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Sgt. Coleman S. Bean enlisted in the U.S. Army Sept. 5, 2001, and trained at Ft. Benning, Ga. He graduated from the Army Airborne Program in 2002, was assigned to the 173rd Airborne and stationed in Vicenza, Italy. As part of a NATO force, he served in Kosovo and trained in Germany.
In 2003, the 173rd opened the northern front in the Iraq war through the only en-masse combat paratroop jump undertaken by the Army since Vietnam.
Sgt. Bean served in Iraq for 12 months, where he was assigned to peacekeeping duties and the training of local police officials in the Kirkuk area.
Following his tour of duty in Iraq, he was assigned to Ft. Bragg, where he served as an opposition-force trainer for troops preparing for combat in Iraq.
He was honorably discharged in 2005 and recalled to active duty for service in Iraq May 13, 2007. He served with a unit of the Maryland National Guard (175th Combat Infantry Unit) at an airbase in Northern Iraq.
He received the following medals, commendations and promotions:
Airborne Wings - 2002
Army Achievement Medal - 2002
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal W/Arrowhead Device - 2003
Army Commendation Medal x 2 - 2004
Combat Infantryman's Badge - 2004
Combat Parachutist Badge - 2004
Good Conduct Medal - 2005
Army Commendation Medal - 2008
Iraq Campaign Medal - 2008
Promoted from Specialist to Corporal October 2008.
Promoted from Corporal to Sergeant December 2008.
Sgt. Bean committed suicide in 2008 at the age of 25.
His mother, Linda Bean, has been an advocate for improving VA and DOD mental health services for soldiers and endorses the below services for free and confidential counseling for soldiers, vets and their families:
The Soldiers Project: 1-877-576-5343
http://www.thesoldiersproject.org
Give An Hour: http://www.Giveanhour.org
The National Veterans Foundation
1-888-777-4443
Leave a Comment:
As a veteran I'm worried by this. I'm 27 years old and while I'm not suicidal or depressed, I worry about my friends especially the younger soldiers I've deployed with. Being a Guardsman it's harder to watch after the younger guys as I only see them 2 days a month when we're not deployed, and it's difficult to get a real feel for how they're doing no matter how often you call. All I've seen the Army do is preach that help is out there, and force us to sit through tedious Suicide Briefings that consist of nothing more than a 2 hour Powerpoint presentation and a less than enthusiastic NCO or officer who is usually commanded to instruct on this uncomfortable briefing. And when someone in your battalion or brigade does commit suicide, their answer is just to make you sit through it again. While the block of instruction does include useful information, boring the majority of troops doesn't seem to be helping. I'm not the worlds smartest man, and only claim to be very scarcely but it seems that what the Army is trying to bandage the wound with is not the answer. The Army needs help with this.
hola, steve, it sounds too simple, but what really got me over the hump of my depression, and i was in the hospital emergency room twice from two suicide attempts, was art therapy. somehow, when you get those elusive emotions out on paper in form and color, you get rid of the crap in your head, it's on the piece of paper and you're done with it. you can even burn it, if you want i'm sure you'd see alot of red and black on those pieces of paper if the soldiers were to use this method, anger. music helps, especially bach, i have yo-yo-ma playing bach's unaccompanied cello suites. that does amazing things for your poor head. aromatherapy works, something like apple, the candles by bath and body works and slatkin and co. are amazing. deep tissue massage with eucalyptus and rosemary oil would work. getting them to write short stories would work. anything to get the crap out of their body and head. and then they can go punch a punching bag. i did a reading for my neighbor's sister once, she had just had a positive pap smear and she was scared. when we sat down at the kitchen table, i saw a black shadow lift off of her and go out the front door. what is in our soldiers' head is not their imagination. it needs to be cast out. best, anna martina
This problem as been going on for so long and no one bothered to listen to the troops. Think how many soldiers we could have saved. The soldiers only had their families to tell of the horror being done to them. As the White House refused information be told to the public and the fear of disobeying President Bush's orders. The White House had a Propaganda Department that directed what they wanted the public to know. As for the reason we illegally invaded Iraq it was all about oil and we'll learn Bin Laden's name was used to keep fear as we will learn who hired the 9/11 bombers. What's scary is we had the real axis of evil was George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.
OH yes, folks like you want to blame Bush. Get a grip. You have no "clue" as to what Terrorist groups real "goals" are. Why don't you watch over and over the pictures of our Airline planes crashing into the twin towers. Where were you? You and others with your leftist mind still don't get it. Talk to those who lost love one on 9 11! And it is folks like you that would "cry" the loudest if you lost a love one to an attack. Get a grip, and fly right!
I am against these wars.
Many times I have screamed from my heart, pleading to end the senseless wars.
And, this story forces another plea.
Do folks in charge, in Washington get these stats, briefs, memos, reports??
Can't be. I cannot imagine anyone being in power having the ability to put an end to the madness and reading this grim story- then ignoring the obvious. One must conclude: HEARTLESS.
I have begged, cried, pleaded for an end..will they listen?? Will they act?
Not much more I can do. Voted for the one who promised, "the end to wars"..
Still waiting.
My heart goes out to each and every soldier..and my heart goes out to all family members...
Still-
This is not enough. We praise those who report the wars and we praise those who write of the wars..
I am afraid we have lost sight of what is important..we have lost sight of the value of God's most precious gift:
LIFE.
"I will never LEAVE or FORSAKE you." - GOD (THE BIBLE)
A really worthwhile, alternative program that I haven't seen mentioned, is the Free Veterans Expedition with Outward Bound. I only learned of the program recently myself, when stumbling upon the website during a job search. The wilderness adventures provide "an opportunity for camaraderie and has proven to be a powerful tool helping veterans readjust after leaving the combat zone." http://www.outwardbound.org/index.cfm/do/cp.veterans
I do not know a whole lot about the program, apart from what I have read, but I do know that Outward Boundhas a rich and proven history for using the outdoors as an alternative means of therapy across diverse populations. Plus, its free - so worth checking out. Or in my case, getting the word out by telling others that might be able to benefit from this service.
