A National Guardsman from Norfolk was killed Sunday in Iraq, the Defense Department said Tuesday night.
Staff Sgt. Jeremiah E. McNeal, 23, died of wounds he suffered in Baghdad when a vehicle he was in came into contact with an improvised explosive device, a Defense Department statement said.
McNeal was assigned to the 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 91st Troop Command of the Virginia Army National Guard in West Point.
His death was the third in Iraq for the company.
Spc. David E. Lambert, 39, of Cedar Bluff, Va., was killed Oct. 26 by an improvised explosive device.
Four other soldiers were injured in that explosion the day before. One of them, Sgt. Derek R. Banks, 24, of Newport News, died Nov. 14.
McNeal’s specialty was as a combat engineer, the Virginia National Guard said in a statement.
“He was part of our brotherhood that can never be replaced,” Capt. Beau Mason, the commander of the 237th Engineer Company, said in the statement. “Our mission is dangerous, yet Staff Sgt. McNeal faced it with a cheerful smile and alleviated the fears of many soldiers solely through his presence. It will be impossible to fill that gap that has been left through the loss of Staff Sgt. McNeal.”
National Guard staff are meeting with McNeal’s family and making resources available to them.
A little more than 100 Virginia Army National Guard soldiers with the 237th Engineer Company entered active federal service in July at their home armory in West Point. They headed to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin for additional preparation for deployment.
Patrick Wilson (757) 446-2957, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com
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Sgt. McNeal & War
My condolences to McNeal's family & friends. My condolences to all, for the loss of another fine, young individual. Perhaps, if the declarers of war were required to serve in that war, or required to send their own children, less wars, especially ones started on the basis of outright lies, would be fought.
National Guard
Can be deployed to anywhere the US Flag is flying, & during a conflict, this may include headquarters, or operations in unfriendly territory. RIP Brave Soldiers
Very Sad
It's heart breaking when another of our troop members has died in this terrible unjust war. How many more, before we start a withdrawal of our troops out of this hell hole? I hate this war, and I hate the death of another human being because of it.
God Go With you Sgt McNea;
Patriot Guard Riders are standing by for the family & friends of Sgt McNeal. Don't hesitate to call or hit the Contact Link on Home page. FYI:
http://www.patriotguard.org/Forums/tabid/61/postid/839803/view/topic/Default.aspx
With Sincere Respect,
Woody Wagner
Senior Ride Captain
Hampton Roads, Virginia
I hear what you're saying asner
But unfortunately, it's no grounds to sue. When you join the National Guard, you're at the discretion of both the governor and president. In fact, we had to take two oaths when we enlisted - one to defend the U.S. Constitution and another for the state. National Guard soldiers are given the same MOS's as regular Army and Army Reserves soldiers because they are still considered an Army Component - available to use for any Army mission. This war has really stretched the National Guard. The Guard (ideally) is primarily a state militia to be assigned for state related duties. This war has pretty much turned this component into the Inter-National Guard due to the strain on Army resources and soldiers.
Outraged that we lost
Outraged that we lost another soldier. How long can this go on? To the family: I am so, so sorry. What a wonderful, brave man!
Can we please stop the tasteless rants
One of our own has lost his life and a few here want to use it as a soapbox to bash Bush and crew. It's disgusting. I'm not praising Bush, but this is not the time or place for such diatribes. We have 535 people to blame for this conflict, NOT one man.
As far as the National Guard and its purpose, I suggest a bit of research before your ignorant rant asnerj.
God bless Staff Sgt. Jeremiah E. McNeal and his family; you are in my prayers.
I am so sorry for the loss of this patriot...
and I am angry that another servicemember has lost his life in Bush's personal war.
signed up to be a national guard and forced to go oversees
His family should have grounds to sue President Bush, Rumsfeld and Cheney. When you sign up to be a national guardsmen it means to defend our territory and not to hold another countries. This is sad and shows the sickness that our country is dealing with. This hypocrisy makes me sick when I think of the loss and how exploited people are at the hands of a government that is rife with corruption and exploitation of good patriotic Americans. This is shameful. God bless this man and his family
I'm really going to miss him
McNeal and I served together for a couple of years. I remember the day he came into my unit. A real soft spoken and gentle guy. Everybody in the unit loved him. I'm never going to forget our trips up and down I-64 going to drill. You will be dearly missed. My thoughts are with his family at this time.