Command Sergeant Major Wardell Turner was killed by an IED that was hidden in a median along a convoy route in eastern Kabul. CSM Turner was the senior enlisted advisor of Combined Security Transition Command–Afghanistan (CSTC-A) in Kabul. From the Army Times;
Turner graduated from Bennett High School in 1984 and was a member of the 1983 championship football team.
He attended Towson University on a football scholarship, graduating in 1989 with a bachelors degree in management.
Turner later earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from Central Missouri State University in 2011.
Turner had served in several military police units since 1993, most recently in the 720th Military Police Battalion. He was promoted to sergeant major in July 2013.
His aunt, Cynthia Johnson told his local newspaper, DelMarvaNow that CSM Turner’s son is serving in Afghanistan, too.
Also killed in the attack was 27-year-old Joseph Riley. From his hometown, in Grove City, Ohio;
A hometown hero, Joey made the ultimate sacrifice. But people who knew him said Joey wanted to give back to his country. While the Riley family said they are heartbroken at the news, they are proud of the sacrifice Joey made. Rodney Riley said his son loved the Army and felt strongly that freedom is worth the fight.
When there are fewer targets, I suppose the casualties are going to be higher ranks. CSM Martin Barreras was killed in Afghanistan in May.
RIP CSM.
My thoughts to his family and friends.
HAND SALUTE …
READY TO.
At ease, Command Sergeant Major, at ease….
With there really not being full out engagement. Why have anybody on the road in harms way for Thanksgiving? Such a loss for all of the families. Probably traveling to outpost to visit troops for the Holiday. Rest in Peace.
Riley was a helluva man. Breaks my ever-loving heart. His family, like many families, is traveling today, but they’re not going to enjoy Thanksgiving with others. They are traveling to Dover to receive their son.
Airborne, SPC Riley…great picture in the Dispatch:
http://www.dispatch.com/content/graphics/2014/11/26/gcsoldier-art-gg4vag4q-1gcsoldier-jpg.jpg
You were there before me. Good job.
I’ll just leave this here. Yes, it will hurt, but you must read it anyway.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/sories/local/2014/11/25/Grove-City-soldier-killed.html
Slight problem in the copy/paste of the link – I think it dropped the “t” in “/stories/” – but yeah, that’s where I grabbed the picture:
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/11/25/Grove-City-soldier-killed.html
Rest in peace, men. May God comfort your surviving family and friends.
It’s not likely to be today, but may their families eventually find peace with their sacrifices. We are so grateful that such men still exist.
Rest in peace, Soldiers.
Dover Air Force Base:
The Dignified Transfer of SPECIALIST JOSEPH W. RILEY will occur this evening at 1930 hours.
(It appears that the links in the comments above are not working. Please google “Riley Columbus Dispatch” and the first result is the one to read.)
Damn. RIP gents. 🙁
Yesterday, the mortal remains of SPECIALIST JOSEPH W. RILEY and COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR WARDELL TURNER returned home. Their families had traveled to Dover Air Force Base to receive them last evening and the media were granted permission by the families to be present.
http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2014/11/26/turner-remains-arrives/19526745/
Welcome home, Specialist Riley.
I forgot Riley in my earlier post.
My thoughts to his friends and family as well.
CSM Turner is a MD Eastern Shore native. He was a tremendous football player(fullback) as a high school student and rode that talent to a college football scholarship at Towson University (Baltimore county, MD.) He was Dad to five. We have a number of TAH members in the VA/MD/DE area. I will post his funeral arrangements when they are available.
God bless these two who gave “the last full measure of devotion”. God bless and help their families now. Rest In Peace soldiers.
The following information regarding SPC Riley comes from the Patriot Guard Riders website. I could corroborate none of it from any other source but if you are in the area of Grove City, Ohio you may be interested in double checking the information.
Visitation/Service:
First Baptist Church of Grove City
3301 Orders Road
Grove City, Ohio 43123
Visitation: 05 December 2014@ 1300-1400hrs-(1-[2] PM) & 1800-2000hrs-(6-8 PM)
Funeral Service:
First Baptist Church of Grove City
06 December 2014@1300hrs-(1PM)
Interment Location: Concord Cemetery Hoover Road Grove City, Ohio following the Service
Multiple media sources report that CSM Wardell Turner is to be buried on Monday, 5 January, at a 1:00 p.m. ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. However, the Arlington online Daily Funeral Search listing for 5 January does not include his name.
I have confirmed with Arlington that CSM Turner’s funeral will indeed be held on Monday at 1:00 p.m., although it is not listed on the online schedule.
I had the privilege of serving with Sgt Turner in Iraq in 2003. He was truly one of the best. RIP. You’ve earned it!