Answer the questions – Marine Gunnery Sgt. Aaron M. Kenefick

Maybe the Buffalo News is starting to understand the problems involved in us trying to get a congressional investigation. This is the 3rd article they have written. Congress, we DEMAND a Congressional Investigation in to the deaths of these Men that were left, abandoned in the heat of a fierce battle, refused any kind of support from nearby aircraft and ground troops. Then these guys were assassinated by the enemy. What are you helping cover up here. Are there any congressmen/woman that have ANY guts anymore…? Any???

The U.S. military failed Marine Gunnery Sgt. Aaron M. Kenefick two years ago, and that cost him his life. Now the military is failing Kenefick’s family by failing to fully disclose the circumstances surrounding the Marine’s death in combat.

Kenefick, who grew up in Amherst, had been a Marine for 12 years and had already earned a Purple Heart for wounds received in battle in Afghanistan when his unit was ambushed in a small village in the Ganjgal Valley. The patrol radioed for help at least 10 times over the next few hours, and was turned down each time by superiors at a nearby Army command post.

Another Marine, Cpl. Dakota Meyer, heard the calls for help and asked for permission to help Kenefick’s group. After Meyer’s superiors refused several times to allow the relief mission, Meyer and another Marine disobeyed orders and went to the village. They helped lead 36 American and Afghan soldiers to safety, but couldn’t save the lives of Kenefick and four other Americans.

For repeatedly risking his life to save his comrades, Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor.

The Army later reprimanded the captain who was on duty in the nearby operations center and a major who wasn’t at the center at key points during the ambush.

That much is clear. What needs to be disclosed is why the Americans were left without help for so long, and what is being done to keep it from happening again.

Kenefick’s mother, Susan Price, has been relentless in pursuing answers to her questions. Her campaign received a boost in September when she was featured on the CBS news magazine show “60 Minutes.” As Price said on the show: “How do you equate a piece of paper, a reprimand, to human life?”

That appearance led Rep. Kathleen C. Hochul, D-Amherst, to call for a congressional inquiry into the ambush. While that investigation hasn’t happened yet, Hochul did learn that one officer is being forced out of the military and the career of the second officer is in jeopardy.

“I spoke with an investigator from the Marines and one from the Army, and I got the definite impression that they are remorseful and upset about what happened,” Hochul said. “They told me this incident has led to changes in some procedures, and they said they are doing everything they can to prevent it from happening again.”

If that’s true, the Pentagon should reveal what has been done. If revealing that information would jeopardize operations, the Pentagon should say so. But there has been no official explanation of what changes have been made. And that is wrong.

Price said: “I ask America, What would you do if this was your son or daughter in this same environment? My son didn’t die in the face of war. He died by negligence.”

Price’s son died in service to America. America deserves an answer to the questions raised by the ambush in Afghanistan.

via Answer the questions – News – The Buffalo News.

Read more at Albany’s Insanity (Tea New York’s other blog)