<p>Alyssa Peterson was a deeply religious American servicewoman who volunteered to go to Iraq in place of someone who didn’t want to go, then committed suicide with her own service rifle only days after refusing to participate in any more interrrogations in the cage (where she worked for two days). She objected to the interrogation techniques that were used. We don’t know what the techniques were, because Army officials say that all records of the techniques have been destroyed.</p>
<p>She was an Army specialist Alyssa Peterson, 27, a Flagstaff, Az., native serving with C Company, 311th Military Intelligence BN, 101st Airborne. Peterson was an Arabic-speaking interrogator assigned to the prison at our air base in troubled Tal-Afar in northwestern Iraq. According to official records, she died on Sept. 15, 2003, from a non-hostile weapons discharge.</p>
<p>Alyssa Peterson, a devout Mormon, had graduated from Flagstaff High School and earned a psychology degree from Northern Arizona University on a military scholarship. She was trained in interrogation techniques at Fort Huachuca in Arizona, and then sent to the Middle East in 2003.</p>
<p>The Arizona Republic article had opened: Friends say Army Spc. Alyssa R. Peterson of Flagstaff always had an amazing ability to learn foreign languages.</p>
<p>Finally, Daryl K. Tabor of Ashland City, Tenn., who had met her as a journalist in Iraq for the Kentucky New Era paper in Hopkinsville: “Since learning of her
death, I cannot get the image of the last time I saw her out of my mind. We were walking out of the tent in Kuwait to be briefed on our flights into Iraq as I stepped aside to let her out first. Her smile was brighter than the hot desert sun. Peterson was the only soldier I interacted with that I know died in Iraq. I am truly sorry I had to know any.”</p>
<p>Suicides are always tragic, but I still have the feeling that you are trying to incite a political argument here…especially considering the dates of these articles.</p>
<p>It’s funny how he doesn’t get the idea that his posts aren’t wanted after the Election thread was hijacked with some parent talk on adult beverages and tv shows. :)</p>
A well-known and persistent ■■■■■ who has been here under many names and who has made it his career ambition to disrupt this forum for over a year.</p>
<p>There was a time not too long ago where he would be engaged by myself and others, and the result would be that a whole bunch of people (but never him) would end up at each other’s throats, either legitimately or not. All sides finally decided (with one or two exceptions) to simply ignore political threads in this forum altogether, especially those started for the singular purpose of stirring up the excrement. We all put the good of the forum in general, and that of the candidates and their parents in particular, ahead of any disagreements we may have on issues we’re not going to resolve here anyway.</p>
<p>That’s pretty much the long and short of it.</p>
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<p>Nah. I’ve already said what I needed to. Thanks for the invite, though. ;)</p>
<p>The subject of the article did not attend a service academy and is not a service academy parent - so it is not appropriate for this forum. As I stated before, posts of this kind are not wanted here. </p>
<p>I would think that the parents that are on this subset, while in disagreement with the poster, might think for a second. </p>
<p>What would you tell your son or daughter to do, If caught in a situation that questions their training, morals or beliefs? Have any of you had that discussion?</p>
<p>This is not a slam or anti anything, but sometimes those you disagree with have a point, even if it’s not the one they intend.</p>
<p>Even if they haven’t, it is a topic discussed at length during their tenure at USxA.</p>
<p>The military doesn’t want robots; they want LEADERS. Contrary to the opinion of some, the United States in general and the U.S. Military in particular remain the most highly ethical entities on the face of the planet (sometimes to a fault). Your Mid/Cadet will soul-search personally and within a group, and will be taught the differences between lawful orders and conduct and those that are not.</p>
<p>John Paul Jones said it best: “It is by no means enough that an officer be capable. He should be a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor.” The academies ALL live up to that standard. Fear not! :)</p>