Agree, stupid game...but your comment "I don't think it was a game or an accident" makes no sense at all...how could you even guess, you were not there and can't read minds or motives.

I am !6 and even i know that, you do not point at anything you do not intend to shoot and you really don't put your finger on the trigger until you are certain thats what you gonna shoot.

Did you read the part where the coroner said the gun was pressed to the victims head? GAme or not another person is dead. Why is this person still on active duty? A civilian would be sitting in jail not running free in society. Unless there is clear evidence that a fatal shooting is in self defense most people are held in custody. Somebody is lying and I don't think its' the coroner.

The guy is still on active duty after he just killed his friend? that's ridiculous.

In the military you are presumed innocent until convicted. Pretrial confinement is usually only allowed for those who are "flight risks" ie likely to desert.

Did you order the code red!!!!?

This story left me feeling sick to my stomach. Similar games were "played" during Viet Nam with armed forces stretched physically and emotionally to the breaking point where no sensibility or sense of reality was part of their world any longer. Fort Hood has had one of the highest rates of suicide and mental illness issues for our service men and women who have served over the last 10 years. This story is disgusting and the young Sgt. should be charged with murder and should be in a military jail. They were both very young, but were both Sgt's, meaning they had quite a bit of arms training. They both knew the weapons were loaded. They both knew full well what game they were playing.

When you carry a gun and trained too use it, you know every time you pick up or take out or what ever your doing that gun is LOADED. Unless you take the clip out check the barrel/chamber yourself then it's not loaded. But you never point a gun at someone unless your going too kill that person. Murder!

The guy that told the story told us what happen, but in reverse order. He was the one who put the gun to the dead guy's head and said what would you do? So thinking it was a game he pulled his gun and then he was shot. The Perfect Murder!

Jacki-1538086 people do stuff all the time that doesn't make sense and murder is one of them. If the guy has been in the Army long and/or shot alot of guns you can tell by the weight of the gun if you have a full clip or an empty clip.

horseplay with guns, ain't too smart..condolences to family & friends...

If there was ever a good example of why all firearms should be assumed to be loaded, this is it!

This is especially true in the case of uniformed personnel who are issued sidearms, be they military, law enforcement, security, or whatever. The idea of issuing weapons is that they're always 'ready to go', meaning loaded when the user is on duty. That would generally be every working hour and possibly then some, which means most of most every day.

Many private citizens who own firearms do keep them unloaded when not in use, especially when they're not being kept for home or personal protection - hunting and sporting rifles, fine shotguns, target pistols, antiques, heirlooms, etc. There are a startling number of guns out there that have never been fired lest their value as 'mint condition, unfired' be tarnished. Even then, one just never knows what might happen and it is entirely possible a cartridge is chambered at some point and is not removed before the gun is stored away. Months or years later, it is brought out of storage, thought to be unloaded, except that there's a cartridge hiding in the chamber, right in front of the firing pin! Oops. That's part of why the very first thing you do when you assume control of any firearm is to verify its status, or if someone presents one to you, they are supposed to clear it and prove to you that it is unloaded and/or out of battery before they hand it to you. It should be unloaded anyway, in most cases, but the double check is just a common courtesy when handling weapons that can save everyone involved a very unpleasant - and tragic - surprise.

In the case of issued weapons, certain scenarios can occur where weapons end up being commingled. It's rare, but it can happen. Most issued weapons are the same make, model, and caliber. The only significant difference is the serial number. Serial numbers aren't exactly easy to see without actually examining the weapon, so even if one absolutely knew their weapon was unloaded, there wouldn't be any guarantee that they were in fact getting their weapon back and not someone else's. The prime example would be anywhere where service weapons were being 'checked' until the person they were issued to left the location. It could be entering a jail, some military buildings (even though there's a 'clearing barrel' just outside the door everyone is supposed to insert the muzzle of their weapon into while dropping the magazine and extracting any round in the chamber!), or who knows what.

I know of a case some years ago where some police officers in a larger city attended a party after hours. They each set their weapons on a table near a door and proceeded to party down for a bit. Some beers later, a couple of them got to joking around. One picked up 'his' gun in jest, and put it to his head and depressed the trigger. Instead of the 'click' he was expecting, the room was filled with an ear shattering crack and to say the least, the aftermath was very messy. The subsequent investigation determined that the officer's gun was, in fact, unloaded. Unfortunately, it was also sitting on the table. He'd grabbed the pistol next to it, from which the magazine had been removed, but the chambered cartridge had not and the pistol did not feature a magazine safety that would have blocked the trigger if the magazine was removed from the pistol. Aside from each of the four pistols having different serial numbers and random minor scuffs, scratches, and finish abrasions, they looked exactly alike to the casual observer.

