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APRIL 2006 • THE ARMY
LAWYER • DA PAM 27-50-395 i
In Memoriam: Corporal Sascha Struble...................................................................................................1
IN
MEMORIAM
Corporal Sascha Struble
19 June 1984 – 6 April 2005
Sergeant First Class Steven Day
Chief Paralegal, USASETAF
Vicenza, Italy
“We cannot dedicate, we cannot
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead,
who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or
detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but
it can never forget what they did here."
–President Abraham Lincoln1
On 6 April 2005, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter
crashed with eighteen Americans on board. On that day and in that crash, the
Judge Advocate General’s Corps lost an outstanding young Soldier—Corporal
(CPL) Sascha Struble. Corporal Struble was following in his family’s
tradition of service to this nation by serving with the U.S. Army in the
Global War on Terror.
On that day, CPL Struble gave his life in
the defense of freedom and in the effort to bring hope and democracy to the
people of Afghanistan. Corporal Struble boarded one of two Chinook
helicopters at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Orgun-E, where he was the
battalion paralegal specialist for the Red Devils of the 1st Battalion
(Airborne), 508th Infantry. After leaving Orgun-E, a severe sandstorm
limited aircraft visibility. In order to land, the pilots attempted to
maneuver to a nearby base, FOB Ghazni. The bad weather “may have caused a
fatal pilot error or technical problem,”2
which resulted in a crash. All eighteen
Americans on board perished.
Corporal Sascha Struble was only twenty
years old when he gave his life for his country. Yet, during the short time
I knew Corporal Struble, he left an indelible mark on me. Corporal Struble
was that rare individual who could bring you to smile at any moment in the
day. Corporal Struble was also a professional, a paratrooper. His devotion
to the Army, his job, and his country are without question.
-Staff Sergeant Ariel Cohen
Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Criminal Law
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force (USASETAF)
Corporal Struble was born on 19 June 1984,
in Bad Bruckeau, Germany. Patriotism runs in his family. Corporal Struble
was the son of a career military Soldier. His father, Michael Struble,
retired from the Army as a master sergeant. One of CPL Struble’s brothers,
Nick Doms, is currently in the U.S. Army, and another of his brothers,
Michael Struble, recently enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Corporal Struble
is also survived by his mother, Heidi Deshazo; step-mother Teresa A.
Struble; step-father, Jeff Deshazo; brother, Tony Doms; and sisters,
Courtney Struble and Jessica Doms. Corporal Struble graduated in 2002 from
Indian River High School in Philadelphia, New York, where he was a star
athlete and an avid photography student. He considered playing minor league
baseball, but instead opted to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“Sascha Struble took his dad with him when
he enlisted in the Army in 2002, during his senior year in high school.”
His first assignment was as a
paralegal specialist for the 2/72d Armor Battalion, Camp Casey, South Korea,
located just south of the heavily armed demilitarized zone. As a young
Soldier, CPL Struble grabbed every opportunity that presented itself and was
determined to leave Korea with Air Assault wings. Twice in successive months
he completed all of the eligibility requirements, including the twelve-mile
road march, for Air Assault School. He later graduated and earned his wings.
Corporal Struble volunteered to go to the field whenever possible and
thrived in the field environment, seeking out training on battle tracking in
the unit’s tactical operations center and joining the infantrymen on
opposing force (OPFOR) missions after hours. While in Korea, CPL Struble
volunteered for and completed the “Manchu” march, an overnight
twenty-five-mile tactical foot march with full combat gear. Corporal Struble
talked about his year in Korea as one of the best in his life and always
reminisced about his Army experiences there with a huge smile on his face.
He had just gotten off shift about an
hour before and should have been getting ready for sleep. I asked him what
he was doing, and he said that the infantry guys said he could go on an
OPFOR mission with them. He was sweating, standing in mud almost to the top
of his boots, had a full ruck, his weapon, and was grinning ear to ear. That
is the type of Soldier he was.
