Charges Referred in Pvt. Danny Chen Case for 8 Soldiers
Eight soldiers to be arraigned by a military judge in the coming weeks.
(Editor's Note: The following is a press release from the Ft. Bragg Public Affairs Office)
Charges have been referred to courts-martial against one officer and seven Soldiers relating to the alleged hazing and death of Pvt.
Danny Chen, an Infantryman who died in Afghanistan October 3, 2011.
The Soldiers involved in the case remain assigned to 1st Stryker Brigade
Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, Chen's
unit of assignment at the time of his death. The unit deployed to
Afghanistan in 2011.
On April 23, 2012, Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick, the commander of the XVIII
Airborne Corps, referred to general courts-martial the charges listed below
against one officer and seven Soldiers in connection with Chen's alleged
hazing and death at Combat Outpost Palace. All Soldiers will be arraigned
by a military judge in the coming weeks and the individual cases will be
scheduled for trial.
In mid-April 2012, the eight Soldiers were attached for Uniform Code of
Military Justice purposes to XVIII Airborne Corps. The Soldiers will remain
assigned to the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division for
the duration of the proceedings. The proceedings, however, will occur at
Fort Bragg.
On April 10, 2012, Helmick approved Maj. Gen. James Huggins' request to
transfer jurisdiction to XVIII Airborne Corps. This request was based on
operational reasons in Afghanistan and the fact that Fort Bragg has the
capacity to accommodate these trials. Huggins is the 82nd Airborne Division
commander and currently commands Regional Command-South in Afghanistan.
The Soldiers above are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The charges referred are:
First Lt. Daniel Schwartz - six specifications of dereliction of duty
Staff Sgt. Blaine Dugas - violating a lawful general regulation, three
specifications of dereliction of duty, and making a false official statement
Staff Sgt. Andrew Van Bockel - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment,
assault, two specifications of maltreatment of a subordinate, three
specifications of dereliction of duty, and two specifications of violating a
lawful general regulation
Sgt. Jeffrey Hurst - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, maltreatment
of a subordinate, two specifications of dereliction of duty, and two
specifications of violating a lawful general regulation
Sgt. Adam Holcomb - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, communicating
a threat, assault, two specifications of maltreatment of a subordinate,
dereliction of duty, and four specifications of violating a lawful general
regulation
Sgt. Travis Carden - reckless endangerment, assault, two specifications of
maltreatment of a subordinate, and two specifications of violating a lawful
general regulation
Spc. Thomas Curtis - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, four
specifications of assault, six specifications of maltreatment of a
subordinate, and two specifications of violation of a lawful general
regulation
Spc. Ryan Offutt - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, three
specifications of assault, four specifications of maltreatment of a
subordinate, and two specifications of violation of a lawful general
regulation
Related Topics:
Danny Chen, Fort Bragg NC, and courts-martial cases
Charges have been referred to courts-martial against one officer and seven Soldiers relating to the alleged hazing and death of Pvt.
Danny Chen, an Infantryman who died in Afghanistan October 3, 2011.
The Soldiers involved in the case remain assigned to 1st Stryker Brigade
Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, Chen's
unit of assignment at the time of his death. The unit deployed to
Afghanistan in 2011.
On April 23, 2012, Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick, the commander of the XVIII
Airborne Corps, referred to general courts-martial the charges listed below
against one officer and seven Soldiers in connection with Chen's alleged
hazing and death at Combat Outpost Palace. All Soldiers will be arraigned
by a military judge in the coming weeks and the individual cases will be
scheduled for trial.
In mid-April 2012, the eight Soldiers were attached for Uniform Code of
Military Justice purposes to XVIII Airborne Corps. The Soldiers will remain
assigned to the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division for
the duration of the proceedings. The proceedings, however, will occur at
Fort Bragg.
On April 10, 2012, Helmick approved Maj. Gen. James Huggins' request to
transfer jurisdiction to XVIII Airborne Corps. This request was based on
operational reasons in Afghanistan and the fact that Fort Bragg has the
capacity to accommodate these trials. Huggins is the 82nd Airborne Division
commander and currently commands Regional Command-South in Afghanistan.
The Soldiers above are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The charges referred are:
First Lt. Daniel Schwartz - six specifications of dereliction of duty
Staff Sgt. Blaine Dugas - violating a lawful general regulation, three
specifications of dereliction of duty, and making a false official statement
Staff Sgt. Andrew Van Bockel - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment,
assault, two specifications of maltreatment of a subordinate, three
specifications of dereliction of duty, and two specifications of violating a
lawful general regulation
Sgt. Jeffrey Hurst - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, maltreatment
of a subordinate, two specifications of dereliction of duty, and two
specifications of violating a lawful general regulation
Sgt. Adam Holcomb - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, communicating
a threat, assault, two specifications of maltreatment of a subordinate,
dereliction of duty, and four specifications of violating a lawful general
regulation
Sgt. Travis Carden - reckless endangerment, assault, two specifications of
maltreatment of a subordinate, and two specifications of violating a lawful
general regulation
Spc. Thomas Curtis - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, four
specifications of assault, six specifications of maltreatment of a
subordinate, and two specifications of violation of a lawful general
regulation
Spc. Ryan Offutt - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, three
specifications of assault, four specifications of maltreatment of a
subordinate, and two specifications of violation of a lawful general
regulation
Stephen Campbell
8:23 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
There is "THE BOOK", throw it at all of them!
Geronimo
MizAmerica
10:04 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
You will be eating those words when the truth comes out.
Kelly Twedell
11:22 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
MizA. thanks for commenting. Apparently you are privy to information we are not. It seems official interview and transcripts have been looked at. We'll see how it turns out, either way, there was definitely hazing beyond the norm and I hate that a service member serving our country, during these days of war, was bullied for his race. There are no excuses for that kind of behavior and I think the Army will make that message clear.
MizAmerica
11:03 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
There was NO hazing in Afghanistan! Was he disciplined? Yes. The racial names are from letters sent home from Fort Benning NOT Afghanistan....he was only in country 6 weeks! They were already gone by the time he arrived at Fort Wainwright. At Ft. Wainwright he had friends, he was NOT an outcast. Although he did have problems there adjusting to Army life. The COP he was on did not have internet, they would make weekly runs to the FOB, which did have internet. 3 days before his suicide he was able to communicate with friends and family and they had NO idea he was upset about anything. He asked them to send him care packages. This is not inside information, this is all available online via other news sources besides the AP.
Army mom
11:40 pm on Saturday, May 12, 2012
I must weight in to let those of you know that think the media gives you the facts, Nice try...Not the truth and as MizA stated the truth will come out and it will be the Army with the clear message learned. Mark my words from someone that KNOWS!
Elizabeth
5:23 pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
I don't even believe that he committed suicide - I bet someone else 'forced' him or pulled the trigger. The Army would never let that be known though, forensic reports etc.
MizAmerica
11:04 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
Elizabeth, it will all come out and he was NOT forced to pull the trigger!
Army mom
11:47 pm on Saturday, May 12, 2012
get over yourself Elizabeth. You have no idea.....
AmberEyedBella
2:25 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Ignorance is bliss.. this story has so much more. Support the Palace 8! God bless our Artic Wolves. Chen was not mistreated, he was not able to conform to infantry standards. I mourn him, but what he did was so selfish. Seeing someone take their own life is never easy. As a parent I can't even imagine their grief. Proud friend of Travis Carden :)