When I read the story, the old saying about 'with friends like that, who needs enemies!' came to mind. If a 'friend' of mine drew a gun on me thinking it was funny, he wouldn't be seeing much of me after that.

It's sad tragic accident .The end of the day said it guns not shooting people,people shooting guns.Made second amendment look bad !

It's all i ca say RIP. fellow !

Self Defense.. Said he pointed his gun at buddy first. Buddy pulls pistol smokes the other. Simple Self Defense.

Nice friend he was!

I feel for the family's loss, but their son was a fool. Who is in charge of supervision of these man-children?

They get a lot of arms training, but in San Diego a 22 year old Navy Seal, coming back from a bar with a girl, showing off that his gun was not loaded - it was. Shot himself in the head. The witness will probably never be the same.

Guy says he was two feet away and coroner says gun was pressed to the head. Well that kinda makes sense, as the human arm is roughly two feet long.

I think that he should not be on active duty until they have all the anwsers. They should have him in Jail for what he did to the other guy. I know that you do not point a loaded gun at someones head even if it is load or unloaded. They should have him locked up. I feel what the family is going thourgh beacuse I have had friends that were over seas that were killed over seas.

Come on! A solider who didn't know his weapon was loaded. Give me a break.

My husband is in the Army so as soon as I saw this I know it wasnt a game. The defendant is a 22 year old Srg. who knows that before entering a building that you are not trying to clear you must first clear your weapon. Any person in the Military especially a Srgnt. would know if their gun was loaded or not. They were in Iraq which means not only did they go through extensive training just to get through boot camp and AIT when they first joined but, he is a Srg. (more training), and to go overseas in a waring country (more extensive weaponry training ). In conclusion If the mother f****er was a Srgnt in Iraq he knew dam well his gun was loaded. Guilty case closed. P.S. if you point a gun at anyone you can get in allot of trouble.Even discharged

WAIT A MINUTE..... are you telling me that one of the people that are hired to protect me and my country didn't know a frickin gun was loaded. seriously.

Being in the military, sadly I have seen some dangerously dumb things done. I could believe this story. I have been to some commands that had horrible gun training. They would have kids standing watches that have only shot a gun once! They would have a one day training on how to load it and you go out and shoot a target. One class to tell you "Don't point it at anyone"..and there are the jokers in the back not paying any attention. I'm sure these 2 were the ones in the back. Neither one of the two should of had guns. Stupid. Stupid. They obviously weren't qualified to own or use one. I feel for both their families. And the young guy that shot his buddy probably isn't getting discharged b/c he is getting a mental evaluation. I'm sure he is in no condition to be just thrown out. He is paying for his stupidity. Nor would they throw him out without doing a complete investigation. If they believe there was foul play he will be doing serious time in time. And for reporting the news to the family, that again is the commands fault not the shooters fault. And I would like to know if alcohol was involved. I know a lot of guys that liked to hang out in the BEQ and throw back beers and play stupid games. Bored drinking young soldiers can get in a lot of trouble.

A soldier....in Iraq and he doesn't know whether or not his gun is loaded? Wow, I'll sleep better tonight.

And Paul, you've got that backwards. What you said doesn't differ from out in the real world....in the Military you are presumed GUILTY until proven INNOCENT.

13 years in the military and I don't think I ever put an empty clip into a gun as part of any normal evolution. Standing watch we'd either have 2 full clips in the belt and nothing in the gun, or 1 full clip in the gun, 2 full in the belt. Sorry, I just don't buy the excuse that "his client thought the gun was empty."

If you're in the position where you're carrying a weapon, you know if/when it's loaded. It's something you pick up in boot camp and don't lose. Especially in you're in a combat zone like it seems these guys were.

The young man who killed his room mate was a soldier, not a kid at camp. It makes no difference it was "a game" or intentional, as the other young man is dead. When are we going to stop making/accepting excuses for crimes and the criminals who commit them?

This is really tragic, for both sides. I would hope the soldier would get the benefit of the doubt. War does strange things to people. I would have to say that someone formally trained in firearms more often than not does know the condition of their weapon. However, accidents do happen all the time. I believe it. Frightening and tragic, but I believe it. As far as charging the kid with murder, no way. There's no way to prove any sort of malice. At most I would say manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter.

first an asian guy killed by a group of his own soildier then a this guy get murdered by a friend hahaha

whats next? they gonna shower with a shotgun loaded?

never would i live to know that there would be one new reason why i wont be joining the army:

my brother in arms may kill me

how can people even FATHOM this idea, but it is happening

If I had to guess, I would say this type of thing happens alot in the military. I bet most of the time this "game" would end by his buddy holding up his weapon and saying "bang", then the two laugh and walk off. Alcohol probably impaired some judgement here. It's a sad story, one Sergeant ain't coming home and another probably will get life in prision.

