Hoosier collapses, dies in Iraq

[Nambe]

Associated Press

A 38-year-old Indiana National Guard sergeant from Elkhart died in Iraq after collapsing while eating dinner with his unit, the Military Department of Indiana said today. Sgt. 1st Class Craig Boling was taken to a medical facility after his collapse Tuesday, but he could not be revived, the agency said. Officials said he had no history of health problems and that an autopsy would be performed to determine the cause of death. Boling was married and the father of four children. ---

Ride Don’t Drive It’s Global Cool

[NNN0LHI]

1. Hope he wasn't eating something given to him from some smiling Iraqi's n/t

[fishnfla]

2. NO FUCKING JOKES IN A DEAD SOLDIER THREAD!!!

I'm nipping this shit in the bud. Happens too many times on this forum.

[neuvocat]

7. Calm the hell down already or just shut the fuck up.

Did you lose a relative or friend over there during this so-called mission? Even if you did you still need to take a breather and not just jump on someone else's shit without thinking about it.

The last post before yours makes a point about poisoning and somehow you have to think its a joke before you start telling people what to say like some hyperactive hypocrite.

[NNN0LHI]

15. I really didn't think the poster was addressing my post but if he was...

Iraqi civilians offer tea to Marines in a Baghdad neighborhood April 11, 2003. (©AP/WWP)

[fishnfla]

19. why thank you!

No, I was not referring to the previous post. There has been jokes going on in threads about dead soldiers, TWICE in the past 2 weeks. I felt that this thread was gonna go that way because of the title, thats what i meant by nipping the bud...I will NOT lighten up. people want to cut cute juvenile jokes over dead bodies, why dont you just open a thread over at freerepublic? "DU mocks dead US soldiers"
I'm sorry i had to post it, i was not referring any previous post, but to what i felt was coming...

[DisgustipatedinCA]

9. OK, no fucking jokes

Are foreplay jokes acceptable?

Lighten up, Francis.

[karlschneider]

10. If you consider that a joke, you're a moran.

Bah.

[BeHereNow]

11. Perspective...

First, let me say that I am in complete agreement about
reducing a death to quips and sarcasm.
Fact is, the grief of this man's family must be beyond words.

May I also say that it is well known that when human beings
reach an intolerable level of helplessness and frustration,
a coping defense that often emerges is black humor.

The poster who made the comment you refer to would be the first
to fly to Iraq and bring these soldiers home, if that were an option.

We are all nearing the end of our ropes, so to say-
May we strive to have compassion for one another in the
realization that we are all in this together, and as individuals
we are bound to manifest out frustration and feeling of impotence
according to our life experiences.

I understand both of you all too well, as I myself
fluctuate between both sides of the coin.

We must think carefully as we post our thoughts here.
You never know who may be viewing our hearts.

My Dad always told me, never let your emotions rule
your actions. Hard to do these days.

PEACE-

BHN

[barbaraann]

3. There are radio ads now recruiting for the National Guard.

They talk about how great it is and how little time it takes--make it sound like good money for a few weekends a year.

God damn the BFEE to hell.

[leftchick]

4. Yet he will not count in the "official" count since the awol stunt

since it was not combat. Did they do this shit during Vietnam? Qualify each death so it does not really count? They should ALL count as fatalities due to inept leadership! The families of these service people must be furious.

[Randi_Listener]

5. Another dead patriot

When will enough be enough for our soldiers? Can they come home yet?

[NickB79]

6. My first guess

would be heat stroke, what with the 120F heat daily, but he was sitting down already and eating dinner so you'd think he wouldn't be overexerting himself. Can heatstroke sneak up on you like that?

[flamingyouth]

8. I think so too

At that temperature, people can easily die of heart attack or organ failure due to dehydration and/or heatstroke. Look at all of the athletes who have died in recent years in lower temps. So sad, it's just awful, to put it mildy.

[BeHereNow]

13. My suspicions would favor

the investigation of the vaccines these people
are REQUIRED to accept...

BHN

[burrowowl]

20. Yes

it can.

[placton]

12. We need a bigger military

I have argued this for years. We now rely on SMALL MILITARY and LARGE RESERVE/GUARD. The Guard folks (God bless 'em) are patriotic Americans who signed up for a few bucks, and the chance to defend our country if the shit his the fan. NOW, they are gonna quit in droves - and were even doing it under Clinton.

We do need a larger military - but not one unleashed on places like Iraq. Africa is one place where we SHOULD be peacekeeping. Why? We will lose soldiers, a few and each quite precious. BUT we will save tens of thousands. How unlike Iraq.

[LauraK]

14. It could be a vaccine reaction too.

They won't tell us any bad news so we will probably never know.

[mjb4]

16. Only way out of Iraq.....

sorry but it is the truth

[NYC]

17. Food poisoning?

About a year ago (?) in Afghanistan, soldiers were suffering from food poisoning, though not dying from it. I believe the food had something to do with Kellogg, Root, and Brown. Does anyone remember that?

[Topaz]

18. Could be many things.

My dear friend just returned from Iraq and was able to take leave and visit home and family during the Fourth of July.

He told us many horrifying things:

1. The Iraqis cope with the heat by not going out and doing anything during the hottest time of the day. They go places and run errands during morning and evening. However, the American military did not follow suit...meetings were often scheduled for noon, the hottest time of the day.

2. These guys *never* had enough food. In my friend's words the food shortage "was really, really bad once, and horrible all the other times."

3. Not enough water, either.

4. Dysentery like a b*tch.

I'm sure there was more, but that was all he talked about over the weekend. He did tell us about all the vaccinations he received, and he believes one of the reasons that his unit is still on active duty in Ft. Bragg is medically related.

One man's story...take it as you will. Personally, I'm surprised that there aren't more stories like Boling's.