Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, killed by Taliban sleeper agent, was a 'big-hearted kid'
Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs was shy, gentle and liked to fish.
Last Saturday, the 19-year-old Fort Worth native and five other soldiers in his unit were killed when a Taliban sleeper agent posing as a police trainee turned on the Americans during a training mission in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.
The Taliban agent was tracked down and killed in a shootout near the Pakistan border, officials said.
Services for Pfc. Staggs are pending in Fort Worth, where he wanted to be buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, next to his cousin Robert Shelton Staggs.
Pfc. Staggs was born in Fort Worth and spent time growing up with his father in Georgia and his mother in Weatherford. He attended Weatherford High School and graduated from North Hills Private School in nearby Millsap, Texas, in 2008.
Pfc. Staggs, who was adamant about joining the Army, went to basic training in September 2009, his father said. He was deployed to Afghanistan about three months ago.
"He was the most big-hearted kid you've ever met," said his father, Byram Staggs of Senoia, Ga., where Pvt. Staggs had lived since graduating from high school.
Pfc. Staggs was beloved by his nieces and nephews, said his stepmother, Kelly Dunavin of Senoia.
"When he would call on Skype," she said, "they would just push each other away to get on there to see him."
Pvt. Staggs' family is having an especially difficult time comprehending how the Afghan trainee who had worked with the Americans for two years committed the act.
"All I can see is him [the insurgent] just turning around," Ms. Dunavin said. "They weren't prepared; they didn't know."
On Wednesday, several of President Barack Obama's top national security advisers and top Pentagon officials were at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to meet the plane bearing the soldiers' bodies. The attack was the deadliest of its kind in two years, officials said.
The five others killed in the attack were: Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Ky.
In addition to his father and stepmother, Pfc. Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, Tenn.; a 2-year-old son, Kallen Staggs of Weatherford; his mother and stepfather, Kaye and Judd Jordan of Weatherford; sisters Emily Staggs and Sarah Staggs, both of Senoia; two brothers, whose names the family requests remain private; grandparents Bobby Joe and Gertrude Staggs of Justin, Texas; and a grandmother, Marion Buckner of Weatherford.
By Joe Simnacher * The Dallas Morning News * Saturday, December 4, 2010
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Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs
Died November 29, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom
19, of Senoia, Ga.; assigned to 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Nov. 29 in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an insurgent attacked his unit with small-arms fire. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain.
Honor for the fallen, as found on
http://militarytimes.com/valor/army-pfc-austin-g-staggs/5149391/
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The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of six soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked their unit with small arms fire.
Killed were:
Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.
Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio.
Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.
Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.
Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.
Pfc. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
DOD.gov
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General Campbell: Afghan policeman who killed 6 101st Airborne soldiers acted alone
Rogue Afghan officer shot 5 soldiers in back
Maj. Gen. John Campbell, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, said a rogue Afghan Border policeman acted alone when he shot five 101st soldiers in the back and turned on a sixth, killing them all.
Campbell spoke with reporters Thursday about the attack Monday at a remote Afghan observation post in Nangarhar province.
The soldiers went to the OP to check on the ABP officers stationed there, he said, and were shot in the back during an artillery practice. They were with Afghan National Army soldiers and were greeted by ABP, one of whom was the gunman, Campbell said.
Five of the soldiers — all members of 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team — were watching the impact area from the elevated position when the ABP officer shot them in the back. He turned his weapon on the sixth, and then was killed by other 101st soldiers.
The incident lasted between 10 and 15 seconds, Campbell said.
The soldiers killed were identified as Sgt. 1st Class Barry Edward Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis Allen Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew Wayne Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Austin Garrett Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.; Pfc. Jacob Alexander Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; and Pvt. Buddy Wendall McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
A total of 98 soldiers from Fort Campbell have died overseas this year, one of the worst years for the 101st since 9/11. Bravo Troop's commanding officer, Capt. Ellery Wallace, was killed in August by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Campbell said the unit had been to the observation post three or four times before and the soldiers were on a "routine mission."
The other ABP officers at the site were quickly disarmed and quarantined so an investigation could begin, which is still ongoing and led by a joint Afghan and International Security Assistance Force team.
The Taliban claimed responsibility of the shooting, saying the officer was a sleeper agent. Campbell said that was not necessarily the case, as the Taliban often claims responsibility for such incidents.
"I don't know how much truth that there is to that," Campbell said.
He said the officer had been in the ABP for three or four years and had been at the observation post for three or four months.
Campbell said the screening process for ANA, ABP and Afghan Uniform Police involves biometric screening and drug testing. Initial enlistment requires the backing of village elders, which the gunman had, Campbell said.
That process is being reviewed, Campbell said. Afghan governmental agencies, including the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense, have expressed their regret about the shooting and President Hamid Karzai phoned Gen. David Petraeus.
Campbell acknowledged that the shooting will at least have some impact on the trust level between American soldiers and their Afghan partners.
"What we can't do is have guys looking behind their backs, wondering if someone is going to shoot them," Campbell said. "At the tactical level, this is going to be very, very tough for our young soldiers."
Maj. Gen. Frank Wiercinski, senior commander at Fort Campbell, said the installation will embrace the families just as it has with other casualties.
"We grieve the same," he said. "One loss rips you to the bone."
It's also not the first time such an incident in Afghanistan has happened, Campbell said, but it is the deadliest in at least two years.
At least one of the soldiers, McClain, had already told his family about his uncertainty in providing weapons and training to some of the ABP officers.
Chelsea McLain, McLain's wife, told the Associated Press that her husband had expressed his concern a week before his death. She said he told her he was going on a dangerous mission. She told the Sun Journal, "He didn't think it was right to train these people and give them guns."
Campbell said McLain's platoon leader wanted to continue to partner with Afghan forces because it's what will prove to be the success of the fight in Afghanistan.
"We can't let one lone gunman turn this thing around," he said.
Col. Andrew Poppas, commander of Task Force Bastogne and forces in Nangarhar, told The Leaf-Chronicle on Wednesday that there have been issues with the Afghan military and police forces, some serious enough where at least one ABP battalion commander had to be relieved of his duties.
Poppas said he and the rest of his team have been trying to change the Afghan forces' philosophy they can only fight for a 24-hour period and then have to take a break. That effort has begun to take root, but is still in its infancy, he said.
