(Host) Military officials are investigating the firefight that killed a Vermont National Guardsman in Afghanistan last week. The announcement was made Mondayat Camp Johnson in Colchester.
VPR’s Patti Daniels reports:
(Daniels) A nighttime firefight killed Master Sergeant Thomas Stone of Pomfret and a Canadian soldier last week. The Vermont National Guard has announced that an investigation has been opened into the incident. Adjutant General Michael Dubie said the examination would consider the possibility of friendly fire.
(Dubie) “After reviewing initial reports of enemy contact, the commander of Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan determined that an investigation was warranted.”
(Daniels) Dubie would not speculate on what prompted the investigation. He said he didn’t know if it was focused on Stone’s death, or the Canadian soldier’s death.
Dubie said the other Vermonters who were at the scene of the firefight will be involved in the investigation.
(Dubie) “We are a self-correcting organization. We believe in full disclosure. I’m sure they they’ll be involved in providing eye-witness accounts.”
(Daniels) The probe will be conducted jointly by U.S., Canadian and Afghani forces.
For Vermont Public Radio, I’m Patti Daniels in Colchester.