@Linda Allen: just because they were both NCO's in the military, DOES NOT MEAN THEY HAD EXTENSIVE ARMS TRAINING. Ive known Captains that had never been familiarised with anything other than the standard M16 rifle. To assume a title such as 'Sergeant' means someone is a badass with all firearms is asinine. most likely story is a couple of clipboard jockeys decided to play the wrong game. Still sad as hell though. And Troy, not once on a deployment i was on did either me or any of my battlebuddies played a game like that, and we are highly trained and proficient in most combat arms, due to out particular job in the combat theater. Hopefully this isnt as large an issue as some have suggested.

One more thing: in situations like this, the soldier WILL be kept on active duty (with very close supervision, of course) until all trials, charges and sentencing are completed. Only then will there be imprisonment and discharge from the United States Armed Forces.

Active duty? Why? He is at the very least guilty of manslaughter. I don't even see how that's debatable.

No @!$%#, but YOU could hit a person in YOUR car killing them. You would also await trial. You would most likely wait a while until the beginning of your trial, and if you arent a flight risk, then you can go about your life until then. Its the same for all people in this country.

I can see how this is a game gone bad. Seems every week you hear about a child doing the same thing with a gun just laying around. Triggers on a weapon can be tricky, sometimes it doesn't take much to make the weapon fire. Unless, there is evidence that we dont know about, I can very easily see this, Just like when i was a kid playing stretch or chicken with knives.

Jacki-1538086

Agree, stupid game...but your comment "I don't think it was a game or an accident" makes no sense at all...how could you even guess, you were not there and can't read minds or motive

It makes perfect sense... "I don't think"... It's an OPINION. I didn't guess I had an opinion and I stated it.

I would like to just point out one thing. In the military you are taught that if someone, anyone points a weapon at you it is to cause you harm, and it is not only your right but your duty to use your weapon in response.

I think that some of you are confused about the term "active duty". All military personnel who are not in the reserves are on "active duty". If you are in the reserves you may also be on active duty if you are deployed/called up. Even if you get in trouble you stay on active duty until you are tried and convicted and then you may be kicked out of the military with a dishonorable or other non-honorable discharge. That doesn't mean that you're going about your normally assigned day job though. In this case, he may be confined to quarters or under close supervision and relieved of any weapons/weapons cards that he would normally have.

Someone trained in firearms knows the weight of a loaded vs. UNloaded gun. The difference is considerable. Just an observation. I'd like to think if an ole country girl knows that, you darn betcha a soldier does.

If the guy has been in the Army long and/or shot alot of guns you can tell by the weight of the gun if you have a full clip or an empty clip.

Someone trained in firearms knows the weight of a loaded vs. UNloaded gun. The difference is considerable.

1) Unfortunately, this really is not true. There is a noticeable weight difference if there is a loaded magazine placed in the magazine well of a high capacity autoloading pistol or rifle.

a. If no magazine is present but one cartridge is in the chamber, the gun is still very much loaded as it will discharge when the trigger is depressed or possibly if the gun is jolted or dropped if the gun is otherwise in battery and is not equipped with a magazine disconnect type safety mechanism. The weight of just one cartridge in a gun is generally not noticeable.

b. Heavy guns, especially ones that only hold several cartridges such as a large frame revolver or a large bore hunting rifle, do not weigh noticeably less when unloaded because the weight of three to six cartridges is very small compared to the overall weight of the gun. In any case, if the only cartridge in the gun happens to be in the chamber, the gun is still loaded despite the magazine being empty!

c. A person is not always going to be in the proper condition or state to notice even a significant weight difference. This is especially true if they are tired, stressed, angry, or in such a mood that they are engaging in horseplay or other careless or reckless behavior with something as potentially deadly as a firearm that they have been told repeatedly not to handle irresponsibly!

2. The vast majority of automobile drivers have been trained. Virtually all aircraft pilots have been extensively trained. Physicians have nearly a decade of training before they even begin practicing medicine. Drivers, pilots, and doctors are in almost every case not only trained and certified, but are also licensed. YET THEY ALL MAKE MISTAKES AND HAVE ACCIDENTS.