By Jake Lowary • The Leaf-Chronicle • December 3, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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Six soldiers from 101st Airborne killed
Six 101st Airborne Division soldiers were killed Monday when an Afghan Border Police officer turned his weapon on them.
The soldiers were conducting artillery registration during a training mission in the Pachir Wa Agam District, Combat Outpost Lonestar, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, according to a news release late Wednesday from Fort Campbell.
The attacker was also killed, the release said. A joint Afghan and International Security Assistance Force team is investigating the incident.
A spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, Zemeri Bashary, confirmed to the Associated Press that the gunman in Monday's attack was a border police officer rather than an insurgent donning the uniform for a day.
The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the gunman joined the border police to kill foreign soldiers.
"Today he found this opportunity and he killed six invaders," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement e-mailed to the media.
The following soldiers, all from Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, were killed.
Sgt. 1st Class Barry Edward Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind., was a cavalry scout who joined the Army in May 1999 and arrived at Fort Campbell in May 2009.
Jarvis is survived by his wife, Tina L. Jarvis; daughters, Kitaira and Aleesha Jarvis; and sons, Donovan and William, all of Clarksville. He is also survived by his parents, William Jarvis of Atlantic Beach, Fla., and Alma Jarvis of Tell City.
Staff Sgt. Curtis Allen Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio, was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in March 2003 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2004.
Oakes is survived by his wife, Brandy Oakes; son, Bradley Oakes; and stepson, Tyler Jones, all of Clarksville; his daughter, Mia Robus of White City, Kan.; and his parents, Terry and Valarie Oakes of Athens.
Spc. Matthew Wayne Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif., was an infantryman who joined the Army in April 2008 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2008. Ramsey is survived by his wife, Mirella Ramsey; son, Zachary Ramsey of Lancaster, Calif.; and his parents, Wayne and Melissa Cochran of Quartz Hill.
Pfc. Austin Garrett Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in September 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in February 2010.
Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville; son, Kallen O'Neal of Weatherford, Texas; and his parents, Byram Staggs of Senoia and Kaye Jordan of Weatherford.
Pfc. Jacob Alexander Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis., was a combat medic who joined the Army in September 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in April 2010.
Gassen is survived by his parents, Gregory and Barbara Gassen of Beaver Dam.
Pvt. Buddy Wendall McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine, was a cavalry scout who joined the Army in May 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in October 2009.
McLain is survived by his wife, Chelsea McLain and son, Owen McLain, both of Peru, Maine. He is also survived by his parents, Larry and Patti McLain of Mexico, Maine.
Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance Ceremony to honor fallen Screaming Eagles. The next ceremony will be held Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. at the Family Resource Center.
Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, commanding general of the 101st Airborne, will discuss the deaths in a video teleconference from Afghanistan today.
By Chris Smith • The Leaf-Chronicle • December 2, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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Six 4th BCT soldiers die in fighting
Six soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division died Nov. 29 when an insurgent attacked their unit with small arms fire, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday night.
Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.; Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
McLain's death was first announced Tuesday by the governor's office in Maine.
All six soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team.
Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance Ceremony to honor fallen soldiers.
The Leaf-Chronicle • December 1, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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6 soldiers killed by policeman were 101st members
FORT CAMPBELL, KY (AP) - Six American soldiers killed by a rogue Afghan policeman were members of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell.
The bodies of the soldiers were returned Wednesday night to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
The Pentagon has identified them as Sgt. Barry E. Jarvis of Tell City, Ind.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen of Beaver Dam, Wis.; Pvt. Buddy W. McLain of Mexico, Maine; Spec. Matthew W. Ramsey of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pvt. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia, Ga., and Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes of Athens, Ohio.
The gunman was killed in the shootout in Nangarhar province near the Pakistan border.
The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the officer had enlisted as a sleeper agent to have an opportunity to kill foreigners.
Posted: Dec 02, 2010 12:23 PM CST
http://www.wave3.com/story/13604056/6-soldiers-killed-by-policeman-were-101st-members
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Georgia soldier killed in Afghanistan
A 19-year-old soldier from Georgia was among six killed Monday in an attack in Afghanistan.
Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia died of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire in Nangarhar province, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
Also killed in Monday's attack were Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind., Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif., Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wisc., and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 51st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper in Clarksville, Tenn., near Fort Campbell, reported that the soldiers' attacker, who was also killed, was an Afghan Border Police officer who turned his weapon on the U.S. soldiers.
The newspaper said on its website that the Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the gunman joined the border police to kill foreign soldiers.
The Georgia solder was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in September 2009, according to the newspaper. Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, son, Kallen O'Neal of Weatherford, Texas, and his parents, Byram Staggs of Senoia and Kaye Jordan of Weatherford.
Staggs' death came less than three weeks after another 101st Airborne Division soldier from Georgia was killed in Afghanistan.
Specialist Shannon Chihuahua, 25, of Thomasville, died in a small arms fire fight on Nov. 12 in Konar province.
At least 18 soldiers from Fort Campbell were killed last month in Afghanistan.
By Mike Morris of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution * ajc.com
Photo caption: Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia died of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire in Nangarhar province, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
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Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Austin was a Fire Support Specialist. He joined the United States Army in September of 2009 arriving at Fort Campbell in February of 2010. His Awards and Decorations include, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and NATO Medal. He leaves his wife, Sheena, a son, Kallen, his parents, Byram Staggs and Kaye Jordan.
12-1-2010 Freedom Remembered http://freedomremembered.com/index.php/pfc-austin-g-staggs/
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Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. In addition to his father and stepmother, Byram Staggs and Kelly Dunavin he is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, Tenn.; a 2-year-old son, Kallen Staggs, his mother and stepfather, Kaye and Judd Jordan of Weatherford; sisters Emily Staggs and Sarah Staggs, both of Senoia; two brothers, whose names the family requests remain private; grandparents Bobby Joe and Gertrude Staggs of Justin, Texas; and a grandmother, Marion Buckner of Weatherford.
Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs was shy, gentle and liked to fish.
Last Saturday, the 19-year-old Fort Worth native and five other soldiers in his unit were killed when a Taliban sleeper agent posing as a police trainee turned on the Americans during a training mission in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.