Ms. Grose
Many thanks for your link on Outward Bound. I encourage all readers to take a look at the story / link.
Yes, this is another alternative to heal the mind. Nature, a healing gift, comes with its own raw, natural magical power.
Spiritual blessings are out there..waiting..
Please pray for and support our military.
The rhetoric on television about how concerned the U.S. government is about our soldiers is enough to make me sick. My son returned from Iraq in May and when I asked how thoroughly they were screened psychologically upon their return, he replied that they received a hearing and vision screening; nothing else. This seems odd since the Vietnam vet that they spoke to in the story said himself that one of the roughest times for a soldier is when he/she returns from a deployment. I really wish the American public was privy to the same information that soldiers and their families have. Then everyone would know, despite what they see on the news, what the real story is.
Retard, a powerfully written blog. The Bush-bashers are not informed, and I do believe they blame
him for everything. In my mind, he is the greatest modern president because he changed the
world with the ouster of Saddam. They underestimate him at their peril. Phyllis
and here i had this really strange dream that an asteroid took out iraq and iran and that was the mushroom cloud . . . . or maybe it was a direct hit by a death star, but THAT would have taken out the planet . . . . .
Anna
Nice.
It rained today. Welcome relief and we were at a lake during the rain. One of your nature poems came to mind.
"Mr. Mom" is on tv...funny.. A professional losing his job due to the bad economy... and forced to become a stay home MOM.
Betcha this is happening these days...
hola, mimi, and they're finding out that it's harder than they think . . . . . there's ALOT to being a mom, just ask phyllis and jackie.
Anna- to revisit the sadness of DN blog- I reflect on Ms. Kristen Grose's blog and your answer to Steve's worries. "Outward Bound" is God's healing gift.
Never underestimate God's power.
Anna, you give us poems, so allow me to share "clips of pictures of God's creation." (Subtitle)
Please YouTube "Awesome God" (Will Bonner, singer)
All will be blessed with sunrise, sunset, birds, fish.....
Simply the magnificence of God's handiwork.
PLEASE- take a look.
THX
M.
hola, mimi, i pulled up you tube and couldn't find the will bonner video. all of my calendars, and i have 3, are wildlife and gardens. and my little place is green, green, green, so i get to see a bit of god's handiwork every day. i can't live without my green! just got my first issue of 'national geographic', too:-) take good care, anna martina p.s. i did a fair amount of hiking when i could, my energy is too low, now, in ramsey canyon, here in the huachuca mountains. lots of hummingbirds. i call ramsey canyon a nature cathedral.
Anna (know your garden is good especially the zucchini) but please look at the video
Go to YouTube
Type in "Awesome God" (only those words)
Choose the video with the blue sky
(It also reads- "clips of pictures of God's creation")
I don't know how to link a video using my phone.
Will ask pal later.
Kids drinking cold COFFEE drinks (on TODAY)..
No. Not good.
Anna (know your garden is good especially the zucchini) but please look at the video
Go to YouTube
Type in "Awesome God" (only those words)
Choose the video with the blue sky
(It also reads- "clips of pictures of God's creation")
I don't know how to link a video using my phone.
Will ask pal later.
Kids drinking cold COFFEE drinks (on TODAY)..
No. Not good.
Anna.
Did you take a look at the video? I discovered this (version) Sunday morn around 4.
Stuff you'd like: Nature and fab colors.
Thx
M.
hola, mimi, found it, it was great, thank you!:-) i have a friend in s.v. who gets nature pix (20 pix an email) from some of her friends and she emails them to me at least once a month. they are great. and they are so up-lifting! i would go by myself to hike in ramsey canyon and when the short trail was still open, i would sometimes find a family of deer grazing. they wouldn't run and would just look at me with their big eyes, it was incredible. i loved it! i have a flipped sleeping schedule, so i don't get on the net until early afternoon mst, that's why the delay. we drank coffee when we were little, hot, because it was cheaper than milk, we were poor. so, i drink lots of milk, now. take good care, anna martina
Anna..
Waited..to hear from you. Joy. Glad I was able to share. Sadness, relief, joy ...all describe Monday's nightly news. The Aids crisIs is not going away yet is rarely a headline anymore. Relief felt..... of the gift medication brings and joy seeing my munchkins wagging their tails in glee (I call all animals / pets munchkins or pumpkins) .
A special thank you for your poems..I love them so..and today I went for a walk and there were lavender, red, yellow, violet, orange...beautiful flowers stretch on..and on.. greeting me as I inch closer and closer. God's handiwork...and I thought about your garden and the joy it brings.
I am worried about our land...home...America and its families. Read today that economic woes bring a rise in domestic violence.
Sad news but always happy to chat with ya.
M
Anna
Your mention of classical music inspired me to purchase pieces for my trip next week Wednesday.
Got in a bag now, George Enescu, "Romanian Rhapsody No. 2"
Fight for the Florida senate seat is getting nasty...bitter..OIL Drilling is a testy topic between Rubio and Crist.
Marco Rubio is running a not so pleasant ad and it features our own Rachel Maddow of MSNBC.
I am for Gov. Charlie Crist.
This is terrible news about Sgt. Bean. I work at a law firm in Bethesda, MD (www.vetlawyers.com) and we pretty much only hear from Vietnam-era veterans about PTSD because there's a culture of shame around having PTSD and being young. It's sorry to see, but the great majority of younger vets suffering from this will just ignore it or attribute it to their civilian situations.