic taken by the thugs who murdered her to protect their corruption.

First of all, if the White House hadn''t violated the reason the National Guard was formed, Homeland Security! she would not have been there in the first place. I did 4 yrs Air Force Reserves post-Vietnam era 1974-78 as the first female MP at O''hare Military. The base Police chief didn''t want women in his law enforcement unit and he tried every dirty trick he could to get me kicked out. There are people running this country who have lost their moral compass and think they are above the constitution and the law. Under these circumstances, none of us are safe. What ever it was she found may never come to light, we can only pray that it does and justice is done. My prayers go out to her family and her commrades in arms. The longers we continue fighting this war over there instead of taking care of our boarders and cleaning house getting rid of our corrupt government officials here, we will continue to have casualties both at home and abroad. GOD BLESS AMERICAN! MKRAL CHICAGO, IL

[nativewoman]

Posted by Kaelinda at 04:52 PM : Oct 07, 2007

Fascism sneaks on little cat feet.

Our freedoms slowly disappear until one day they are gone and we are left to wonder how this could have possibly happened.

He has repeatedly disregarded the warnings of his own advisers to the detriment of the United States, Iraq and the world in general.

He has pushed relentlessly for unwarranted surveillance of citizens. He is pushing for immunity for companies that illegally provided private information to the government.

He has forcibly suppressed opposition and criticism by not allowing those who disagree with him access to his appearances or having them removed from such arenas.

He has tried repeatedly to grant himself absolute power in many areas and was assisted in this endeavor by Gonzales and the Justice Department.

He encourages his current and former aides to ignore Congressional subpoenas.

His invasion and occupation of Iraq is the epitome of irrational, aggressive nationalism. Is not his mantra that the United States must win?

He is using fear tactics to control the populace.

More than once he has indicated by statements that a dictatorship would be easier as long as he was the dictator. His actions clearly show that he believes himself to be all powerful and above the law.

Seems to me that Bush is most assuredly trying to create a fascist environment right here in the United States.

Fascism sneaking in on little cat feet right before our eyes.

[Krazcarl]

nyckate...There is that possibilty as I stated in my earlier post. There is a lot of money turnining up missing or nothing can be seen of it.

[bb19631]

My heart goes out to this family. No family should be put thru this. I am glad to see they are following thru with the investigation. I really dont think it had to do with her sexual preferance. She stumbled on to some black market, racketeering??? Her job in FINANCE-had something to do with it, she must have found a cover up. I almost bet on it.

[weels99]

Prolly involved profiteering by superiors via payday loans to soldiers or something like that....

[hungry1968]

Her family initially complained that military officials told them she was killed "in action," but then later said she died in a "non-combat related incident."

Durkin''s family met with Army investigators this week and were reassured everything was being done in the investigation. The family discounts the possibility of suicide.




Uh huh. Just like Pat Tillman right?

He just happened to get shot three times by "friendly" fire, in center mass, right?

At a time when Bush and Co were looking for a "genuine American hero", right?

Yeah - right.

[hungry1968]

nyckate...There is that possibilty as I stated in my earlier post. There is a lot of money turnining up missing or nothing can be seen of it.
Posted by crzmeat at 06:11 PM : Oct 07, 2007


She stumbled on to some black market, racketeering??? Her job in FINANCE-had something to do with it, she must have found a cover up. I almost bet on it.
Posted by bb19631 at 06:22 PM : Oct 07, 2007



You can be pretty sure that it WASN''T an American contracted company.
Haliburton steals whole pallets of cash of which $9 billion dollars came up missing. (I guess shipping CASH into a war zone by the PALLET is a good idea - I wouldn''t think so, but I''m not a no-bid defense contractor.)
Blackwater sells arms directly to America''s enemies, so they don''t need the cash - just the free weapons from DOD to sell.

[starleo146]

crzmeat

the questions over her alternate lifestyle are nothing more than a diversionary tactic taken by the thugs who murdered her to protect their corruption.

Posted by nyckate at 05:05 PM : Oct 07, 2007

I think you are right. I think they will say," she was having a hard time, and shot herself". But These parents , If my daughter said that to me ,I would be bound to secrecy but let me know in case they lie and when it is all over produce my evidence and sue the (H) out of them it is no consolation for losing your daughter but they (D)--n well would not get away with it. Do you think this is plausible at all.

[starleo146]

Posted by mk95755 at 05:31 PM : Oct 07, 2007

And GOD BLESS YOU. And thank you for your service.What is it going to take for people not to think black, and white, Mexican, Asian, etc just start looking at men, and women, as human beings, and treat everyone as they would like to be treated. Never will we see it sorry to say.

[enoughya]

Another victim of the Bush mafia.

[cdfoxtrot]

Another thoroughly decent person taken from us, for no good reason. I hope they get the murderous SOB''s responsible for this -- but the fear is the SOB''s are among those doing the "investigating". I guess when you have a war-monger president spending billions every week on one stupid war after another, it''s inevitable you''re going to attract the scum-of-the-earth in search of some lolly.

[l8c6]

Maybe she discovered some money laundering and funds being diverted to the privatized military industrial complex. Maybe Blackwater was involved. We''ll never know. Sometimes it seems this country has been lost to global profiteers benefitting from privatization of our government functions with continued funding by the masses of peasants, we the people.

One this is for sure, no matter what the sociopathic elements are behind this murder and no matter what damage is done to humanity, the mortals responsible will one day face their mortality. They laugh now.

[l8c6]

These sociopaths commit these murders to do the work of the lord Jesus and preach the word from the gospel of homophobia. What a people this nation has become or maybe always was.

[bareemperor]

Maybe she found Petraeus was just another Bu$h liar, hyping an Iran invasion over the remaining Middle East oil...

[ngretiring]

She uncovered something crooked and deadly. She was in a top drug producing country, working for a group with the capability to ship large quantities undetected back to MA. Do we really need CSI on this one? She even threw the warning out before it happened.