Family Fights For Soldier's Name To Appear On War Memorial

TRACY (CBS13) -- The family of a soldier who took his own life after fighting on the front lines in Afghanistan is battling to ensure his name is listed on a local memorial to veterans "who made the supreme sacrifice."

Steven Norvell said he never expected to hear an objection to placing the name of his stepson, Staff Sergeant David Senft, on the Tracy War Memorial, but the family of another soldier killed in action protested adding Senft's name, claiming he had not died honorably because he took his own life.

"It brought us right back to the day we found out that he had died," Norvell said.

Senft shot himself in the head using his roommate's stolen gun at Kandahar Air Force Base in Afghanistan in November 2010.

The 27-year-old helicopter repairman assigned to the 101st Airborne Division had attempted suicide twice before, and although he had been treated at a mental hospital and stripped of his own firearm for his own safety, he was assigned to the war zone for his fourth tour of duty.

The mother of Lance Corporal Dewey told CBS13 she would not speak about her objections further, claiming she has been vilified for her opinion.

Senft's family has faced grueling exchanges with the Army over several investigations into his death. Military investigators eventually concluded that systematic errors and Senft's own actions had led to his death, but declared his death to have been in the line of duty.

Despite the protest against Senft, the war memorial association voted unanimously to add his name to the memorial. It will be carved into the monument on Veteran's Day.

The Department of Defense now releases monthly suicide numbers for active soldiers, showing that there were 16 potential suicide cases in the month of September. Two of those cases have been confirmed.