Widow: After 8 deployments, Army Ranger takes own life

[Daniel1210]

Widow: After 8 deployments, Army Ranger takes own life

By Keith Eldridge Published: Aug 12, 2011 at 6:41 PM PDT

JOINT BASE LEWIS MCCHORD, Wash. - A soldier's widow says his fellow Army Rangers wouldn't do anything to help him before he took his own life - after eight deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Army found Staff Sgt. Jared Hagemann's body at a training area of Joint Base Lewis McChord a few weeks ago.

A spokesman for the base tells KOMO News that the nature of the death is still undetermined. But Staff Sgt. Hagemann's widow says her husband took his own life - and it didn't need to happen.

"It was just horrible. And he would just cry," says Ashley Hagemann.

Ashley says her husband Jared tried to come to grips with what he'd seen and done on his eight deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"And there's no way that any God would forgive him - that he was going to hell," says Ashley. "He couldn't live with that any more."

Ashley says her Army Ranger husband wanted out of the military.

"He just wanted to know what it felt like to be normal again," she says.

Staff Sgt. Hagemann had orders to return to Afghanistan this month for a ninth tour of duty.

Instead, on June 28, Ashley says her husband took a gun and shot himself in the head on base. She claims the Rangers never took his pleas for help seriously.

"There's no way that they should not have been able to pick up on it," Ashley says. "When he's telling them, he's reaching out ...."

And on Friday she found out she's not alone in wanting to speak out.

Mary Corkhill Kirkland lost her son Derrick to suicide more than a year ago.

She says doctors at Madigan Army Hospital considered him a low risk for suicide despite three earlier attempts. They sent him back to his unit - where he hanged himself.

Mary says she thinks the Army absically killed her son.

"My son did not want to die. He wanted help. He was crying out for help," she says.

Now Mary Kirkland is reaching out to Ashley Hagemann in her grief.

"You're in good hands, you're not alone here," Mary tells her.

"It's so nice to meet somebody else who understands," says Ashley. "Thank you so much."

KOMO News has contacted the 75th Ranger Regiment about Hagemann, but there is no comment as yet.

The two women are joining forces with several veterans and active-duty soldiers to speak out about what happened with Sgt. Kirkland - and what's being done to prevent further soldier suicides.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/127623973.html

[Daniel1210]

I'll say it again, to send these guys on this many combat tours while most of the population of the country doesn't serve at all is pathetic.

[Surafel]

I'll say it again, to send these guys on this many combat tours while most of the population of the country doesn't serve at all is pathetic.

Not I, I have tremendous respect for the US armed forces, especially the special forces. I wanted to join the army or the marines a little while back, but I was told that I wouldn't be accepted because I'm deaf. So I can say that I tried. God bless the troops!

[Mom2ten]

One of my sons is a Marine, another was Army. Both have been on tours. The aftermath is awful and gutwrenching. They both are going through post traumatic disorder and there is very little help. The military, IMO, has truly let them down.

[treasures]

Just going by many of the soldiers I've spoken to and grown to know over the years, 3 tours is really pushing the envelope for most. Again, that is most that I knew and spoke with on a personal level couldn't bare the thought of a 3rd tour and only a few welcomed a 3rd tour. Hard to imagine 8 and 9 tours....

Keeping all and their families in prayer.

[lovelife]

What a shame. I don't care how mentally strong you are. Every person has a breaking point. Unfortunately, 8 deployments was his.

[HJesusfreak]

i'd like to know why the wife wasn't getting him some civilian help if the military wouldn't help him. No problem going to a civilian doctor, you just have to pay out of pocket. Having the orders though, no amount of drugs and therapy could calm down that freight train. They have a high suicide rate and they know it. They're supposedly trying to boost mental health services but it's a day late and a dollar short. Case in point though, don't wait around for the military to get you help, get help elsewhere if necessary.

[Florian9]

I'll say it again, to send these guys on this many combat tours while most of the population of the country doesn't serve at all is pathetic.

Uncle Sam doesn't want asthmatics either--even though I can easily run an 8 minute mile and outrun most 18 year olds. My brother has been though--3 tours (Iraq once/Afghan twice) that Marine is one tough hombre.

[SaintTexas]

i'd like to know why the wife wasn't getting him some civilian help if the military wouldn't help him. No problem going to a civilian doctor, you just have to pay out of pocket. Having the orders though, no amount of drugs and therapy could calm down that freight train. They have a high suicide rate and they know it. They're supposedly trying to boost mental health services but it's a day late and a dollar short. Case in point though, don't wait around for the military to get you help, get help elsewhere if necessary.

You have upset me. I will try to be as nice as I can. Forgive me if I fall short:

That is grossly unfair to turn around and wonder why his wife didn't take him outside the military and criticize her for it. Where is your compassion? It's her fault? Really? When you raise your hand, you become military property. Have you or anyone close to you in your family served before? Do you know how things work when you are in the military or the difficulties they face with security and what they are allowed to do, not do, disclose?

My husband served active duty Navy through 5.5 years of our marriage and for another 6 afterwards active reserve. He couldn't even talk with me about what he did and still cannot to this day, and I respect that about my husband. He is an honorable man, not a perfect one, and took his commitment very seriously. When he had something traumatic happen to him, he was not even allowed to discuss it outside the military, much less with me. He always honored his commitment to his country and the security clearance he had and still does. This has to be so difficult for her and I am sure that she did everything that she could for him that he was able to allow her to do. You do not understand that there are things that he may not have been allowed to tell her about and with trauma, there may have been things that he just could not talk with her about. The guys in his unit should have been there for him since there were out there with him, especially his chain of command, and gotten him whatever help he needed. It sounds like he asked and was refused, and as tough as they need to be, that is a leadership issue within the command and a breakdown of unity within this group. The guys in special forces we know are close with their units and their leadership cares about them.

