Sgt.'s Death Not Counted As War Casualty

Family Says "Undetermined" Cause Of Death Following Battlefield Injury Puts Son In Limbo

(AP)  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.

"But it happened a lot during Vietnam," he said. "There's a long history where guys would be wounded in the jungle and they might live long enough to come home. And then they would pass away and were not counted as a combat casualty."

According to an Army study in 2007, 1.4 million people in the U.S. suffer traumatic brain injuries each year. Of those, 50,000 die, 235,000 are hospitalized and 1.1 million are evaluated, treated at a hospital emergency department and released.

A Government Accountability Office study found that of soldiers who required a medical evacuation for battle-related injuries in Iraq or Afghanistan, 30 percent suffered a traumatic brain injury. But it was unknown how many soldiers suffered more mild forms of brain injury.

The family has asked Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., for help. McDonald has a copy of a March 11 letter Feingold sent to Maj. Gen. Galen Jakman at the Pentagon outlining her concerns.

McDonald said her son was a strapping 6-foot-3, 200-pound soldier who served two tours of duty in Iraq and loved the military.

"He was having a problem sleeping since he came back from the war. I don't think it had anything to do with sleep apnea. I think it had to do with bombs," she said. He also had seen a doctor because of severe nose bleeds but was told the symptoms were not that unusual, given his August surgery, she said.

Before he died, McDonald had worked on the base at a weapons room and the post office, she said. He had planned to leave the Army in January to pursue a career in firefighting.

She said she recently ran across a T-shirt that said he helped build a memorial wall at Fort Hood to honor its soldiers killed in Iraq.

"I want his name on that wall," she said. "We don't know what else to do. I have one brother who is saying 'Does it matter. To you, he is a casualty of war. To everyone that knew him, he is a casualty of war.' I am like, well, it kinda does matter."

[ewnnrj]

*** Cheney says he volunteered to die;''So?''

[inmo-2009]

This saddens me. This poor man is claerly a casuality of war.
I am a strong suproter of our troops but an becoming confused with the milir=tary and how they take care of their soliders and families.
My best friend served 2 tours in Iraq and after the second one has PTSD. She could get out - she has been told - but instead she wants some help and wants to contiue serving - but they (Air Force) told her treatment is tricky - she could be discharged. And medication to help her sleep is counter prodcutive..... A single mother serving her country - just one of thousands I know but why sould the military accpet their service if they won''t give services in return, ie., counseling, physical medicaine and the worst case - this one - being honored as having died from injuries in combat.

[kansas1946]

Lord. He died sometime between Friday and Monday and they can''t determine the cause of death because of decompsition??? This is really fishy, and anyway, what would it hurt them to list him as a casualty of Iraq. I doubt he would be dead if he hadn''t had the injury. The military really has no shame.

Howdy, 19 yrs, 9 mo''s 11 days, 1 year in Korea during war, 1 year peacetime there, 3 tours in Vietnam, but was discharged because I became disabled, but could have finished getting my 20 years, good old Military.

[nolalou]

That''''s how they keep the numbers of troops dead from the war down! I would imagine if anyone cared to look it''''s a whole lot higher than 4000!
Posted by grumpas

Grumpas, I agree with you. The 4000 figure is misleading at best. On top of that are the many who are permanently injured with loss of limbs, or mental issues that will be with them for life. This not only effect the soldiers, but their spouses and families.

[ivandrago]

Finally somebody wrote an article on this deceptive practice. Many soldiers have dead months after being wounded on the battlefield. Pure deception.

[eyezwideopen]

Those of you who are turning this into a "Republican versus Democrat" issue are probably the same type of people who wear their favorite football team''s jersey while watching the game on television. Don''t let the left hand distract you from what the right hand is doing. While there may seem to be policy differences between the two parties, the actions remain the same. The Democrats offered the American people war solutions and presidential impeachment if a Democratic congress was voted in. 2 years later and I''m still waiting for the Democratic salvation.
The sooner we realize that the Rep vs. Dem conflict is nothing more than a charade to keep us entertained, slinging mud at one another, dressed in team colors, and with our attention focused on the ''enemy'' in opposite colors, the real threat to this once beloved country will continue to tear at the fabric that once made this country strong - we, the people.

[frankbowers]

the government does not do the inflation of prices justice.
For instance in Austin, TX when the Senate refused to help the small diaries and forced them to sell out the price of milk was controlled then by the large companies and the prie of milk went from .79 a gallon to the present price of 4.98.
The price of Blue Brell went from 2.25 for a half gallon to 5.50.
No they do not wish to tell us the truth and since the $ went south due to the war and bush''s desire to fight on the cuff (borrowing about 6 trillion from China alone in which will not be reflected for about 10 years) the value of the dollar has dropped about 35%. I hope all remember this and do not allow the idiot skip out with out the *** and memory we will carry to the grave. Frank

[lochlan-2009]

"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."

So, how many American soldiers have really died in Iraq, when you add in all the "they don''t counts"?

[frankbowers]

To the person whio authored the "everone" you have a good idea. But, for the long haul drivers they have dates to deliver and it is on them to do so and the cost per day can range from 150.$ a dayand upward my son in law has a 1000. a day late charge which is deducted drirectely from his pay he makes about 3500. a weekless fuel which ranges frome 1500. to 2000 a week so another 1000 dollars a day would cost him about 6000.$ so how do o come up with all could afford tomiss a day or so of work again, you do not know just what you speak although the idea itself is great. Now if you are suggesting this ever week it could cost him more than he makes in a year.
Frank Bowers in Austin, TX