The Taliban agent was tracked down and killed in a shootout near the Pakistan border, officials said.
Services for Pfc. Staggs are pending in Fort Worth, where he wanted to be buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, next to his cousin Robert Shelton Staggs.
Pfc. Staggs was born in Fort Worth and spent time growing up with his father in Georgia and his mother in Weatherford. He attended Weatherford High School and graduated from North Hills Private School in nearby Millsap, Texas, in 2008.
Pfc. Staggs, who was adamant about joining the Army, went to basic training in September 2009, his father said. He was deployed to Afghanistan about three months ago.
"He was the most big-hearted kid you've ever met," said his father, Byram Staggs of Senoia, Ga., where Pvt. Staggs had lived since graduating from high school.
Pfc. Staggs was beloved by his nieces and nephews, said his stepmother, Kelly Dunavin of Senoia.
"When he would call on Skype," she said, "they would just push each other away to get on there to see him."
Pvt. Staggs' family is having an especially difficult time comprehending how the Afghan trainee who had worked with the Americans for two years committed the act.
"All I can see is him [the insurgent] just turning around," Ms. Dunavin said. "They weren't prepared; they didn't know."
On Wednesday, several of President Barack Obama's top national security advisers and top Pentagon officials were at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to meet the plane bearing the soldiers' bodies. The attack was the deadliest of its kind in two years, officials said.
The five others killed in the attack were: Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Ky.
In addition to his father and stepmother, Pfc. Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, Tenn.; a 2-year-old son, Kallen Staggs of Weatherford; his mother and stepfather, Kaye and Judd Jordan of Weatherford; sisters Emily Staggs and Sarah Staggs, both of Senoia; two brothers, whose names the family requests remain private; grandparents Bobby Joe and Gertrude Staggs of Justin, Texas; and a grandmother, Marion Buckner of Weatherford.
By Joe Simnacher * The Dallas Morning News * Saturday, December 4, 2010
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Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs
Died November 29, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom
19, of Senoia, Ga.; assigned to 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Nov. 29 in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an insurgent attacked his unit with small-arms fire. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain.
Honor for the fallen, as found on
http://militarytimes.com/valor/army-pfc-austin-g-staggs/5149391/
---------------- ----------------
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of six soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked their unit with small arms fire.
Killed were:
Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.
Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio.
Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.
Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.
Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.
Pfc. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
DOD.gov
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General Campbell: Afghan policeman who killed 6 101st Airborne soldiers acted alone
Rogue Afghan officer shot 5 soldiers in back
Maj. Gen. John Campbell, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, said a rogue Afghan Border policeman acted alone when he shot five 101st soldiers in the back and turned on a sixth, killing them all.
Campbell spoke with reporters Thursday about the attack Monday at a remote Afghan observation post in Nangarhar province.
The soldiers went to the OP to check on the ABP officers stationed there, he said, and were shot in the back during an artillery practice. They were with Afghan National Army soldiers and were greeted by ABP, one of whom was the gunman, Campbell said.
Five of the soldiers — all members of 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team — were watching the impact area from the elevated position when the ABP officer shot them in the back. He turned his weapon on the sixth, and then was killed by other 101st soldiers.
The incident lasted between 10 and 15 seconds, Campbell said.
The soldiers killed were identified as Sgt. 1st Class Barry Edward Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis Allen Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew Wayne Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Austin Garrett Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.; Pfc. Jacob Alexander Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; and Pvt. Buddy Wendall McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
A total of 98 soldiers from Fort Campbell have died overseas this year, one of the worst years for the 101st since 9/11. Bravo Troop's commanding officer, Capt. Ellery Wallace, was killed in August by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Campbell said the unit had been to the observation post three or four times before and the soldiers were on a "routine mission."
The other ABP officers at the site were quickly disarmed and quarantined so an investigation could begin, which is still ongoing and led by a joint Afghan and International Security Assistance Force team.
The Taliban claimed responsibility of the shooting, saying the officer was a sleeper agent. Campbell said that was not necessarily the case, as the Taliban often claims responsibility for such incidents.
"I don't know how much truth that there is to that," Campbell said.
He said the officer had been in the ABP for three or four years and had been at the observation post for three or four months.
Campbell said the screening process for ANA, ABP and Afghan Uniform Police involves biometric screening and drug testing. Initial enlistment requires the backing of village elders, which the gunman had, Campbell said.
That process is being reviewed, Campbell said. Afghan governmental agencies, including the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense, have expressed their regret about the shooting and President Hamid Karzai phoned Gen. David Petraeus.
Campbell acknowledged that the shooting will at least have some impact on the trust level between American soldiers and their Afghan partners.
"What we can't do is have guys looking behind their backs, wondering if someone is going to shoot them," Campbell said. "At the tactical level, this is going to be very, very tough for our young soldiers."
Maj. Gen. Frank Wiercinski, senior commander at Fort Campbell, said the installation will embrace the families just as it has with other casualties.
"We grieve the same," he said. "One loss rips you to the bone."
It's also not the first time such an incident in Afghanistan has happened, Campbell said, but it is the deadliest in at least two years.
At least one of the soldiers, McClain, had already told his family about his uncertainty in providing weapons and training to some of the ABP officers.
Chelsea McLain, McLain's wife, told the Associated Press that her husband had expressed his concern a week before his death. She said he told her he was going on a dangerous mission. She told the Sun Journal, "He didn't think it was right to train these people and give them guns."
Campbell said McLain's platoon leader wanted to continue to partner with Afghan forces because it's what will prove to be the success of the fight in Afghanistan.
"We can't let one lone gunman turn this thing around," he said.
Col. Andrew Poppas, commander of Task Force Bastogne and forces in Nangarhar, told The Leaf-Chronicle on Wednesday that there have been issues with the Afghan military and police forces, some serious enough where at least one ABP battalion commander had to be relieved of his duties.
Poppas said he and the rest of his team have been trying to change the Afghan forces' philosophy they can only fight for a 24-hour period and then have to take a break. That effort has begun to take root, but is still in its infancy, he said.
By Jake Lowary • The Leaf-Chronicle • December 3, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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Six soldiers from 101st Airborne killed
Six 101st Airborne Division soldiers were killed Monday when an Afghan Border Police officer turned his weapon on them.