The amount of training a person has before engaging in any activity is 100% irrelevant if they disregard their training and fail to use common sense or exercise reasonable precautions!

A gun is a deadly weapon, not a toy.

There is no such thing as "playing a game" with a gun.

There is no excuse for that sort of "accident", especially in the military where soldiers are supposed to be trained in the proper use and handling of their weapons.

Well, live and learn, or not.

Not the first time this stupid game has been played. When I was stationed at MCAS Yuma, AZ some years back at the Front gate guardshack I remember the MPs there doing the same stupid thing.

according to my son's CO, marines are 3 times more likely to die in non-combat situations such as DUI, wreckless driving, domestic violence, bar fights and suicide. that statement haunted me til the day he died...now, it seems obvious that these things continue to happen because these guys are not held accountable for their wreckless behavior. the military will stop at nothing to cover up the facts, so we will keep bringing our lambs to slaughter, so the rich kids don't get drafted. all due respect to those who fight for our freedom (or oil, or whatever reason our cowardly leaders find for their profitable wars). my sympathy to the family, i hope someday you get the truth...

kill

If you had just killed a good friend doing something incredibly stupid with an obviously unloaded gun, would you be able to own up to it on the first pass? Give this guy a retake on explaining what happened. A lapse in judgement after a disastrous case of bad judgement should not be such a big surprise. Hold him responsible for what he did but not for being too afraid to admit it right away.

softdude,

A lapse of judgement that lasts 11 years? Obviously his commanders wanted this covered up and told him to zip it up. My question is why on earth after that horrible experience would McBride keep reenlisting in the Army?? This whole thing stinks of bull@!$%#. And of course it doesn't surprise me it's coming from Fort Hood.

I pity the wives and children that have to live on that base and the civilian police that patrol near by it.

@softdude. A lapse in judgement? My question is why has it taken 11 years for this to surface. I'm sure the shooter not only lapse in judgement, as well as forgotten some important details. I'm surprised at the military and their laxie dazie, non shalontness (if they're even real words, you all get my drift) of this case or lack of a case.

11 Years?? The kid was killed last June!! Read the story before making stupid allegations.

Gail P,

Did you read the story? 11 years? Try 6-7 months; the shooting was in June 2011...Also, the incident occured in Iraq, not at Fort Hood.

It was an error that had people believing this happened in 2001 not in 2010.

Eva and TJ...don't piss your pants! MSN just corrected the typo. It had the year as 2001. Read my comment again TJ. Did I quote McBride shot his bunk mate AT Fort Hood? No, I didn't. McBride is at Fort Hood now where this mess is being unraveled. Fort Hood is always in the news because of stupid crap someone did.

That's what I'm talking about! If your not planning on shoting it, don't aim at it!!

I agree, at one time in history it was more of an honor to serve in our armed forces. Today we have drug addicts selling military weapons on the black market for drugs. I wanted to go after high school, but thank goodness I was too skinny. It is such a joke to be in it now. There are still some decent people in there, don't get me wrong, but when they allow ex-gang members and trouble makers, and of course tards who think its fun to point weapons at each other. The list goes on and on....

Dear FedUp-3261941 and kawasaki.kid, you both disgust me. Our military has never been a better organization than it is today. How can either of you be accurate witnesses to the military when of your own testimony neither of you served. What happened between these two sergeants can only be described as a tragedy, not malevolent behavior. On the other hand, you two Monday morning quarterbacks lack courage and understanding. Get your yellow crayons out and go color.

dont let a few bad apples ruin the bushel. im in the military and is the exact same thing as everything else.. the majority are smart and hard working, then you have idiots that do stupid stuff. our military is very honorable and i was hurt hearing those words

Thank you for your service alphabet26. You (and the military) still have my support. I wear my military lineage proudly.

Hey Fairplay,

"Our military has never been a better organization than it is today......." Are you insane? Better than saaaay WWII ....WWI........

You are kneejerking as badly as the people you criticise. We have too often been told "never question the military's integrity" ...well why shouldn't we ? by doingthat we are not saying they are all bad or all good , but by no means should anyone be given a free pass to be an idiot , bigot , or just a plain meathead because they served . If they served well then yes praise them , but if they served poorly they don't whitewash it .

We have to stop this nationalistic "we cant be wrong attitude" or we will continue our downward spiral.

@kawasaki.kid

they allow ex-gang members and trouble makers

I rarely say someone is talking out of their arse but your comment is clamouring for a beat down. Have you ever tried to join the military besides "thinking about it in High Kid School"? They wont let you join if you have any convictions even TRAFFIC TICKETS.

