Exposed: Military Lied About Murder of U.S. Soldier in Iraq

For five years now, I have been chronicling the disturbing number of "noncombat" deaths in Iraq, often suicides, which usually come to light only due to the diligence of local newspapers. As part of that effort, last August I briefly described yet another case, involving a 20-year-old Texas woman named Kamisha Block, who apparently was much loved in her Vidor hometown. It was said to be death by "friendly fire," which officially is fairly rare in Iraq, so I kept an eye on it for days, in case of an update.

Many more nonhostile deaths arrived, and so I forgot about Kamisha. Now a horrible truth has emerged: Forget friendly fire. It turns out that Spc. Block was actually murdered, and the killer, another soldier, Staff Sgt. Brandon Norris, then turned the gun on himself.

And more: Her parents were misled at the start, and only after the mother noticed a suspicious head wound at the funeral (it turns out she was shot five times) and asked why, were they informed about the murder angle.

In fact, their local newspaper, the Beaumont Enterprise, too, was lied to by the Pentagon. Last August 21, the paper reported: "The U.S. Defense Department has confirmed two fatalities on Aug. 12 by friendly fire, but has not officially released names or the cause of death."

That same article quoted her aunt, Kathy Byerly: "She was shot in the chest by friendly fire. They haven't told us anything else - the rest is under investigation. We just want to know the truth about it." Norris, too, was listed simply as a "noncombat" death.

The Enterprise in an editorial yesterday charged: "There is no excuse for the U.S. Army's shabby treatment of Kamisha Block's parents and others who cared for her. Her commanders knew right away that she had been killed by a fellow soldier in Iraq, who had been harassing her. It was a standard murder-suicide. Incredibly, the Army first told her parents that it was an accidental death due to friendly fire."

Even after the family was informed about the murder -- the two soldiers had some sort of "relationship" in the past -- no other details were released, and it took six months, and the help of a local congressman, for the family to finally get the 1200-page military report. It revealed that their daughter had been abused by the killer several times shortly before she died, and the Army seemingly did not do enough to protect her. The Blocks say that a military official told them that the chain of command should have taken the abuse more seriously and done more.

Now they are asking why it took so long for the truth to emerge, and why no one has been punished for the failure to save their daughter. "It's been hard to move on, because we feel justice has not been done. They failed her, and they certainly haven't treated us fairly," Jane Block told the Enterprise reporter, Kyle Paveto. She said she wanted to publicize the high stress soldiers are under in Iraq.

Block told another reporter she doesn't think Army officials made a mistake when they provided the Block family with the wrong information. "I feel like they knew what had happened," Block said. "They told me she'd been shot in the chest one time when in fact she had been shot several times."

Paveto's article closes: "For now, they remember Kamisha Block as a hero who gave her life in a foreign land. And the family thinks of her as the Waffle House waitress who bought food for the downtrodden from her tip money...

"Jerry Block said he thought telling his daughter's story would help others to understand the stress soldiers are under, and he hoped it could help others in abusive situations. After a second round of grieving, he and Jane Block began telling the story just this week. 'I feel like we needed to try and get the truth out,' she said. 'We need to try to get on with the rest of our lives, but we know we never will.'"

The Enterprise in its editorial on Friday concluded: "The facts of her death do not diminish Kamisha's Block's heroism. She risked death many times in Iraq on roads that could be rigged with the deadly IEDs - improvised explosive devices - that have claimed so many lives in Iraq. But she told her parents that she believed in the mission and was willing to take the risk.

"Two weeks ago, Defense Secretary Robert Gates did something unprecedented to the Air Force. He fired the top civilian and military commanders, the secretary of the Air Force and a four-star general, for two mistakes involving nuclear weapons. If someone in the Army were fired or demoted for trying to lie to Kamisha Block's parents, blunders like this might not happen."
*
Greg Mitchell's new book includes several chapters on soldier/vet suicides. It is So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits -- and the President -- Failed on Iraq. He is editor of Editor & Publisher.

Comments

[chuckieboy]

If everybody is wondering what happened to our country, the same thing happens to every country that does'nt pay attention. I don't think it's too late to take it back from the fascists, but it's getting close.

[chuckieboy]

I was in Viet Nam in 1968 and my Captain received a













































I was in Viet Nam in 1968, and my Captain received a D


ear John letter, and proceeded to put a 45 in his mouth and commit suicide. Shortly thereafter there was a company formation, and some officers eulogized him as being killed in action. I walked away, and realized this was a demonstration of the power of the establishment and how they disregard honesty to promote their evil intentions, no matter the consequences.
Fourty years ago, nothing changes. I think it's about time.

[heal57]

I don't believe anything from the Pentagon. We have a lying bast**d as president. The tone is set for arrogance, abuse, lies, torture, etc.
The suicide rate is very high. We are in an illegal war. Now the oil companies have finally put up shop in Iraq which was the plan all along. How many of our best and bravest, [and the Iraqi people] were subject to death and destruction so the white house oilmen could destroy another country?
Thoughts and prayers to the family of Kamisha Block.