The soldiers were conducting artillery registration during a training mission in the Pachir Wa Agam District, Combat Outpost Lonestar, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, according to a news release late Wednesday from Fort Campbell.
The attacker was also killed, the release said. A joint Afghan and International Security Assistance Force team is investigating the incident.
A spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, Zemeri Bashary, confirmed to the Associated Press that the gunman in Monday's attack was a border police officer rather than an insurgent donning the uniform for a day.
The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the gunman joined the border police to kill foreign soldiers.
"Today he found this opportunity and he killed six invaders," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement e-mailed to the media.
The following soldiers, all from Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, were killed.
Sgt. 1st Class Barry Edward Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind., was a cavalry scout who joined the Army in May 1999 and arrived at Fort Campbell in May 2009.
Jarvis is survived by his wife, Tina L. Jarvis; daughters, Kitaira and Aleesha Jarvis; and sons, Donovan and William, all of Clarksville. He is also survived by his parents, William Jarvis of Atlantic Beach, Fla., and Alma Jarvis of Tell City.
Staff Sgt. Curtis Allen Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio, was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in March 2003 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2004.
Oakes is survived by his wife, Brandy Oakes; son, Bradley Oakes; and stepson, Tyler Jones, all of Clarksville; his daughter, Mia Robus of White City, Kan.; and his parents, Terry and Valarie Oakes of Athens.
Spc. Matthew Wayne Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif., was an infantryman who joined the Army in April 2008 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2008. Ramsey is survived by his wife, Mirella Ramsey; son, Zachary Ramsey of Lancaster, Calif.; and his parents, Wayne and Melissa Cochran of Quartz Hill.
Pfc. Austin Garrett Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in September 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in February 2010.
Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville; son, Kallen O'Neal of Weatherford, Texas; and his parents, Byram Staggs of Senoia and Kaye Jordan of Weatherford.
Pfc. Jacob Alexander Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis., was a combat medic who joined the Army in September 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in April 2010.
Gassen is survived by his parents, Gregory and Barbara Gassen of Beaver Dam.
Pvt. Buddy Wendall McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine, was a cavalry scout who joined the Army in May 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in October 2009.
McLain is survived by his wife, Chelsea McLain and son, Owen McLain, both of Peru, Maine. He is also survived by his parents, Larry and Patti McLain of Mexico, Maine.
Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance Ceremony to honor fallen Screaming Eagles. The next ceremony will be held Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. at the Family Resource Center.
Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, commanding general of the 101st Airborne, will discuss the deaths in a video teleconference from Afghanistan today.
By Chris Smith • The Leaf-Chronicle • December 2, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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Six 4th BCT soldiers die in fighting
Six soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division died Nov. 29 when an insurgent attacked their unit with small arms fire, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday night.
Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.; Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
McLain's death was first announced Tuesday by the governor's office in Maine.
All six soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team.
Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance Ceremony to honor fallen soldiers.
The Leaf-Chronicle • December 1, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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6 soldiers killed by policeman were 101st members
FORT CAMPBELL, KY (AP) - Six American soldiers killed by a rogue Afghan policeman were members of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell.
The bodies of the soldiers were returned Wednesday night to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
The Pentagon has identified them as Sgt. Barry E. Jarvis of Tell City, Ind.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen of Beaver Dam, Wis.; Pvt. Buddy W. McLain of Mexico, Maine; Spec. Matthew W. Ramsey of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pvt. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia, Ga., and Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes of Athens, Ohio.
The gunman was killed in the shootout in Nangarhar province near the Pakistan border.
The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the officer had enlisted as a sleeper agent to have an opportunity to kill foreigners.
Posted: Dec 02, 2010 12:23 PM CST
http://www.wave3.com/story/13604056/6-soldiers-killed-by-policeman-were-101st-members
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Georgia soldier killed in Afghanistan
A 19-year-old soldier from Georgia was among six killed Monday in an attack in Afghanistan.
Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia died of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire in Nangarhar province, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
Also killed in Monday's attack were Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind., Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif., Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wisc., and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 51st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper in Clarksville, Tenn., near Fort Campbell, reported that the soldiers' attacker, who was also killed, was an Afghan Border Police officer who turned his weapon on the U.S. soldiers.
The newspaper said on its website that the Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the gunman joined the border police to kill foreign soldiers.
The Georgia solder was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in September 2009, according to the newspaper. Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, son, Kallen O'Neal of Weatherford, Texas, and his parents, Byram Staggs of Senoia and Kaye Jordan of Weatherford.
Staggs' death came less than three weeks after another 101st Airborne Division soldier from Georgia was killed in Afghanistan.
Specialist Shannon Chihuahua, 25, of Thomasville, died in a small arms fire fight on Nov. 12 in Konar province.
At least 18 soldiers from Fort Campbell were killed last month in Afghanistan.
By Mike Morris of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution * ajc.com
Photo caption: Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia died of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire in Nangarhar province, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
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Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Austin was a Fire Support Specialist. He joined the United States Army in September of 2009 arriving at Fort Campbell in February of 2010. His Awards and Decorations include, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and NATO Medal. He leaves his wife, Sheena, a son, Kallen, his parents, Byram Staggs and Kaye Jordan.
12-1-2010 Freedom Remembered http://freedomremembered.com/index.php/pfc-austin-g-staggs/
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Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. In addition to his father and stepmother, Byram Staggs and Kelly Dunavin he is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, Tenn.; a 2-year-old son, Kallen Staggs, his mother and stepfather, Kaye and Judd Jordan of Weatherford; sisters Emily Staggs and Sarah Staggs, both of Senoia; two brothers, whose names the family requests remain private; grandparents Bobby Joe and Gertrude Staggs of Justin, Texas; and a grandmother, Marion Buckner of Weatherford.
Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, killed by Taliban sleeper agent, was a 'big-hearted kid'
Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs was shy, gentle and liked to fish.
Last Saturday, the 19-year-old Fort Worth native and five other soldiers in his unit were killed when a Taliban sleeper agent posing as a police trainee turned on the Americans during a training mission in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.
The Taliban agent was tracked down and killed in a shootout near the Pakistan border, officials said.
Services for Pfc. Staggs are pending in Fort Worth, where he wanted to be buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, next to his cousin Robert Shelton Staggs.
