$1.50 ❘ Informing the Pikes Peak region since 1872 ❘ gazette.com fort carson: fIrst of tWo Parts We have a public disaster here, and no one really knows how to deal with it.” “SISTEr KATErI KoVErmAN — A social worker who has counseled people in war zones for almost 40 years THE GAZETTE fIlE Troops from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team marched as they were arrested welcomed home after completing their first tour in Iraq in 2005. In kIllIngs In the Army Arrested casualties Kenneth Eastridge TIP of war by dave philipps JAR For one The Gazette particularly — efore the murders started, Anthony Marquez’s battered mom dialed his sergeant at Fort Carson to unit, what warn that her son was poised to kill. Bruce Bastien Jr. happens It was February 2006, and the 21-year-old Bsoldier had not been the same since being wound- when the ed and coming home from Iraq eight months be- hell of war fore. He had violent outbursts and thrashing night- mares. He was devouring pain pills and drinking comes too much. He always packed a gun. home “It was a dangerous combination. I told them he was a walking time bomb,” said his mother, Teresa Hernandez. onlIne > His sergeant told her there was nothing he could louis Bressler In depth do. Then, she said, he started taunting her son, For audio of East- saying things like, “Your mommy called. She says ridge’s prison you are going crazy.” interview, a Eight months later, the time bomb exploded ● letter written when her son used a stun gun to repeatedly shock a by Needham and an small-time drug dealer in Widefield over an ounce Army report on the of marijuana, then shot him through the heart. “Lethal Warriors,” go Marquez was the first infantry soldier in his bri- to gazette.com — see soldiers • page 3 John Needham edItor’s note For as long as wars have been waged, When soldiers come home, they bring the soldiers have been sent to kill or be baggage of intense, prolonged brutality. killed. The lucky ones survive. Some Today, following months of interviews return home unscathed; others are shell- with soldiers and their families and the shocked and emotionally scarred for life. examination of medical and military re- That’s been true forever. But something cords, court documents and photographs, Jomar falu-Vives changed in Iraq. Thanks to modern medi- The Gazette presents the first of a two- cine, transportation and gear, soldiers day report that retraces the steps of the survived injuries that would have killed soldiers who ended up behind bars. yesterday’s troops. They patrolled streets A word of caution: The details of battle without battle lines, where smiling civil- are graphic, and the language is, at ians waved one day and silently watched times, profane. ambushes the next. Multiple deployments Finally, a disclosure in the interest of moved soldiers from war to home and keeping our journalism transparent: back, again and again. One former soldier interviewed for Most found a way to cope. But in one this report, Kenneth Eastridge, is serv- Fort Carson unit that took heavy casual- ing time in prison. After Eastridge’s Thomas Woolly ties, men began to break. Some recall war arrest, his court-appointed lawyer was crimes. Some came home, to Colorado Amanda Philipps, wife of Dave Philipps, Springs, and kept killing. the reporter who wrote these stories. InsIde Those killings have prompted Fort Car- Dave Philipps did not make contact with Violent deployments, violent son to re-examine how it treats soldiers. Eastridge until after his wife’s professional homecomings: Chart details the For the first time, the Army is demanding obligations to Eastridge were concluded. high cost of war — both on the that commanders look for signs that a Amanda Philipps provided neither access battlefield and at home — as soldier is in trouble. This issue is of par- to, nor information about, Eastridge. battle-scarred troops return ticular concern to the Pikes Peak region. JEff THomAS, EdITor stateside. Page 3 Sunday calendar > life 2 travel > in sports nation & world > a10 obituaries > a16, 18-19 opinion > a20 movies > life 2 books > life 5 Sunday, July 26, 2009 ❘ the gazette ❘ A3 casualties of war soldiers: In Iraq, slaughter became a way of life from page 1 — gade to murder someone af- Violent deployments, May 26, 2008 Jomar Falu-Vives allegedly ter returning from Iraq. But April 28, 2008 December 2006 shoot Zachary Zsody he wasn’t the last. Jose Barco accused of shooting Start of surge in Baghdad His 3,500-soldier unit — violent homecomings at a crowd, hitting Ginny Stefancic now called the 4th Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Com- In two bloody deployments to Iraq, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, June 6, 2008 August 2007 Falu-Vives allegedly gun bat Team — fought in some 4th Infantry Division had twice the casualties of the average Army Feb. 22, 2006 of the bloodiest places in Daniel Freeman shoots Bruce Bastien, Louis Bressler down a couple putting up Iraq, taking the most casual- brigade combat team. Upon its return to Colorado Springs, two of Kenneth Tatum in a bar fight mug and kill Robert James signs for a garage sale ties of any Fort Carson unit its infantry battalions, the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment and by far. 