Now many people who are "bad" or shouldnt be in the Military have CLEAN criminal backgrounds thus arent found to be UNFIT until later or after its too late. Same can be said for police officers, politicians, social workers, LOAN OFFICERS, bank tellers, bankers, stock brokers, pension fund managers, retail store managers ETC ETCETERA (any position that can be abused)

Next time THINK before saying the United States Military is a JOKE. Hold your tongue and comment on some other topic that you know more about. Thx.

Hurt? Seriously? Stupidity is a universal trait in humans. It must be planned for and expected. There's no telling whether this was just a couple of psyched up young men playing tough guy with their weapons, or something more. Their intelligence may be questioned, but not their honor, is that it? I truly hope your own honor wasn't too badly bruised hearing about this. Clearly the one thing more frightening and horrifying than our actions out on a battlefield is that which is always looming in the rearview mirror of our lives: The very real possibility that we were wrong, and there was never anything honorable in any of it.

To all those who would characterize us serving in the military as an organization full of criminals, drug addicts, and undisciplined dysfunctional neandrathals, stop and think for a minute where we get out soldiers/sailors/airmen and marines...we get them from the public at large. Your communities. We are your friends/neighbors/children/husbands/wives/sisters/brothers etc... We don't grow military people out on some farm somewhere. We are reflective of a diverse America.

Kawasaki kid....Where did you ever get the notion that drug addicts and gang members are allowed to join the armed forces. They must pass Dept. of Justice background checks, drug screens, even financial screening. You obviously did make the right choice and I agree "thank goodness" you were too skinny. My son's friend killed in Iraq and many of his other friends who have served multiple tours over the last 7-8 years are not jokes.....you had two young men, who knows what prompted them to make the choice to engage in this game with guns? It's a tragedy all the way around and for you to make such disgusting comments about our military is weak minded and seriously offensive. I agree with Fairplay99 - pick up your yellow crayons.

I can say there is a great deal wrong with our military and has been for decades. There is also plenty to joke about. I earned that right. US Navy Wife of 20 years 1986-2006. My husband whom served agrees. First of all, there is nothing new about bad training and insufficient brain cells in many that are allowed to carry a weapon. Try going on any Naval Air Base and you can tell right away if it's a marine or some nitwit that was TAD to security at the gate by how he/she holds their rifle. If they treat it like a stick of wood or baseball bat--not a marine. If the muzzle is facing the sky against their shoulder and it's tight against their side,butt down--a marine.

Gail P.......WOW! Being a US Navy Wife of 20 years has earned you the right to joke about our military. And how impressive that you can tell the right way to hold a rifle and the incorrect way. Do you currently have a son or other family member serving in the armed forces? I sure hope not. It would be a terrible shame for them to know what you really think of their comittment to lay down their life for a country who thinks there is plenty to joke about where they are concerned.

Gail P-2123561 i was stationed on naval air station north island for 6 years and i have been on several other naval bases and never saw marine with a gun, and by the way i was one of them that was TAD to security. if your husband is anything like you, people like him is the reason i got out.

To Mr. Fed up,

I thank you for not serving in the military. Im sure you have done something more for your counrty. When I grow up I want to be like you. I cant compare to you, all Ive done was some heavy combat in Ramadi, Iraq and recently Sangin, Afghanistan ( you'll have to google those places to know what I mean) as a Marine Infantryman. Man I tell you its amazing we didnt all die, because anybody who is intelligent ( like you) doesn't go to combat.

It always disturbs me (in an affirming way) when people believe the military populace is beyond all moral authority and should never be scrutinized. As a former member who served in the first Iraq conflict, honorably discharged after his term of service and now an adult with 20 years of retrospect I believe it is the greatest social experiment of the last 100 years. Our Army is really unique, or has been after Vietnam, in that it is so well-paid and taken care of. Even when we have long periods without any conflict this body of 1million plus participants is housed, fed and living under a very different system than the common civilian, with it's own laws. If there ever was a Republican form of welfare the military would be it.

Someone made a good point that the Army doesn't 'grow' it's population on a military farm (though the academies do kind of have that mentality), but this is generally true. The military reflects the larger American population from which it's drawn. From that, and my own experience, I can say it certainly has it's share of idiots, bums and dangerous persons BUT far less than a same size sample from the US population. You take 1000 random people from America and match them up against the military and you will find many more idiots, bums and dangerous people. I'd bet money on that.