Pfc. Staggs was born in Fort Worth and spent time growing up with his father in Georgia and his mother in Weatherford. He attended Weatherford High School and graduated from North Hills Private School in nearby Millsap, Texas, in 2008.
Pfc. Staggs, who was adamant about joining the Army, went to basic training in September 2009, his father said. He was deployed to Afghanistan about three months ago.
"He was the most big-hearted kid you've ever met," said his father, Byram Staggs of Senoia, Ga., where Pvt. Staggs had lived since graduating from high school.
Pfc. Staggs was beloved by his nieces and nephews, said his stepmother, Kelly Dunavin of Senoia.
"When he would call on Skype," she said, "they would just push each other away to get on there to see him."
Pvt. Staggs' family is having an especially difficult time comprehending how the Afghan trainee who had worked with the Americans for two years committed the act.
"All I can see is him [the insurgent] just turning around," Ms. Dunavin said. "They weren't prepared; they didn't know."
On Wednesday, several of President Barack Obama's top national security advisers and top Pentagon officials were at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to meet the plane bearing the soldiers' bodies. The attack was the deadliest of its kind in two years, officials said.
The five others killed in the attack were: Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Ky.
In addition to his father and stepmother, Pfc. Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, Tenn.; a 2-year-old son, Kallen Staggs of Weatherford; his mother and stepfather, Kaye and Judd Jordan of Weatherford; sisters Emily Staggs and Sarah Staggs, both of Senoia; two brothers, whose names the family requests remain private; grandparents Bobby Joe and Gertrude Staggs of Justin, Texas; and a grandmother, Marion Buckner of Weatherford.
By Joe Simnacher * The Dallas Morning News * Saturday, December 4, 2010
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Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs
Died November 29, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom
19, of Senoia, Ga.; assigned to 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Nov. 29 in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an insurgent attacked his unit with small-arms fire. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain.
Honor for the fallen, as found on
http://militarytimes.com/valor/army-pfc-austin-g-staggs/5149391/
---------------- ----------------
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of six soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked their unit with small arms fire.
Killed were:
Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.
Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio.
Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.
Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.
Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.
Pfc. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
DOD.gov
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General Campbell: Afghan policeman who killed 6 101st Airborne soldiers acted alone
Rogue Afghan officer shot 5 soldiers in back
Maj. Gen. John Campbell, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, said a rogue Afghan Border policeman acted alone when he shot five 101st soldiers in the back and turned on a sixth, killing them all.
Campbell spoke with reporters Thursday about the attack Monday at a remote Afghan observation post in Nangarhar province.
The soldiers went to the OP to check on the ABP officers stationed there, he said, and were shot in the back during an artillery practice. They were with Afghan National Army soldiers and were greeted by ABP, one of whom was the gunman, Campbell said.
Five of the soldiers — all members of 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team — were watching the impact area from the elevated position when the ABP officer shot them in the back. He turned his weapon on the sixth, and then was killed by other 101st soldiers.
The incident lasted between 10 and 15 seconds, Campbell said.
The soldiers killed were identified as Sgt. 1st Class Barry Edward Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis Allen Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew Wayne Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Austin Garrett Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.; Pfc. Jacob Alexander Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; and Pvt. Buddy Wendall McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
A total of 98 soldiers from Fort Campbell have died overseas this year, one of the worst years for the 101st since 9/11. Bravo Troop's commanding officer, Capt. Ellery Wallace, was killed in August by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Campbell said the unit had been to the observation post three or four times before and the soldiers were on a "routine mission."
The other ABP officers at the site were quickly disarmed and quarantined so an investigation could begin, which is still ongoing and led by a joint Afghan and International Security Assistance Force team.
The Taliban claimed responsibility of the shooting, saying the officer was a sleeper agent. Campbell said that was not necessarily the case, as the Taliban often claims responsibility for such incidents.
"I don't know how much truth that there is to that," Campbell said.
He said the officer had been in the ABP for three or four years and had been at the observation post for three or four months.
Campbell said the screening process for ANA, ABP and Afghan Uniform Police involves biometric screening and drug testing. Initial enlistment requires the backing of village elders, which the gunman had, Campbell said.
That process is being reviewed, Campbell said. Afghan governmental agencies, including the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense, have expressed their regret about the shooting and President Hamid Karzai phoned Gen. David Petraeus.
Campbell acknowledged that the shooting will at least have some impact on the trust level between American soldiers and their Afghan partners.
"What we can't do is have guys looking behind their backs, wondering if someone is going to shoot them," Campbell said. "At the tactical level, this is going to be very, very tough for our young soldiers."
Maj. Gen. Frank Wiercinski, senior commander at Fort Campbell, said the installation will embrace the families just as it has with other casualties.
"We grieve the same," he said. "One loss rips you to the bone."
It's also not the first time such an incident in Afghanistan has happened, Campbell said, but it is the deadliest in at least two years.
At least one of the soldiers, McClain, had already told his family about his uncertainty in providing weapons and training to some of the ABP officers.
Chelsea McLain, McLain's wife, told the Associated Press that her husband had expressed his concern a week before his death. She said he told her he was going on a dangerous mission. She told the Sun Journal, "He didn't think it was right to train these people and give them guns."
Campbell said McLain's platoon leader wanted to continue to partner with Afghan forces because it's what will prove to be the success of the fight in Afghanistan.
"We can't let one lone gunman turn this thing around," he said.
Col. Andrew Poppas, commander of Task Force Bastogne and forces in Nangarhar, told The Leaf-Chronicle on Wednesday that there have been issues with the Afghan military and police forces, some serious enough where at least one ABP battalion commander had to be relieved of his duties.
Poppas said he and the rest of his team have been trying to change the Afghan forces' philosophy they can only fight for a 24-hour period and then have to take a break. That effort has begun to take root, but is still in its infancy, he said.
By Jake Lowary • The Leaf-Chronicle • December 3, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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Six soldiers from 101st Airborne killed
Six 101st Airborne Division soldiers were killed Monday when an Afghan Border Police officer turned his weapon on them.
The soldiers were conducting artillery registration during a training mission in the Pachir Wa Agam District, Combat Outpost Lonestar, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, according to a news release late Wednesday from Fort Campbell.
The attacker was also killed, the release said. A joint Afghan and International Security Assistance Force team is investigating the incident.
A spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, Zemeri Bashary, confirmed to the Associated Press that the gunman in Monday's attack was a border police officer rather than an insurgent donning the uniform for a day.
The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the gunman joined the border police to kill foreign soldiers.
"Today he found this opportunity and he killed six invaders," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement e-mailed to the media.
The following soldiers, all from Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, were killed.
Sgt. 1st Class Barry Edward Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind., was a cavalry scout who joined the Army in May 1999 and arrived at Fort Campbell in May 2009.
Jarvis is survived by his wife, Tina L. Jarvis; daughters, Kitaira and Aleesha Jarvis; and sons, Donovan and William, all of Clarksville. He is also survived by his parents, William Jarvis of Atlantic Beach, Fla., and Alma Jarvis of Tell City.
Staff Sgt. Curtis Allen Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio, was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in March 2003 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2004.
Oakes is survived by his wife, Brandy Oakes; son, Bradley Oakes; and stepson, Tyler Jones, all of Clarksville; his daughter, Mia Robus of White City, Kan.; and his parents, Terry and Valarie Oakes of Athens.
Spc. Matthew Wayne Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif., was an infantryman who joined the Army in April 2008 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2008. Ramsey is survived by his wife, Mirella Ramsey; son, Zachary Ramsey of Lancaster, Calif.; and his parents, Wayne and Melissa Cochran of Quartz Hill.
Pfc. Austin Garrett Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in September 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in February 2010.
Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville; son, Kallen O'Neal of Weatherford, Texas; and his parents, Byram Staggs of Senoia and Kaye Jordan of Weatherford.
Pfc. Jacob Alexander Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis., was a combat medic who joined the Army in September 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in April 2010.
Gassen is survived by his parents, Gregory and Barbara Gassen of Beaver Dam.
Pvt. Buddy Wendall McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine, was a cavalry scout who joined the Army in May 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in October 2009.
McLain is survived by his wife, Chelsea McLain and son, Owen McLain, both of Peru, Maine. He is also survived by his parents, Larry and Patti McLain of Mexico, Maine.
Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance Ceremony to honor fallen Screaming Eagles. The next ceremony will be held Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. at the Family Resource Center.
Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, commanding general of the 101st Airborne, will discuss the deaths in a video teleconference from Afghanistan today.
By Chris Smith • The Leaf-Chronicle • December 2, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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Six 4th BCT soldiers die in fighting
Six soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division died Nov. 29 when an insurgent attacked their unit with small arms fire, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday night.
Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.; Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
McLain's death was first announced Tuesday by the governor's office in Maine.
All six soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team.
Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance Ceremony to honor fallen soldiers.
The Leaf-Chronicle • December 1, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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6 soldiers killed by policeman were 101st members
FORT CAMPBELL, KY (AP) - Six American soldiers killed by a rogue Afghan policeman were members of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell.
The bodies of the soldiers were returned Wednesday night to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
The Pentagon has identified them as Sgt. Barry E. Jarvis of Tell City, Ind.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen of Beaver Dam, Wis.; Pvt. Buddy W. McLain of Mexico, Maine; Spec. Matthew W. Ramsey of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pvt. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia, Ga., and Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes of Athens, Ohio.
The gunman was killed in the shootout in Nangarhar province near the Pakistan border.
The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the officer had enlisted as a sleeper agent to have an opportunity to kill foreigners.
Posted: Dec 02, 2010 12:23 PM CST
http://www.wave3.com/story/13604056/6-soldiers-killed-by-policeman-were-101st-members
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Georgia soldier killed in Afghanistan
A 19-year-old soldier from Georgia was among six killed Monday in an attack in Afghanistan.
Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia died of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire in Nangarhar province, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
Also killed in Monday's attack were Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind., Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif., Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wisc., and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 51st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper in Clarksville, Tenn., near Fort Campbell, reported that the soldiers' attacker, who was also killed, was an Afghan Border Police officer who turned his weapon on the U.S. soldiers.
The newspaper said on its website that the Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the gunman joined the border police to kill foreign soldiers.
The Georgia solder was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in September 2009, according to the newspaper. Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, son, Kallen O'Neal of Weatherford, Texas, and his parents, Byram Staggs of Senoia and Kaye Jordan of Weatherford.
Staggs' death came less than three weeks after another 101st Airborne Division soldier from Georgia was killed in Afghanistan.
Specialist Shannon Chihuahua, 25, of Thomasville, died in a small arms fire fight on Nov. 12 in Konar province.
At least 18 soldiers from Fort Campbell were killed last month in Afghanistan.
By Mike Morris of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution * ajc.com
Photo caption: Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia died of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire in Nangarhar province, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
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Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Austin was a Fire Support Specialist. He joined the United States Army in September of 2009 arriving at Fort Campbell in February of 2010. His Awards and Decorations include, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and NATO Medal. He leaves his wife, Sheena, a son, Kallen, his parents, Byram Staggs and Kaye Jordan.
12-1-2010 Freedom Remembered http://freedomremembered.com/index.php/pfc-austin-g-staggs/
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Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. In addition to his father and stepmother, Byram Staggs and Kelly Dunavin he is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, Tenn.; a 2-year-old son, Kallen Staggs, his mother and stepfather, Kaye and Judd Jordan of Weatherford; sisters Emily Staggs and Sarah Staggs, both of Senoia; two brothers, whose names the family requests remain private; grandparents Bobby Joe and Gertrude Staggs of Justin, Texas; and a grandmother, Marion Buckner of Weatherford.
Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs was shy, gentle and liked to fish.
Last Saturday, the 19-year-old Fort Worth native and five other soldiers in his unit were killed when a Taliban sleeper agent posing as a police trainee turned on the Americans during a training mission in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.
The Taliban agent was tracked down and killed in a shootout near the Pakistan border, officials said.
Services for Pfc. Staggs are pending in Fort Worth, where he wanted to be buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, next to his cousin Robert Shelton Staggs.
Pfc. Staggs was born in Fort Worth and spent time growing up with his father in Georgia and his mother in Weatherford. He attended Weatherford High School and graduated from North Hills Private School in nearby Millsap, Texas, in 2008.
Pfc. Staggs, who was adamant about joining the Army, went to basic training in September 2009, his father said. He was deployed to Afghanistan about three months ago.
