IGTNT: Hard to Believe (with Poll)

I Got the News Today (2/20/2007 Edition). Yesterday, the Department of Defense announced the name of an airman killed in Afghanistan.  According to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count the number of names released by the DoD is now 3132 and there are twelve more names of the deceased awaiting notification of the next of kin before being publicly released in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 367 in Operation Enduring Freedom.

"It’s kind of hard to believe because you’d just talked to him the day before," said his mother, Rose Duffman.

He had been in Afghanistan for five days when he died Sunday, his mother said.

Duffman was married, and he and his wife have a 5-month-old daughter.

"She was the light of his life," said Rose Duffman, who has lived in Washington, D.C., since 2004.

Pope airman among dead in Afghanistan crash

More after the flip.

DoD Identifies Air Force Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of an Airman who died Feb. 18 when the coalition CH-47 helicopter he was riding in crashed in eastern Afghanistan.

Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., was assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, N.C.

An investigation will be conducted to verify the cause of the crash.

DoD News Release

All of the U.S. fatalities can be seen here or here.  They all had loved ones, families and friends. The DoD news releases are here.

I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Click here for the previous diary in this series or click the igtnt tag.

Answers To Poll Questions

•  Tips

  for bringing the news that no one wants?

  by i dunno on Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 03:59:16 AM PDT

•  Something is missing

  There should be a position in the poll for "None of the Above".

  by Spoc42 on Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 04:08:40 AM PDT

  •  Maybe,

    But the question was not which of his own guidelines did he follow...

    by i dunno on Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 04:22:12 AM PDT

    •  However

      If he doesn't follow his own guidelines, then they weren't guidelines, they were bullshit.

      by Spoc42 on Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 07:04:35 AM PDT

•  "Don't ask for whom the bell tolls,"

  We are all less of a nation because these people have left us.

  by Owllwoman on Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 04:09:59 AM PDT

•  " the news that no one wants"

  That is so true.  Yesterday, I read about a memorial last week at Camp Pendleton.  The base has lost 100 Marines.  One father from TN, who drove out to California to honor his son, told the media about how people are laughing, having a good time and not even thinking we are at war.  

  I am glad for this series.  I am glad people are thinking about the fallen and the war.

  Rest in Peace, Sgt. Duffman

  by Sandy on Signal on Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 04:40:01 AM PDT

•  Eternal Rest

  Grant unto him, O Lord,
  and may perpetual light shine upon him.

  by marykk on Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 05:19:26 AM PDT

•  In memory of

  Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman

  My condolences to his family and friends.

  by monkeybiz on Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 05:30:59 AM PDT

•  

  

  by Wee Mama on Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 06:19:15 AM PDT