Tonight we honor the sacrifice and service of Pfc. Neil I. Turner, who lost his life in a training accident in Afghanistan on January 11th. He is one of the 1793 Americans who have lost their lives since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom over 10 years ago.
I Got the News Today is a diary series intended to honor, respect and remind. Its title is a reminder that almost every day a military family gets the terrible news about a loved one. Diaries about the fallen usually appear two days after their names are officially released, which allows time for the IGTNT team to find and tell their stories.
All of the U.S. fatalities can be seen here and here. They all had loved ones, families and friends. The DoD news releases are here. I Got the News Today is intended to honor, respect and remind.
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On Friday, the Department of Defense made the following announcement:
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Neil I. Turner, 21, of Tacoma, Wash., died Jan. 11, in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.
Pfc. Turner was a native of Medford, Minnesota, but his family moved to the Pacific Northwest when he was in the 8th grade. Turner was a 2008 graduate of Lincoln High School in Tacoma, and he considered Tacoma, Washington his hometown. Turner had considered joining the military while he was still in high school, and he enlisted just over a year ago. He was deployed to Afghanistan last fall, and he was on his first deployment at the time of his death.
Neil Turner was the oldest of four brothers.
“He gave his brothers space because they were boys, but he was the one who would corral them,” remembered Tami Scheidt, who lives next door to the Turner family. ~source
"He would always let them do their own thing, but he was always the one to bring them home," Tami Scheidt said in a telephone interview. "The family is just devastated. He was just here for Christmas and was mending a strained relationship he had with his younger brother. He seemed different -- he wasn't your typical teenager anymore -- he was an adult. You could see the change in him." ~source
On Thursday evening, Scheidt's mother, Lynnette Rogers Scheidt, organized a candlelight vigil in Neil Turner's honor. About 50 of his friends attended, and they shared their memories of Neil.
“Neil definitely left an imprint on my heart,” said Lincoln High School senior Ransom Hatch. “He’s one person who can’t be forgotten.” ~source
The Army is investigating the incident that led to Turner's death. His parents, Leland Turner and Charlotte Cox-Turner, traveled to Dover Air Force Base where his remains were sent. In addition to his parents, Pfc. Turner is survived by his three brothers, Maxwell, Jordan and Tucker. Funeral plans have not been finalized.
Thank you, Pfc. Neil I. Turner, for your selfless service to our nation. Poppies are the universal symbols of remembrance. May we never forget your service and your sacrifice.
Rest in peace, Pfc. Turner. May your family and friends find comfort in your memory.