[Hastings]

What difference does it make if a soldier is killed by hostile or friendly fire? Unless the solider was killed by friendly fire as a result of gross incompetence by military commanders then I don't understand the point the author is trying to make. Yes there probably was a cover up. Does anyone find that idea shocking? The only reasons I can think of is if the families see a lawsuit in their future or it is to pursue an antimilitary antiIraq agenda. My bet is on the antimilitary antiIraq agenda.

[memphispaul]

If, as the report states the two service members in question had been involved personally previously and that once the relationship ended the service member conducted himself in a manner inconsistant with military standards, going so far as making the other feel threatened then the chain of command failed to properly enforce governing regulations.
By doing this the commanders involved placed the murdered service member under direct threat from another fellow contrary to punitive regulation.
If these actions had any bearing upon the murder/suicide then the commanders should be subject to UCMJ. What may well have happened in this case is a concerted effort, which is a past practice, of withholding the facts from the families and congressional reps to keep a better face on things.
This is not the leadership by example I was taught at the Ranger course or was recognized for as a member of the FORSCOM SAMC.
This is simply pathetic.
To suggest from the reporting that this is simply an effort to bring suit in an effort to sway public opinion is a gross disservice to your fellow citizens.
This begs the question. Which armchair do you command and how many of your direct family members currently serve?

[pithy]

Notice how little press this has gotten compared to the Tillman story? She wasn't famous enough for them to bother.

Except to her family, who will mourn her forever.

How utterly horrible - what a wretched excuse for "leadership" we have in this country - they're all just trying to cover their butts!

Isnt it amazing to consider that there is NO HONOR among the military brass - but our lowly soldiers are heroes every single day.

[wmbear]

TILLMAN WAS PROBABLY MURDERED TOO...

From what I've read about the case, although the motive there was not as clear. (I've read that it was essentially political. He was reading Noam Chomsky, etc., but even I have to admit that sounds a bit extreme....)

[PhantomAviator]

..

THe Pentagon love to play up the "all soldiers are Heroes" angle. But those of us who live around and have members of our families in the military know that slodiers are just people punching a clock. They have all the motivations and compulsions of civilians, except they have access to advanced weaponry.

It's common knowledge that women are valued primarily as "holes" in theatre. Not as warriors.

You don't NEED liberals to disrespect the military anymore, the Pentagon will do it all on it's own.

.

[landoffools]

Wow, here's a surprise !

[roxnev]

The military should not be allowed no secretive security. They just abuse American soldiers with it. As a example look at the atomic vet they have abused them for fifty years by lying. and I have proof.

[LiberTLover]

The US military lied to yet another family of a US soldier. They expect soldiers to give their lives for their country but apparently their country doesn't owe their families the truth. It would appear that lying is the new patriotism.

[dawlishgal]

The same people who accuse us of not supporting the troops if we don't wear flag pins. I hope the American public is finally waking up about how they have been manipulated by the selfish lying Republican war-mongers. It ought to be enough that American oil-companies are now taking back their oil facilities in Iraq....the ones that were nationalized by the Iraqis. Turns out that the war was about OIL, afterall. NO KIDDING. How many young Americans gave their lives for Halliburton and Exxon when they had been told they were fighting to protect our freedom? We had oil men in almost all of the top positions in the Busha administration and we are expected to believe stuff like this is a bleeping COINCIDENCE.

Anybody who still votes Republican has got to be beyond just a gullible sucker...now they must be absolutely suicidal when it comes to protecting their own best interests and those of their families..

[Imhotep]

Big surprise. Hasn't everything about Iraq been just one big lie since the begining? Peace

[conniedogs]

Thank you Mr Mitchell, what a tragedy. My heart goes out to the family. Since the war started whenever I hear non-combat related deaths, I know immediately it's suicide or murder by a fellow soldier. This is totally outrageous. Something similar happened to the young marine stationed in NC who'd made complaints against another soldier. He later killed, burned and buried her body in his back yard.

[lotuslike]

Thank you Mr. Mitchell for keeping a light on this situation. It is absolutely appalling that this dishonesty continues to go on---and perhaps worse that corporate media tows the bush line in not reporting on it.

[tinarm]

I am so mad at the MSM....what a bunch of freakin' loosers. All of these stories should be on the front pages of every newspaper and they should be on the air continuously. Why aren't they? I want to know why no one knows this stuff. I've got news for everyone they had better start covering this stuff or the people will stop watching their crap and then what will they do. It's not fair to people who don't know how to use the internet. You know the seniors, poor, and so on. Mostly democratic leaning voters, maybe that's why it's not on the MSM. If everyone knew there would be marches in the street and calls for Gates and everyone else to be fired!

[Whipsmart13]

Front page news and on the air continuously???? Are you for real?

[lisakaz2]

Disgusting but the coverup and the lame non-concern for the welfare of soldiers seems like par for the course. For all we know, the bad water or food made Spc. Block's killer act so horribly. Condolences to the family of Spc. Bloc. I hope they get some accountability for the shabby treatment of Spc. Block.

[secret38b]

Why aren't stories like this reported on the MSM...... I'll be very, very happy when change finally comes.