Fort McPherson soldier was in near-catatonic state before shooting

Lawyer: Sgt. in shooting was on strict diet

Reserve soldier was in near-catatonic state after being ‘belittled, humiliated and berated’
By Greg Bluestein - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Aug 31, 2010 9:46:48 EDT

FORT McPHERSON, Ga. — A soldier was fasting to meet strict military weight guidelines and was nearly catatonic when he shot and killed a supervisor who denied his vacation request, his attorney said Monday.

Attorney William Cassara said Army Reserve Sgt. Rashad Valmont was dehydrated, exhausted and delirious when he burst into Master Sgt. Pedro Mercado's office in nearby Fort Gillem in June and shot him six times.

Valmont, 29, faces a premeditated murder charge. The details of the shooting were revealed for the first time Monday at a military hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to go to trial. No immediate recommendation was issued.
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Lawyer Sgt in shooting was on strict diet

Gen. Charles “Hondo” Campbell retires after 40 years

Army Gen. Charles “Hondo” Campbell, the only remaining four-star general in the Army who served in combat in Vietnam, retired June 3, capping a 40-year career in the service.

Forces Command head retires after 40 years

By Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jun 5, 2010 9:53:17 EDT

Gen. Charles “Hondo” Campbell marked the end of a 40-year Army career on Thursday, one that began in the jungles of Vietnam and culminated in a ceremony at historic Fort McPherson, Ga.

Campbell, who was the only four-star general in the Army who served in combat in Vietnam, received his commission in 1970 from Louisiana State University.

He served as the commander of a Special Operations A-team in Vietnam before going on to serve in multiple command positions, including in an armor battalion in the 3rd Armored Division and a mechanized brigade in the 2nd Infantry Division. He also was commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division and later commanded 8th Army in Korea.

Campbell closed his Army career as commander of Forces Command, the Army’s largest organization responsible for training, mobilizing, deploying, sustaining and transforming today’s soldiers.
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Forces Command head retires after 40 years

DOD announced non-combat death in Kuwait

Soldier from Columbia dies in non-combat incident in Kuwait
The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. --The Department of Defense says that a soldier from South Carolina has died in a non-combat related incident at the main U.S. military base in Kuwait.

The Department of Defense on Saturday identified the soldier as

Army Master Sgt. Danny E. Maybin of Columbia. Officials say the 47-year-old died Thursday at Camp Arifjan, a major gateway for U.S. soldiers moving into and out of neighboring Iraq.

Maybin was assigned to Fort McPherson in Georgia, the headquarters for the U.S. Army Forces Command.

Officials say the incident is under investigation.
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