A death shrouded by war, mystery-Soldier's family and friends want answers from Army

[babylonsister]

A death shrouded by war, mystery
Soldier's family and friends want answers from Army
Globe Staff / November 18, 2007


One morning this past June, Ciara Durkin sat at her computer at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan and wrote a chilling e-mail to a friend in Massachusetts.

"Ok. so today a crazy soldier pulled a 9mm on me . . . don't go telling people. . . . he's in jail and i'm doing better. TTYL," she wrote.

Weeks later, Durkin, an Army specialist who worked in finance, dispatched another in a series of e-mails to family and friends. The tone of this message, sent on the Fourth of July, was utterly different. She was exultant.

"Well, as the first of the gang of us to officially hit the 4th of July (12:10 am here, lol) Happy 4th," Durkin wrote. "I am more than happy to be here making sure you have this day to celebrate. Regardless of politics, this is worth it to me."

She signed off with a mention of her upcoming leave. "I'll be home in 2 months, no complaints here."

Durkin, 30, came home as planned, but would never make it back for good. On Sept. 28th, her body was found on the base with a single bullet in her head, her M-16 nearby. The Army has declared her death a noncombat related incident, but has provided no more public information about how the ebullient flame-haired soldier died.

There are only two ways that Durkin could have died: She either shot herself or was shot by someone else on the base. Her first e-mail suggests she had something to fear. And friends and family have said that she was a passionate young woman who had many plans for her life after the service. They insist she would never have killed herself, and are increasingly anxious for the Army to offer some definitive answers. Soon.

more...

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/11/18/a_death_shrouded_by_war_mystery/

[BeHereNow]

1. Eventually, the truth will come out.

I'm thinking more than one person knows what happened.
While on active duty, they can not say, but eventually, when
released from service, they will.
I just hope those who know don't have "accidents" before
they can blow the whistle.

BHN

[shance]

2. Ciara worked in the financial/accounting side of things.

She remarked she saw something she did not like and that she was concerned about it. She also remarked that if something happened to her to please do an investigation.

I am very grateful her family is not letting this disappear.

The biggest gift they can give to Ciara is to demand the truth.

Ciara knew something - perhaps something she was not supposed to know. Something that could be potentially exposed. That is what seemingly got her killed. That would be the most likely motivator.

She was extremely liked. Any fool around her would have gotten strung up by her friends had they known who it was.

Pat Tillman knew a lot and he was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the corrupt practices and being utilized for it. That's what probably got him killed.

The media will try to probably paint this as discrimination. That she was "gay".

Horse manure.

That is often a convenient excuse when there is something else that is the real reason.

Where more than a few stand to lose something.

I only wish someone would have protected her.

I wish she would or could have have elaborated more on who pulled the 9MM on her.

Goddess knows, it may have saved her life had she been able to give a few more details. Perhaps she did.

More will (hopefully) be revealed.

[shance]

3. kick

n/t

[Octafish]

4. Col. Ted WESTHUSING also saw corruption and feared for his safety.

While he was in Iraq, he also also was found with a bullet in his head and a firearm nearby.

Know your BFEE: They kill good soldiers like Col. Ted Westhusing for profit...

[babylonsister]

5. I thought that was determined a suicide? Didn't he leave a note? nt