A Penguin in the Orchard

Turning out badly

A local soldier died in Iraq earlier in the week. That’s not huge news in a metropolitan area, but it hasn’t happened too often in our area. It’s gotten a fair amount of coverage in the local media. And, the story continues to unfold.

press-citizen.com | Local News

A 23-year-old soldier from Riverside killed earlier this week in Iraq died of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident, a Department of Defense statement said Thursday.

Army Sgt. James P. Musack died Tuesday in Samarra, Iraq, an Islamic holy city about 80 miles north of Baghdad. He was near completion of his second tour of duty with the 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas, when the incident occurred. The Department of Defense statement did not list any other details of the incident.

According to an earlier story in the Press-Citizen, Musack’s brother, Reggie Grandstaff, had spoken with him a week ago.

“He knew something was happening,” he said. “I talked to him a week ago. He asked me if I needed money or anything and I said, ‘No.’ And the next thing I knew he sent me $1,000. I never got to ask him why. I think he just knew something was coming.”

I wondered, at the time I read the original story, if this was something other than combat-related. Honestly, I wondered first about suicide. But, from all indications, Musack was stable and well-adjusted. He seemed to enjoy his job in the Army.

Investigations of non-combat related deaths in a war zone - especially shooting deaths - seldom turn out well. We’ll see where this goes, but it looks much more suspicious today than earlier in the week.

Technorati Tags: iraq