I Got The News Today (IGTNT), which is one of the oldest continuous series on Daily Kos, provides members of this community a venue to pay their respects to those who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and in Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Operation Resolute Support. The IGTNT title is a reminder that far too often the family of an active duty service member receives the terrible news that their beloved has died.
Sgt. 1st Class Maitland Deweever Wilson
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. Sgt. 1st Class Maitland Deweever Wilson, 38, of Brooklyn, New York, died March 7 in Landstuhl, Germany from a non-combat related incident. The incident is under investigation. Wilson was assigned to the 831st Transportation Battalion, 595th Transportation Brigade, Manama, Bahrain. ~ DoD News Release
Sgt. 1st Class Maitland Deweever Wilson grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant as part of a large family of Guyanese immigrants. Maitland attended CUNY for a time after high school graduation. He enlisted in the Army in 2000 and served twice in Kuwait and Iraq and once in Afghanistan. Sgt Wilson also deployed to Haiti in 2010 to serve as part of a humanitarian mission following an earthquake.
Two weeks ago Sgt. Wilson suffered a stroke while serving in Bahrain and was transported to the US Army Medical Center at Landstuhl Germany. His mother flew to Germany to be at his side.
Sgt Wilson and his fiancee Dawn Hawkins, who had met in the military and had been together 8 years, had planned to marry in Bahrain this month. Ms. Hawkins said Wilson had been suffering from bad headaches prior to his stroke. Dawn said she and Maitland’s family are in shock and added:
“Nobody could speak a bad word about him. He cared for everybody. He never turned his back on anyone.”
Jarvez Wilkes, who served two combat tours with Sgt Wilson posted the following on Facebook:
In brief, I met Maitland at Fort story Virginia, which was my first duty station, in the spring of 2002. Maitland and I served together in two combat tours. Throughout that time I quickly learned He was the type of person you meet, and they become family. That’s why I considered him a brother. A person of great moral character, a person with a genuine and compassionate spirit, a person with a selfless and put others first type persona. Over the years, I watched him flourish in his Role as a Soldier, leader, mentor, trainer, and care taker of our nations future Soldiers and transporters. He was without a doubt the epitome of what a professional should be. With his passing... I, his friends, the Army, this Nation, and his “Family” suffered a great loss. But we are better people for knowing him, and being apart of his life, and his legacy.
As I say my final goodbye to SFC Maitland “Chicken Hawk” Wilson. I will smile and remember him for the joy and laughter he brought to my life. So in closing I give my final #SALUTE to my friend, my brother, MY BATTLE!
Rest easy SFC Wilson, your duty is done. Over and out SSG Wilkes(R).
Sgt 1st Class Maitland Deweever Wilson’s awards and decorations included the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (five times) and the Army Achievement Medal (twice), among others.
~ News Source
~ News Source
~ News Source
About The IGTNT Series
"I Got the News Today" is a diary series intended to honor, respect, and remind us of the sacrifice of our US troops. Click here to see the series, which was begun by i dunno in 2004 and now is maintained by Sandy on Signal, i dunno, noweasels, blue jersey mom, Chacounne, twilight falling, SisTwo, SpamNunn, TrueBlueMajority, CalNM, Wide Awake in Kentucky, maggiejean, Ekaterin, TheFatLadySings, Joy of Fishes, SARBill and me, JaxDem. These diaries are heartbreaking to write but are an important service to those who have died and show our community’s respect for them. 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.
.
Please bear in mind that these diaries are read by friends and family of the service member(s) mentioned here. May all of our remembrances be full of compassion rather than politics.