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, have been plagued by soldiers October 2007 Back home, 10 of its infan- Bastien, Bressler and Kenneth Sept. 1, 2008 Oct. 22, 2006 trymen have been arrested committing violent crimes, including murders. Now both battalions Eastridge mug, stab Erica Ham John Needham allegedly beats just deployed again. Anthony Marquez Jacquelyn Villagomez to death for murder, attempted mur- murders Johnathan December 2007 der or manslaughter since Smith Bastien, Bressler and 2006. Others have commit- March 20, 2003 Eastridge kill Kevin Shields ted suicide, or tried to. November 2004 War begins Deadliest month for U.S. forces in Iraq Almost all those soldiers May 10, 2009 were kids, too young to Thomas Woolly allegedly buy a beer, when they vol- shoots Lisa Baumann unteered for one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Almost none had se- JFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASOND rious criminal backgrounds. Deployed to Many were awarded medals In United States Deployed to Al Anbar, Iraq In United States Deployed to Baghdad, Iraq In United States Jalalabad, Afghanistan for good conduct. 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 But in the vicious confu- sion of battle in Iraq and with no clear enemy, many Toll of war said training went out the Changing names, same soldiers Active-duty soldiers window. Slaughter became a 800 750 part of life. Soldiers in body diagnosed with PTSD The 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment has been called a few names since the Iraq war armor went back for round 700 began in 2003. after round of battle that at Fort Carson 600 547 535 would have killed warriors Name: 1st Battalion, Name: 2nd Battalion, Name: 2nd Battalion, a generation ago. Discipline 500 450 506th Infantry 12th Infantry 12th Infantry 386 deteriorated. Soldiers say 400 Regiment Regiment, 2nd Regiment, the torture and killing of Nickname: “Band of Brigade Combat Team, 4th Brigade Iraqi civilians lurked in the 300 Brothers” 2nd Infantry Division Combat Team, 4th ranks. And when these sol- 200 When: until they Nickname: “Lethal Infantry Division diers came home to Colo- 106 returned from Al Warriors” Nickname: “Lethal Warriors” rado Springs suffering the 100 Anbar in August 2005 When: while they were stationed at When: In April 2008, after emotional wounds of com- 0 Fort Carson in 2005 returning from Iraq 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 bat, soldiers say, some were ignored, some were neglect- Military bookings at ed, some were thrown away 600 Deployed to the deadliest places and some were punished. the El Paso County jail 516 Soldier deaths by province and the deployment diers said, packs of feral 500 471 Some kept killing — this 450 locations of the 4th BCT, as of April 2009 dogs fought over the scraps. time in Colorado Springs. Pat Dollard, a documen- Many of those soldiers are 400 0-49 50-99 100-249 250-499 501-1,099 1,100+ tary filmmaker embedded in now behind bars, but their 295 0 100 mi the area at the time, wrote troubles still reach well 300 TURKEY that it looked like “Satan beyond the walls of their had punched a hole in the 200 182* cells — and even beyond the 162 Earth’s surface, plopped Army. Their unit deployed down his throne, and set up 100 again in May, this time to shop.” SYRIA one of Afghanistan’s most 0 Second tour Marquez was assigned to dangerous regions, near 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 in Iraq hunt terrorists in the city. Khyber Pass. *As of April 17 Eastridge patrolled the This month, Fort Carson Military bookings includes all military installations in El Paso County highway between Ramadi released a 126-page report 8 and Fallujah. With him was 8 Fort Carson soldiers by a task force of behavior- IRAN Bressler, a quiet, friendly al-health and Army profes- 7 who committed suicide Al Anbar gunner later arrested with sionals who looked for com- 6 Eastridge for murder. 6 mon threads in the soldiers’ Going on a mission usually 5 crimes. They concluded 5 meant tramping house to that the intensity of battle, 4 First tour house in dust-colored cam- the long-standing stigma in Iraq ouflage, loaded down with against seeking help, and 3 rifles, pistols, body armor, 2 2 2* shortcomings in substance- 2 ammo, grenades and water abuse and mental-health 1 IRAQ to fight the incessant heat.