By the same token, it makes me slightly nauseous when people throw the 'military is so heroic and good as gold' card on the table. Is fighting for the whims of a handful of people who represent either a confused populace or very small business minority heroic or sensible? Seriously, what are we in the middle East for? To make a couple of politicians look good? Is Democracy about to crumble if we don't have boots in Afghanistan and Iraq and half of these other holes in the walls? Couldn't we just be more diplomatic or 'agree to disagree' and refrain from handing out student visas to ANYONE from those areas? Wouldn't a smarter offense be a better defense? The country is surrounded by 2 borders and two OCEANS for crying out loud. Can't control it or no one wants to ruin relations by not allowing would be fundamentalists in the country?

Sorry, this article was about two bored young idiots who made a tragic, irrevocable mistake that one will live to regret until his dying day.

At the risk of making this comment sound right while trying to make a point, so here goes. Do you think the quality of the wars this country gets in, brings out this kind of quality in some soldiers? It started in Nam and well it keeps going on in the countries we go to and fight their religious/civil wars. The soldiers know they have no business there, the natives of these countries tell the soldiers they don't want them there and the soldiers there are putting their lives on the line, wondering what the hell they are doing there in the first place. The soldiers that go to these countries are fight a war of survival, not our countries war as in the World Wars and even Korea because of it being so close to WWII, that it was distantly related to WWII and the troops where there to do a job. Even Korea had troops there that didn't believe they needed to be there. In Iraq the troops knew there wasn't any reason for them being there, that would have our countries best interest at hand. The quality of mostly the young people today has gone down tremendously. The young know they can't make a decent living and have a family, buy a home and have children and their mental state is to get high and what happens, happens. Some of the young people don't have the abilities of becoming office workers and they figure McDonalds just might end up being the best they will achieve during their life times. Theres aways going to be these type of people and even back in the days after Korea we had the same kind of people here, but at least then they could go to the mills and be productive and make a living and have nice things, now they get these crazy tattoos and end up getting high one way or the other. Nothing to look forward too and the same with a lot of soldiers that think on these lines too. What are they going to do when they get out? I know this may only apply to a small percentage of soldiers now but, I do believe thats reason for something like this happening.

Hey Adidas: way wrong buddy. Go get a drug conviction, then go to an army recruiter, bet youll get in. Appreciate the rest of your comment, but you CAN and WILL be allowed enlistment if you have convinctions, just depends on what kinds.

It's true.

I know someone personally who had a domestic violence conviction expunged by these means. All he had to do was talk to an ARMY recruiter, enlist, and pay a little over 700 dollars....

But I say, why not recruit druggies and rapists and people who like assault others? Seems like perfect stock for brainwashing to kill indiscriminately!

It is NOT the Army's job to police civilian JUDGES that expunge conviction records idiot.

If a conviction is expunged, then there is no record of it, ergo, the Army doesn't know about it. If you've got one recruiter in the bunch that doesn't care, is coaching candidates on what to do, etc and that recruiter gets caught in that practice, he/she will typically be relieved of duty for cause - basically a career ender.

So, NO. The military does not arm "druggies, rapists and people who like 'to' assault others" nor do we hire them. We prefer not to hire A-Holes like you either Vanessa.

Have a nice day.

I'm not going to try to guess if it was an accident or not, but for those discussing whether he should be free/serving still... I'm just going to say if you shot somebody in the head at your job even if it was an accident, you WOULD be free until your trial and you WOULDN'T still be working at that job.

it was a typo more than likely

good observation...

well at least i was not the only one to notice the big of an error i kn ow for a fact we were not there i was part of the first push in to Iraq in 2003 lol

Off hand, I'd say everything in this editorial is not telling the whole truth....

Yes, caught that June 2001 mistake too. Does anyone proof their work anymore?

Wow you are alright.

It should say 2011 not 2001. Just a typo!!!

I thought it was a little strange that they were talking about a 10 year old case, and then I realized that it was before 9/11. My bet is that it was a typo Army, get your collective hea, and might be 2010. But to me the worst mistake (other than two goobers playing a stupid game!) was that it took WEEKS for his family to be notified! C'mon Army, get your head out of your rear! It shouldn't take DAYS, let alone weeks to notify next of kin. There was a time that families were notified within HOURS...and that was before world wide satellite communications.

Common mistake, we had plenty of military presence in Iraq previous to 9/11. It could also just be a typo.

@toyfox,

there might be a reason it took them weeks. this accident seems fishy to me. as soon as i read "it took weeks", my first thought was, they are putting together a puzzle before making this public. that puzzle could be the truth or a lie. but the fact this guy is still active makes it even more suspect.

