Text of Pvt. 1st Class Jason Scheuerman's Suicide Note

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17929487

When Chris Scheuerman found out his son had died in Iraq, he says, he knew something was amiss. snip

"Eventually, that evening, they said it was from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. At that point I asked them, 'How could that be?'" Scheuerman says.

Because the Army was reluctant to provide details, it would take Scheuerman the good part of two years to answer that question. Only after filing numerous Freedom of Information Act requests and appealing to a local member of Congress for help, was he able to fit the puzzle pieces together, he says.

The resulting image would haunt him and leave him revving to change the military's mental health system. snip


On the day of Jason's death, he was issued an Article 15, a form of nonjudicial punishment.

"They gave him that for being out of uniform. During those proceedings, his first sergeant told him that if he was faking his illness he would go to jail and become someone's 'butt buddy,'" Scheuerman says.


Text of Jason Scheuerman's Suicide Note

Includes misspellings and blacked out names.

This I leave as my last message to those who I leave behind. I know you think Im a coward for this but in the face of existing as I am now I have no other choice. As the 1st Sgt said all I have to look forward to is a butt-buddy in jail, not much of a future.

I dont want to know what you people think I have going for me to think I should want to live, trust me, I have nothing. I have done nothing but bring dishonor to this unit, myself, but most importantly my family. I wanted one last chance to say goodbye to them but that was taken away like everything else.

Id like also to say goodbye to (blacked out) and (blacked out) the two people that have held me together until now. Split my things up amoung the platoon, after all that why people tolerated me, it's funny how getting your things taken away brings out the truth in people.

Maybe finaly I can get rid of these demons, maybe finaly I can get some peace.

Scheuerman

[cynatnite]

1. How tragic

:( That poor family.

[KennedyGuy]

2. I am so sorry..

This just brought me to tears..
I am a member of the reserves and to think that something like this could happen is beyond tragic.
That something like this could happen is an abomination..
My heartfelt prayers are with the soul of this fine young man..as well as his family..

[cynatnite]

3. It should never have happened...

That 1SG should be brought up on charges for his negligence.

[KennedyGuy]

4. absolutly..

He's not like any military man I know...

[progpen]

5. That 1st Sgt does not represent the military.

There are sick fucks like that everywhere. That 1st Shirt is in desperate need of prison time.