"He was the most big-hearted kid you've ever met," said his father, Byram Staggs of Senoia, Ga., where Pvt. Staggs had lived since graduating from high school.
Pfc. Staggs was beloved by his nieces and nephews, said his stepmother, Kelly Dunavin of Senoia.
"When he would call on Skype," she said, "they would just push each other away to get on there to see him."
Pvt. Staggs' family is having an especially difficult time comprehending how the Afghan trainee who had worked with the Americans for two years committed the act.
"All I can see is him [the insurgent] just turning around," Ms. Dunavin said. "They weren't prepared; they didn't know."
On Wednesday, several of President Barack Obama's top national security advisers and top Pentagon officials were at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to meet the plane bearing the soldiers' bodies. The attack was the deadliest of its kind in two years, officials said.
The five others killed in the attack were: Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Ky.
In addition to his father and stepmother, Pfc. Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, Tenn.; a 2-year-old son, Kallen Staggs of Weatherford; his mother and stepfather, Kaye and Judd Jordan of Weatherford; sisters Emily Staggs and Sarah Staggs, both of Senoia; two brothers, whose names the family requests remain private; grandparents Bobby Joe and Gertrude Staggs of Justin, Texas; and a grandmother, Marion Buckner of Weatherford.
By Joe Simnacher * The Dallas Morning News * Saturday, December 4, 2010
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Army Pfc. Austin G. Staggs
Died November 29, 2010 serving during Operation Enduring Freedom
19, of Senoia, Ga.; assigned to 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Nov. 29 in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when an insurgent attacked his unit with small-arms fire. Also killed were Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain.
Honor for the fallen, as found on
http://militarytimes.com/valor/army-pfc-austin-g-staggs/5149391/
---------------- ----------------
The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of six soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked their unit with small arms fire.
Killed were:
Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.
Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio.
Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.
Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.
Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.
Pfc. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
They were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
DOD.gov
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General Campbell: Afghan policeman who killed 6 101st Airborne soldiers acted alone
Rogue Afghan officer shot 5 soldiers in back
Maj. Gen. John Campbell, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, said a rogue Afghan Border policeman acted alone when he shot five 101st soldiers in the back and turned on a sixth, killing them all.
Campbell spoke with reporters Thursday about the attack Monday at a remote Afghan observation post in Nangarhar province.
The soldiers went to the OP to check on the ABP officers stationed there, he said, and were shot in the back during an artillery practice. They were with Afghan National Army soldiers and were greeted by ABP, one of whom was the gunman, Campbell said.
Five of the soldiers — all members of 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team — were watching the impact area from the elevated position when the ABP officer shot them in the back. He turned his weapon on the sixth, and then was killed by other 101st soldiers.
The incident lasted between 10 and 15 seconds, Campbell said.
The soldiers killed were identified as Sgt. 1st Class Barry Edward Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis Allen Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew Wayne Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Austin Garrett Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.; Pfc. Jacob Alexander Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; and Pvt. Buddy Wendall McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
A total of 98 soldiers from Fort Campbell have died overseas this year, one of the worst years for the 101st since 9/11. Bravo Troop's commanding officer, Capt. Ellery Wallace, was killed in August by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Campbell said the unit had been to the observation post three or four times before and the soldiers were on a "routine mission."
The other ABP officers at the site were quickly disarmed and quarantined so an investigation could begin, which is still ongoing and led by a joint Afghan and International Security Assistance Force team.
The Taliban claimed responsibility of the shooting, saying the officer was a sleeper agent. Campbell said that was not necessarily the case, as the Taliban often claims responsibility for such incidents.
"I don't know how much truth that there is to that," Campbell said.
He said the officer had been in the ABP for three or four years and had been at the observation post for three or four months.
Campbell said the screening process for ANA, ABP and Afghan Uniform Police involves biometric screening and drug testing. Initial enlistment requires the backing of village elders, which the gunman had, Campbell said.
That process is being reviewed, Campbell said. Afghan governmental agencies, including the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense, have expressed their regret about the shooting and President Hamid Karzai phoned Gen. David Petraeus.
Campbell acknowledged that the shooting will at least have some impact on the trust level between American soldiers and their Afghan partners.
"What we can't do is have guys looking behind their backs, wondering if someone is going to shoot them," Campbell said. "At the tactical level, this is going to be very, very tough for our young soldiers."
Maj. Gen. Frank Wiercinski, senior commander at Fort Campbell, said the installation will embrace the families just as it has with other casualties.
"We grieve the same," he said. "One loss rips you to the bone."
It's also not the first time such an incident in Afghanistan has happened, Campbell said, but it is the deadliest in at least two years.
At least one of the soldiers, McClain, had already told his family about his uncertainty in providing weapons and training to some of the ABP officers.
Chelsea McLain, McLain's wife, told the Associated Press that her husband had expressed his concern a week before his death. She said he told her he was going on a dangerous mission. She told the Sun Journal, "He didn't think it was right to train these people and give them guns."
Campbell said McLain's platoon leader wanted to continue to partner with Afghan forces because it's what will prove to be the success of the fight in Afghanistan.
"We can't let one lone gunman turn this thing around," he said.
Col. Andrew Poppas, commander of Task Force Bastogne and forces in Nangarhar, told The Leaf-Chronicle on Wednesday that there have been issues with the Afghan military and police forces, some serious enough where at least one ABP battalion commander had to be relieved of his duties.
Poppas said he and the rest of his team have been trying to change the Afghan forces' philosophy they can only fight for a 24-hour period and then have to take a break. That effort has begun to take root, but is still in its infancy, he said.
By Jake Lowary • The Leaf-Chronicle • December 3, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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Six soldiers from 101st Airborne killed
Six 101st Airborne Division soldiers were killed Monday when an Afghan Border Police officer turned his weapon on them.
The soldiers were conducting artillery registration during a training mission in the Pachir Wa Agam District, Combat Outpost Lonestar, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, according to a news release late Wednesday from Fort Campbell.
The attacker was also killed, the release said. A joint Afghan and International Security Assistance Force team is investigating the incident.
A spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, Zemeri Bashary, confirmed to the Associated Press that the gunman in Monday's attack was a border police officer rather than an insurgent donning the uniform for a day.
The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the gunman joined the border police to kill foreign soldiers.