-Staff Sergeant Allen J. Foster
Noncommissioned Officer, 2d Infantry Division
After finishing his tour in Korea, CPL
Struble again requested an overseas assignment—1st Battalion (Airborne),
508th Infantry, Vicenza, Italy,—in hopes of earning his Airborne wings and
of getting deployed. He accomplished both of these tasks in addition to
handling all the military justice actions out of his battalion. Corporal
Struble was extremely motivated and always eager to share the workload of
the other paralegals. He never called it a day before his noncommissioned
officers and always made sure the judge advocates were “good-to-go” before
leaving. Corporal Struble deployed to Afghanistan in February 2005 in
support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI. Based on his motivation and
genuine concern for taking care of the Soldiers in his battalion, both his
battalion commander and his command sergeant major fought to have him
assigned with their unit at Orgun-E.
Due
to his outstanding professionalism, hard work, and attention to detail, we
fought hard to have CPL Struble forward deployed to us in Orgun. He was a
true combat multiplier who took great care of our Soldiers and motivated all
those around him to be all they could be.
-Lieutenant Colonel Timothy McGuire
Commander, 1/508th Infantry Battalion
Corporal Struble could not have been more
excited to receive the news. He was finally getting to work with his
battalion in the field, as he had always wanted, and he was going to be
stationed with them at a remote forward operating base in Orgun-E, where he
hoped he would again have the opportunity to improve his soldiering skills
by working alongside the infantrymen in his unit. Corporal Struble’s
battalion was assigned to a brigade of the 82d Airborne Division, and at the
time of his death, CPL Struble was the only solo-operating paralegal in the
Combined-Joint Task Force 76 area of operations.
While deployed, CPL Struble continued to
perform in an excellent manner. His motivation and great attitude were
models for other Soldiers. Corporal Struble had remarkable character—he was
honest, trustworthy, and genuinely cared about people. Always giving one
hundred and ten percent, CPL Struble was extremely proactive and was
constantly helping his unit and fellow Soldiers with their legal issues at
Orgun-E.
I was comforted to know that he was
located at the battalion task force forward operating base, as I knew that
the battalion was in fully capable hands. Corporal Struble's death made us
all evaluate our environment and ourselves. . . . Corporal Struble was the
epitome of what a young Soldier should be. He was enthusiastic, smart,
dedicated, and caring. He wanted to make the world a better place, and he
wanted to help his buddies. We all evaluated ourselves against Corporal
Struble, and we all realized that we came up short in one respect or
another.
-Colonel Kelly Wheaton
Staff Judge Advocate, USASETAF
To know CPL Struble was to know what is good
about Soldiers. During his short career in the U.S. Army, he earned the
Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service
Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Korean
Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Army Service Ribbon. He was
also authorized to wear the Air Assault and Parachutist Badges.
It was CPL Struble’s confidence and inner
strength, however, that set him apart. He was truly the All-American
patriot; great at sports, quick with a laugh, and always the life of any
social event. Corporal Struble had that very rare quality to somehow be both
happy-go-lucky and a serious, professional paratrooper. One look, and you
knew he was bound for greatness. He was the person you always wanted on your
team no matter what you were doing. His confidence was infectious. He had
the uncanny ability to ease tense situations while maintaining focus on the
task at hand. Nothing was too hard, no distance too great; he made
everything look easy. His presence really made you better than you are.
Whether on the PT field, basketball
court, or office environment, CPL Struble always provided motivation for me
to give just a little more. A true American and great warrior, he passed
doing what he loved most, and I will be forever a better person as a result
of my association with CPL Sascha Struble.
-Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jeffery Martin
Legal Administrator, USASETAF
That day in Afghanistan, I lost a fellow
warrior, I lost a paralegal, I lost a friend, and I lost a little brother.
Sascha’s death was a big blow to the Corps and a big blow to me personally.
We lost a comrade who was destined for so much. He truly could have walked
with giants.
-Sergeant First Class Steven Day
USASETAF Chief Paralegal
Overseas locations and small offices bring
everyone a little closer together. Corporal Struble made an indelible
impression on everyone in the Southern European Task Force (Airborne) and
the 173d Airborne Brigade. It is unanimous; he was an incredible Soldier,
friend, and man, and each of us are blessed by having him in our lives, if
only for a brief time. Farewell Sascha, you will not be forgotten.
Good friends are hard to find, harder to
leave and impossible to forget. Sascha was a great man and even better
friend to us all. My wife and I will miss you. Life will not be the same
where ever we go; we will surely miss you. Until we meet again, the foot
prints you left on my heart will be felt for the rest of my days.
-Sergeant Jeremy Campbell
1/508th Infantry
Battalion Paralegal NCO |
