According to an AP article, the Army has identified the Schofield soldier who killed herself on March 4:
The 8th Theater Sustainment Command said Monday Pvt. Galina M. Klippel is survived by her husband and foster mother. The 24-year old laundry and textile specialist is from Anchorage, Alaska.
Klippel enlisted in the Army in 2007 and had been assigned to the 540th Quartermaster Company for one month. She deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010.
She died at Wahiawa General Hospital Friday evening. The incident began about two hours earlier when military and federal police officers responded to a report of a soldier brandishing a weapon.
After police surrounded the area, Klippel retreated to the inside of a vehicle, where she fired the fatal shot.
I just want to say that my heart goes out to her. I really felt helpless as I sat there and watched it unfold knowing that I couldn’t do anything about 🙁 To this day and probably always I will wish that I could have done something to help….
Yes, very tragic. Our aloha goes out to her and her family and friends. It’s worse when you think that this incident is part of a growing trend. Did you know Pvt. Klippel? Why was she in crisis? Maybe the changes that we need to make are in the system and the policies that are destroying so many lives.
[…] March 4, 2011 suicide by Schofield Barracks soldier Pvt. Galina M. Klippelunderscores the high human cost of militarization and war on our families and communities. The […]
Thank you for saying such postive comments… I have seen others that portray this tragic incident in a negative light. My mother recently got galinas contact info two weeks before this incident. I was hoping to call her after my company ftx. Galina lived with my family for 3 1/2 years as my foster sister. I was very proud when I heard she join the army like myself and my foster brothe SGT castillo ( we are currently stationed together at FLW) even more so like us she was a quatermaster, I hoped to have her in my company when that day came. Although many have their own negative views of suicide you must take everyone on a case by case basis. Many of you can’t comprhend the adversities this soldier has faced in her life. However, at the end of the day she did what 98% of Americans can never do… Risk their own lives protecting the freedoms of their fellow countrymen.
Jones, Oren
1LT, QM
193rd, BSB, XO