"Today he found this opportunity and he killed six invaders," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement e-mailed to the media.
The following soldiers, all from Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, were killed.
Sgt. 1st Class Barry Edward Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind., was a cavalry scout who joined the Army in May 1999 and arrived at Fort Campbell in May 2009.
Jarvis is survived by his wife, Tina L. Jarvis; daughters, Kitaira and Aleesha Jarvis; and sons, Donovan and William, all of Clarksville. He is also survived by his parents, William Jarvis of Atlantic Beach, Fla., and Alma Jarvis of Tell City.
Staff Sgt. Curtis Allen Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio, was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in March 2003 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2004.
Oakes is survived by his wife, Brandy Oakes; son, Bradley Oakes; and stepson, Tyler Jones, all of Clarksville; his daughter, Mia Robus of White City, Kan.; and his parents, Terry and Valarie Oakes of Athens.
Spc. Matthew Wayne Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif., was an infantryman who joined the Army in April 2008 and arrived at Fort Campbell in September 2008. Ramsey is survived by his wife, Mirella Ramsey; son, Zachary Ramsey of Lancaster, Calif.; and his parents, Wayne and Melissa Cochran of Quartz Hill.
Pfc. Austin Garrett Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in September 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in February 2010.
Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville; son, Kallen O'Neal of Weatherford, Texas; and his parents, Byram Staggs of Senoia and Kaye Jordan of Weatherford.
Pfc. Jacob Alexander Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis., was a combat medic who joined the Army in September 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in April 2010.
Gassen is survived by his parents, Gregory and Barbara Gassen of Beaver Dam.
Pvt. Buddy Wendall McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine, was a cavalry scout who joined the Army in May 2009 and arrived at Fort Campbell in October 2009.
McLain is survived by his wife, Chelsea McLain and son, Owen McLain, both of Peru, Maine. He is also survived by his parents, Larry and Patti McLain of Mexico, Maine.
Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance Ceremony to honor fallen Screaming Eagles. The next ceremony will be held Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. at the Family Resource Center.
Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, commanding general of the 101st Airborne, will discuss the deaths in a video teleconference from Afghanistan today.
By Chris Smith • The Leaf-Chronicle • December 2, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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Six 4th BCT soldiers die in fighting
Six soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division died Nov. 29 when an insurgent attacked their unit with small arms fire, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday night.
Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio; Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wis.; Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga.; Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
McLain's death was first announced Tuesday by the governor's office in Maine.
All six soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team.
Fort Campbell holds a monthly Eagle Remembrance Ceremony to honor fallen soldiers.
The Leaf-Chronicle • December 1, 2010 * theleafchronicle.com
Gannett Tennessee Newspaper Network: Clarksville
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6 soldiers killed by policeman were 101st members
FORT CAMPBELL, KY (AP) - Six American soldiers killed by a rogue Afghan policeman were members of the 101st Airborne Division, based at Fort Campbell.
The bodies of the soldiers were returned Wednesday night to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
The Pentagon has identified them as Sgt. Barry E. Jarvis of Tell City, Ind.; Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen of Beaver Dam, Wis.; Pvt. Buddy W. McLain of Mexico, Maine; Spec. Matthew W. Ramsey of Quartz Hill, Calif.; Pvt. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia, Ga., and Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes of Athens, Ohio.
The gunman was killed in the shootout in Nangarhar province near the Pakistan border.
The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the officer had enlisted as a sleeper agent to have an opportunity to kill foreigners.
Posted: Dec 02, 2010 12:23 PM CST
http://www.wave3.com/story/13604056/6-soldiers-killed-by-policeman-were-101st-members
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Georgia soldier killed in Afghanistan
A 19-year-old soldier from Georgia was among six killed Monday in an attack in Afghanistan.
Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia died of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire in Nangarhar province, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
Also killed in Monday's attack were Sgt. 1st Class Barry E. Jarvis, 36, of Tell City, Ind., Staff Sgt. Curtis A. Oakes, 29, of Athens, Ohio, Spc. Matthew W. Ramsey, 20, of Quartz Hill, Calif., Pfc. Jacob A. Gassen, 21, of Beaver Dam, Wisc., and Pvt. Buddy W. McLain, 24, of Mexico, Maine.
The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Squadron, 51st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper in Clarksville, Tenn., near Fort Campbell, reported that the soldiers' attacker, who was also killed, was an Afghan Border Police officer who turned his weapon on the U.S. soldiers.
The newspaper said on its website that the Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the gunman joined the border police to kill foreign soldiers.
The Georgia solder was a fire support specialist who joined the Army in September 2009, according to the newspaper. Staggs is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, son, Kallen O'Neal of Weatherford, Texas, and his parents, Byram Staggs of Senoia and Kaye Jordan of Weatherford.
Staggs' death came less than three weeks after another 101st Airborne Division soldier from Georgia was killed in Afghanistan.
Specialist Shannon Chihuahua, 25, of Thomasville, died in a small arms fire fight on Nov. 12 in Konar province.
At least 18 soldiers from Fort Campbell were killed last month in Afghanistan.
By Mike Morris of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution * ajc.com
Photo caption: Pfc. Austin G. Staggs of Senoia died of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire in Nangarhar province, according to a statement from the Department of Defense.
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Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. Austin was a Fire Support Specialist. He joined the United States Army in September of 2009 arriving at Fort Campbell in February of 2010. His Awards and Decorations include, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and NATO Medal. He leaves his wife, Sheena, a son, Kallen, his parents, Byram Staggs and Kaye Jordan.
12-1-2010 Freedom Remembered http://freedomremembered.com/index.php/pfc-austin-g-staggs/
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Pfc. Austin G. Staggs, 19, of Senoia, Ga., died Nov. 29, in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an insurgent attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. In addition to his father and stepmother, Byram Staggs and Kelly Dunavin he is survived by his wife, Sheena Staggs of Clarksville, Tenn.; a 2-year-old son, Kallen Staggs, his mother and stepfather, Kaye and Judd Jordan of Weatherford; sisters Emily Staggs and Sarah Staggs, both of Senoia; two brothers, whose names the family requests remain private; grandparents Bobby Joe and Gertrude Staggs of Justin, Texas; and a grandmother, Marion Buckner of Weatherford.