Great spot checking job! I missed it. I thought it's too weird for a guy to shoot his bunk mate in the head . And than stay in the army for 11 years afterwards to randomly pick one day out of the blue over a decade later to confess it. Jeff Black should write for THE WEEKLY WORLD NEWS rag.

"Sgt. Matthew Gallagher, a 22-year-old from Falmouth, Mass., was shot in the head by Sgt. Brent McBride, 25, on June 26, 2011, on their base in Al-Kut, Iraq, according to the Army."

the date from the post states June 26,2011...

as for the USA "not being in Iraq in 2001" comment made above, that too is incorrect. In 1986 we were there clearing the way in the Persian Gulf for our land troops to move in, which by any middle eastern map you can clearly see the persian gulf is up against Iraq and Iran and Saudi Arabia. My father got a purple heart for saving his crew on the samuel b roberts upon returning from the clearing of the gulf so our troops can get their noses in iraq. so please dont you sit there and tell me we were NOT in the gulf at the time of 2001. we were there for the past 26 years.....stop being blinded and misinformed by the media. I have seen personal footage of my fathers ship, air force, marines and army in combat at that time on land in Iraq. a war we (IMO) should have never been in.

As for these 2 boys, to the family of Sgt. Matthew Gallagher, it's always tragic to lose a loved one. To be murdered is even worse. I hope justice falls hard on the rightful party.

Actually....it is normal to walk around, or keep in your hootch, an UNLOADED weapon weather it be an M16 rifle or a Pistol......It depends on what condition the base is, weather or not you are inside the wire, and most of the time you do NOT walk around with a loaded rifle/pistol....even if you are in Iraq or Afghanistan.....so you are incorrect, and after all .... it was the ARMY

Guns are bigger then 9 mm its a pistol, weapons training received by every servicemembers instils the fact that you must assume every weapon is loaded until proven otherwise.

Neinth, I don't believe that this SGT didn't know his gun was loaded. Everyone has to clear their weapons and carry their ammo in pouches. It is apparent that he put the clip for the 9mm inside the weapon, locked and loaded it, and knew precisely what he was doing. As a former Senior Noncommissioned Officer (Retired Army Master Sergeant) who carried a 9mm, I'm fully aware of the steps needed to take in order to fire it. None of us is walking around with loaded weapons while on the base. There are protcols that must be followed and I don't by his story, don't by it at all.

sorry that was a qoute from article my bad.I was pointing out the stupidity of it.

As a guy who likes to think he has some common sense,i would say picking up a gun and checking if it was loaded is a good idea.

I would also like to think,if said gun was MY OWN WEAPON,that I was carrying,long enough to be able to play stupid games like "what would you do",i possibly would have checked it before hand.

Not knowing its loaded is not an excuse here,both should have been well aware guns are not toys.I child that says that,sure.Maybe a crack head or two,maybe.Members of our armed forces trained in this sort of shyte and sent over-sea's......NO NO NO

I read stupid crap in the news every day,we all do,this however proves how screwed up we are.To allow our military to say,we didnt know it was loaded.....

This I blame not only on the dead one,but the live one,and anyone who was involved in training these two derps.They are all at fault,because obviosly someone isnt doing their job right.Perhaps they should re-test these guys iq's after bootcamp make sure they aint gotten dumber,cuz i hate to think they where this stupid before hand.And i;d hate to think the military isnt teaching them these things.

And anyone who is in military,I am not by any means knocking you,you know better than most this is un-acceptable excuse for killing a fellow comrade.

I know My 9mm is loaded simply by picking it up, a full clip adds a considerable weight to the weapon. It is NOT easy to misjudge it.

Every time I've been in Iraq or Afghanistan we always had a full mag in the weapon. Ya just didn't keep one in the chamber. That bein said, ya never point your weapon at nothin ya ain't goin to shoot. If no witnesses come forward to state thet there was conflict between the two NCOs, he should git 10 years for being stupid and breaking the most basic rules of weapon safety.

No, it's called shots/immunizations with additives...

Pretty much.

What do you expect when the recruiters are trolling the High school hallways? They're recruiting kids, and kids are idiots. There was nobody in my graduating class I would have trusted with a gun, yet I know a lot signed up...

we (the military) are downsizing, so we only accept the smartest of the bunch with no criminal record. you guys have obviously never served, so please dont throw abusive comments at the military

The "idiots" the military is calling out for are the civilians that they think will believe their B.S. story's. Men and Women in the Armed Forces (or ANYONE that has had any training with weapons) KNOW better then to EVER assume a gun is NOT loaded. You ALWAYS assume a gun is loaded, kind of common sense.. or at least I thought it was.

eh, there are still some morons getting in, at least 5 out of 7 that joined the same time i did where idiots, almost made me change my mind....

