More coverage of Fort Atkinson Marine Lance Cpl. Meinert

A Fort Atkinson Marine who was killed in Afghanistan on Sunday is being remembered as a quiet but funny young man who had a passion for jazz band in high school.

“He was a very funny, loving boy,” said Michael Edquist, the stepfather of Lance Cpl. Jacob Meinert, 20, who Edquist said died from injuries he suffered from the blast of an explosive device. “We’re not sure if he stepped on it or was standing close to it. They couldn’t tell us.”

Maj. Alan Crouch, public affairs officer at the Hawaii base where Meinert was stationed, said he couldn’t confirm the specifics of Meinert’s death.

Read the Wisconsin State Journal story by Samara Kalk Derby here.

Above is the last photo that Jacob Meinert took of himself in December before leaving Hawaii for deployment in Afghanistan. He sent the digital camera with this photo to his brother in Fort Atkinson.

More wounded Wisconsin soldiers identified in Time photo essay

A Time magazine photo essay called "A Window on the War in Afghanistan" includes photos of at least four Wisconsin National Guard soldiers, including three shortly after they were injured by an explosion. They are members of the 951st, a state guard Sapper, or combat engineering, unit that is clearing roads of IEDs.

The photographs were made in September. On Friday a member of the unit was killed and seven were injured by a rocket propelled grenade.

In one of the Time magazine photos, Specialist Codey Johnson of Eau Claire cries while comforting his best friend, Specialist T.J. Fecteau of Scofield. Insignias identifying the soldiers as members of the state guard are visible.

Another shows Sgt. Phil Poitra from Lac du Flambeau with his head bandaged and blood on his face.The magazine reported that he returned to duty.

The fourth soldier, Sgt. Chet Millard, is expected to be on the cover of the magazine, which has been delivered to subscribers.

None of the injuries was life-threatening, said Maj. Jackie Guthrie of the Wisconsin National Guard. Millard is being treated for his injuries in Afghanistan, while Fecteau has been moved to the U.S. for treatment, Guthrie said.

It appears that one or more other photos of soldiers being carried to a helicopter on stretchers are also Wisconsin soldiers, although it's not clear who is who, Guthrie said.

Injured soldier from Sgt. Adams' unit to be featured in Time

Sgt. Ryan Adams of Rhinelander, seen at left, was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan on Friday. The Wisconsin National Guard soldier was part of the 951st, an engineering unit (seen on patrol at right in photo provided by the Army) with a mission of clearing roads of improvised explosive devices.

Several other members of the unit were injured.

About a month ago, on Sept. 8, one of Adams' fellow soldiers in the 951st was injured by the explosion of an IED.

Sgt. Chet Millard survived the blast. A Time magazine journalist happened to be nearby.

Editions of the magazine that hit newstands in about a week will include coverage of the hazardous mission of the Wisconsin-based 951st, according to a television news report.

A local soldier's tragic accident in Afghanistan provides a painfully heroic image for the cover of a national news magazine.

Sergeant First Class Chet Millard from the 951st National Guard unit based out of Rhinelander-Tomahawk is currently deployed overseas.

On September 8th the heavily armored vehicle that SFC Millard was riding in during a route clearing mission in Afghanistan hit a roadside bomb and the vehicle was slammed into the side of a mountain.

About two weeks before Millard was injured, The Washington Times published a story about the 951st. Millard was quoted in the article.

"I always expect to get hit," said Sgt. First Class Millard, "When we don't -- it's a good day."

- Steve

UW grad's new DOD job is getting armor, weapons to troops

A Madison native was named today to a Defense Department post as chief adviser for procuring equipment that protects U.S. forces from roadside bombs that have killed scores of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read the story at madison.com

Wisconsin native claimed by IED in Afghanistan

Kevin Graham, an Army specialist who grew up in Wisconsin and still has family here, was killed Saturday by an IED in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Read his story in the Racine Journal-Times by clicking here.
According to coverage in The News Tribune of Tacoma, Washington, near Fort Lewis:

His death is the 16th for the Strykers of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. And 10 of those deaths have fallen on a single battalion, the 1-17.

Since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began, only five other Fort Lewis Stryker battalions have lost 10 or more soldiers, and those were sustained over a full 12- or 15-month deployment. The 1-17 and its parent brigade have been deployed less than three months.

Kevin Graham, 1982-2009