The fault absolutely lies with the military here, especially his command who knew that he was struggling. His wife is 100% right.

Praying for this man's wife to know Jesus Christ as her Savior, if she doesn't already, so that she might have peace now. Praying for anyone who hears this story to be moved to pray for this man's wife and his family {mod snip}. She lost her guy tragically and had to endure whatever pain he was in with him AND had to endure the separation of 8 prior tours.

[scott00049]

You have upset me. I will try to be as nice as I can. Forgive me if I fall short:

That is grossly unfair to turn around and wonder why his wife didn't take him outside the military and criticize her for it. Where is your compassion? It's her fault? Really? When you raise your hand, you become military property. Have you or anyone close to you in your family served before? Do you know how things work when you are in the military or the difficulties they face with security and what they are allowed to do, not do, disclose?

My husband served active duty Navy through 5.5 years of our marriage and for another 6 afterwards active reserve. He couldn't even talk with me about what he did and still cannot to this day, and I respect that about my husband. He is an honorable man, not a perfect one, and took his commitment very seriously. When he had something traumatic happen to him, he was not even allowed to discuss it outside the military, much less with me. He always honored his commitment to his country and the security clearance he had and still does. This has to be so difficult for her and I am sure that she did everything that she could for him that he was able to allow her to do. You do not understand that there are things that he may not have been allowed to tell her about and with trauma, there may have been things that he just could not talk with her about. The guys in his unit should have been there for him since there were out there with him, especially his chain of command, and gotten him whatever help he needed. It sounds like he asked and was refused, and as tough as they need to be, that is a leadership issue within the command and a breakdown of unity within this group. The guys in special forces we know are close with their units and their leadership cares about them.

The fault absolutely lies with the military here, especially his command who knew that he was struggling. His wife is 100% right.

Praying for this man's wife to know Jesus Christ as her Savior, if she doesn't already, so that she might have peace now. Praying for anyone who hears this story to be moved to pray for this man's wife and his family rather than be a critic. She lost her guy tragically and had to endure whatever pain he was in with him AND had to endure the separation of 8 prior tours.

In Jesus' name, AMEN

Awesome post. I am a disabled vet and my son is a disable vet as well and he had 3 tours in Iraq, and when I read the headline, my jaw dropped at that amount of deployment. That is far too many. The mental anguish this man must have endured far exceeds what could be considered normal. This widow deserves much from the US govt. for her loss.

Scott

[ThePenguin]

Such a sad story. I agree, eight deployments is way too much; I can't imagine what it's like to have to be deployed just once ("thank you" to all of the veterans and people still serving). Unfortunately one of the world's best militaries still has stuff like this happen, where people fall through the cracks and nobody notices the warning signs, which shouldn't happen. We should take better care of our troops when they come home.

[Florian9]

Such a sad story. I agree, eight deployments is way too much; I can't imagine what it's like to have to be deployed just once ("thank you" to all of the veterans and people still serving). Unfortunately one of the world's best militaries still has stuff like this happen, where people fall through the cracks and nobody notices the warning signs, which shouldn't happen. We should take better care of our troops when they come home.

I'm perplexed by this for several reasons. Why would we send out a soldier for 8 deployments and not expect this? I think military suicides are well documented due to PTSD among other things.
My brother (a Marine) was deployed 3 times in 4 years--Thank God he's out now, but I know for a fact he's seen things that won't ever be told. He's a lot more aggresive and angry now than before he entered boot camp. It is a war after all that he was in.

I'm too young to remember, but was it this bad in Vietnam? I read a lot about Vets having deep psychological issues but not too many suicides.

[clemson]

My grandpa was a vet and he remembers his cousins after WW2 walking out at three in the morning and screaming if touched suddenly. My former History teacher served in Vietnam and I can tell he is bitter at the govt for sending him over there only to lose the war. 8 deployments is WAY too many. Once again a reminder to thank our vets every day.

[ArenaFan]

It may be that if the military treats them that badly, go public with it and hopefully the recruiting level will go down which would force the military to change some of their policies. Also, there should be a limit on how many deployment months or how many deployments one could have.

[SummerSailing81]

Ok, I'm the daughter, granddaughter, niece, and cousin of men who served this country honorably in the United States Navy and Army for a combined total of 78 years. And this just makes me ! First of all, why was this man on his NINTH tour of duty???? That's insane! What really gets my dander up is while men like this are serving MULTIPLE tours of duty trying to keep this country safe, the pinheads occupying Wall St. - who mostly don't have jobs or any ambition and obviously don't want either - are out whining and complaining because they aren't being taken care of for their entire sorry lives. I say give them a job - BRING BACK THE DRAFT FOR MEN AND WOMEN over the age of 18 (like Israel does) - and make them do at least one tour of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan. I bet they get a quick attitude adjustment then - the ingrates! Sorry, this just burns me up and makes my head want to I agree that the military was solely responsible for this man committing suicide.

[are you ready?]

Uncle Sam doesn't want asthmatics either--even though I can easily run an 8 minute mile and outrun most 18 year olds. My brother has been though--3 tours (Iraq once/Afghan twice) that Marine is one tough hombre.

I wanted to go in the Navy,but they would not take someone with EPILEPSY,but all I would have to do is tell the others around me what symptoms to watch for that I tell them about.Two tours is all he should have to go thought,eight is way to many to go thought.My brother just had to go thought one.