What is the minimum I.Q. requirement for joining the military? Does it vary by branch? Does anyone know?

I work with an ex-Marine Recruiter... his exact words were, 'If you can fog a mirror, you can hold a gun.' You don't need to have a criminal record to be an idiot. ;)

Coming from a military family...sounds like a "don't ask, don't tell" thing to me too.

I agree with you....there are many accidental shooting involving hunting and people do...They are charged manslaughter. Why would this be any different. What does the military hire now days...KIDS

it is as dumb as playing russian roulette with semi-automatic as opposed to a revolver...talk about a dumb game...

Thats what the military instills in you tho....that you are invincible and god like. If you didn't feel that way, you would question the stupid orders you are given everyday. How many soldiers have died throughout history of U.S. military that were given stupid orders that the higher ups knew they themselves wouldn't have done. Sucks, but there is a fine line between ignorance and common sense.

@ kawasaki.kid: Above you say you were not in the military, but here you express yourself as though you are an expert in military life. Below you say the military sweeps "crap under the carpet." You are not an expert at any of these matters. I would venture that you are a cowardly boy that is a bully against people smaller than you, especially women and children. Get a life.

kawasaki.kid, I do not agree with you statement that the Military instills in it's Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors, and Coast Guard that they are invincible. What they teach us, or taught me, was Honor, Courage, Dignity, Respect, Selfless Service, Pride, Loyalty, Duty, but more importantly, how to work as a team and to watch one anothers back. It is the impression of others who put that stigma on the Military. Just because they hold their heads high, and wear their uniforms with pride, doesn't me they think they are better than anyone, or that their life is less important. When you are willing to lay down your life in support of your Country, that is not being invincible, that is merely honoring and carrying on the legacy of our brothers and sisters before us. This act was a stupid one, and one that Noncommissioned Officers carried out, not privates or Junior Enlisted. These NCOs knew better. And by the way, we are taught to never ask a Soldier to do anything that you yourself would not do. I'm sorry if you were less fortunate, but please don't make false accusations, it really does bother me, for I truly did my best to serve in the Army Honorably and took really good care of all of my Soldiers. They ate before me. Went to sleep before me. Went on R & R leave before me...my Soldiers always came before my needs, that is what the Army taught me, and no, not once did I think I was invincible. Every day I went out on a convoy, I wondered if I would make it back safely, the fear consumed me, but I forged ahead, because I couldn't let my Soldiers down, so please, don't disparage my service or committment.

Hey look it's Fairplay again!

Making assumption while criticising others for doing so . Where in Kid's statement would you draw the idea he is a bully? You mean the part where he asks a sarcastic question , and daring to now bow to the mystique of the military? Or the part where he actually makes sense with the "fine line" comment ...

Also he doesnt actually say he isnt in the military .

You sir or madam , are a bully in your own right , While I am sure you will take offense to what I have said , and state "I dont know what Im talking about" or some other nonsense and not actually address what was said. You seem to do that alot.....oh wait by your own logic , you do this all the time.

ya kawasakikid, you should just shut that suck hole you call a mouth. you sound completely ignorant.

even in the past, people with swords and crossbows were given orders and died because of it, with their leaders knowing it would happen. i like how you point out that its the u.s. military. its happened throughout history i'm sure. all over the world.

besides, every leader knows that when you go into a war, someone will die. if you believe otherwise.....i cant even describe how stupid that would be.

hey lightfailure. "the kid" did say in an earlier post that he tried to join but they didnt take him because he was too skinny.

I know what you mean. Hell you don't even have to earn a high school diploma to be in the military. I understand the 9/11 stuff, but if you look at reports and research we had soldiers in Afghanastan way before then, so I am pretty positive crap was going on in Irag also before 9/11. The government is pretty good at keeping crap under the carpet.

hey kid, last time i'll crutinize any post you put up here. things could have changed since i tried to join due to demands, but when i tried to join they wouldnt take me because i didnt graduate high school.

like i said i could be wrong. but i know for a fact that took only graduates when i tried to join.

Aaron, you don't know what you're talking about. Each service has their own requirements for the ASVAB and yes the Army's are lower because - well the Army needs more people so sometimes they do relax their standards. But that hasn't been the case since about 2007 when the economy started sliding downhill. Now, if you want to join, better have a good ASVAB score, a high school diploma, and better not need any waivers because no one is processing them right now.