By More details have been released in the wake of last weekend’s incident that saw an Osan airman leave the base with a loaded handgun:
An Air Force police officer who left Osan Air Base with a loaded handgun while off duty talked of possibly killing himself, but a crisis negotiation team persuaded him to return to base, officials said.
There were no injuries in the weekend incident, which began late Friday night and ended hours later.
Officials Monday disclosed details of the incident, which led authorities to set up a dragnet in the area.
South Korean police manned roadblocks and deployed officers to Osan Air Base to work with police there to locate the airman.
Base police mobilized their crisis negotiation team and by about 1 a.m. were in phone contact with him.
“The focus was on two things,” Air Force Lt. Col. Jefferson B. Brown, staff judge advocate with Osan’s 51st Fighter Wing, said Monday: to get the airman to not hurt himself and to turn himself in.
“There’s no indication throughout the entire evening that he was targeting any individual,” said Brown. “It appears as though his intention was focused on himself — or potentially hurting himself.”
Also during the night, the airman called a friend — also a base police officer — who met him and stayed with him until he turned himself in hours later, officials said.
Officials declined to name the airman, noting he has not been charged with a crime and that the case is under investigation. [Stars & Stripes]
He may not have been charged with a crime yet, but it will be interesting to see if Korean authorities will try him or not since the incident happened off duty. If Korean authorities don’t try him I’m sure he will receive some military UCMJ action.
9:12 am on February 3rd, 2009 1
UCMJ prosecution is probably the first thought, but is that what is really best or needed?
In my years in military service, I knew several people who said they wanted to end their life, three who actually made serious attempts, and two who were successful.
Personal issues, domestic conflict and alcoholism led to the initial depression, but totally hopeless led to the final act. Those I knew who committed the act, did so after they were facing administrative discharge. The military decided it had no more responsibility to or for them and their issues.
It’s a catch-22 here. The military may want to do as much as it can to help him but at some point it will be decided he is only a liability and inform him he will be cut loose. It’s the final straw where he truly has nothing left to look forward to. Unless he has some other support groups, family or friends, there with him to help get through his depression, he will be most at risk.
Maybe things have changed since I was in and the military ensures a transition hand off to whatever civilian support network he may need.
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11:53 am on February 3rd, 2009 2
JoeC,
I agree. I hope this person gets the help they need. Yes, the military has a responsibility for the safety and welfare of its members, but since no one else was harmed, or its seems even were in potential danger, then the situation should be addressed in that regard. Perhaps this individual is past being reliable in this regard, but there should be an attempt to help him. Maybe this is just a particularly rough spot in his life, with factors that may not come into play on an ongoing basis. I have seen the military help people in the past and I hope it has not lost its ability to do so now. There are some great mental health workers in the service, and I think they should apply their talents here….
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6:04 pm on February 3rd, 2009 3
Since this is a suicide case he will go through all the medical and mental evals plus receive counseling. The military has gotten very good in their suicide prevention procedures.
However, that doesn’t excuse what he did. If he gets UCMJ he can use extenuating circumstances to lessen the punishment, but he should be hit with UCMJ because you cannot have people taking loaded military issued pistols off post while off duty.
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8:42 pm on February 3rd, 2009 4
Just a little note of the friend who went to his side and stayed with him to keep him from going through with any attempt to hurt himself. A lot of things are missing from the story but still the friend was a silent hero in this matter. How many times have we all walked by people who were silently crying out for help — or in this case by his call to his wife that he had a gun, actually making the cry for understanding? Atleast his friend was there for him.
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6:25 am on February 4th, 2009 5
A few questions. Why did he take two clips (30 rounds)? Is this the standard issue or did he have other intended or possible uses for the extra rounds?
Also, what are the procedures for checking out arms. This incident indicates a problem. If so, who is accountable up the chain?
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11:03 am on February 4th, 2009 6
Checking out a weapon from the armoury normally happens during duty hours.
You first report to the armourer and then receive the ammo first and then the weapon, you make sure the weapon is cleared (not loaded). Then you procede to the clearing barrel. First you recheck the weapon is cleared and show it to the person at the clearing barrel, if that person confirms the weapon is cleared, then you can proceed. Since we are talking about a semi automatic weapon, you would release the slide and allow it to travel forward. Then you would slowly pull the trigger allowing the firing pin to come forward. Then place the weapon on safe. Then the person at the clearing barrel would confirm that the weapon was safe and would allow you to leave the clearing barrel area. After which, you would insert the magizine containing the ammo.
Normally, the armoury ONLY hands out weapons at preset times, because its a 4 man operation. 2 in the armoury and 2 by the clearing barrel, 1 of those being the person the weapon was issued to. So there are 3 other folks who’s stories we have yet to hear.
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