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CAPT Scott Speicher - KIA
- Thread starter Dave Shutter
- Start date
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8th grade, that still makes me young right? I still remember that it was about 6:30pm CST when the news announced that we had started bombing Baghdad.
I will be interested if any questions about LCDR Speicher are being addressed toward the higher up guys that are being captured now. I'll be curious to see if anyone has or will acknowledge and information about him.
Eliminate distractions, focus on your goals and visualize what you hope to accomplish.
I will be interested if any questions about LCDR Speicher are being addressed toward the higher up guys that are being captured now. I'll be curious to see if anyone has or will acknowledge and information about him.
Eliminate distractions, focus on your goals and visualize what you hope to accomplish.
turbospider2k
Registered User
Third grade here.
I watched the program as well. I'm convinced that he bailed out and survived (as is the navy), but I'm not too sure he's still alive. A status switch from KIA to MIA was logical - they kind of jumped the gun in declaring him dead, but how they went from mia to missing/captured seemed a little 'sudden.'
I'm not sure that his still being alive would be a 'great' thing. I mean, the poor guy would've spent 12 years in an Iraqi prison while his kids grew up and his wife married one of his best friends and so on. Yea, he'd be famous, but jeez.
EDit - I also found the random rank change from LCDR to Cpt to be odd.
I watched the program as well. I'm convinced that he bailed out and survived (as is the navy), but I'm not too sure he's still alive. A status switch from KIA to MIA was logical - they kind of jumped the gun in declaring him dead, but how they went from mia to missing/captured seemed a little 'sudden.'
I'm not sure that his still being alive would be a 'great' thing. I mean, the poor guy would've spent 12 years in an Iraqi prison while his kids grew up and his wife married one of his best friends and so on. Yea, he'd be famous, but jeez.
EDit - I also found the random rank change from LCDR to Cpt to be odd.
I did a little digging last night for some reports on it. A couple of observations the Red Cross team made at the crash site. First was the obvious one that the wreckage had definately been sanitized by the Iraqis. another was that the hunters who first found the site, said that they definately saw an ejection seat, but the Red Cross couldnt find it. Im sure most of you have heard that the Canopy was siginificantly futher from the rest of the crash, noting a definate ejection sequence. The last, and most interesting thing I found was that the Bedouins that brought them too the site were real adament about showing the team Speicher's flight suit. An obervation that the Red Cross team made was that the suit didnt appear too be very weathered at all for being out in the desert for 5 years, making it seem that maybe the Iraqis planted it there.
BTW...for any of you that know. The official site said that Speicher is now Captain rank, but somewhere else I read that he is only Commander rank. Anyone know?
BTW...for any of you that know. The official site said that Speicher is now Captain rank, but somewhere else I read that he is only Commander rank. Anyone know?
I didn't catch that. I didn't know about his wife remarrying. How does that work? I noticed that his rank has changed while he is MIA. Does his wife continue to receive pay from the govt? I know this is bordering a morbid topic, but those that know me know that I wouldn't ask in morbid sense, I'm asking because I want to know what the status quo is for such situation. Is his family still taken care of while he is considered MIA? Do the stop giving them pay or whatever if he is KIA? When he was reinstated to MIA did they return payment to the family, and do they back pay all that time? When she remarries do all payments stop? I'm just curious as to how the Navy handles this situation on a family stand point.
Eliminate distractions, focus on your goals and visualize what you hope to accomplish.
Eliminate distractions, focus on your goals and visualize what you hope to accomplish.
Dave Shutter
Registered User
...so that's why everyones calling him CAPT. Speicher. A two pay-grade hike, not bad. Let's hope out we finally learn the truth about what happened...preferrable from him!!!
3rd, 4th and 5th graders during the gulf. Yikes! I was in Boot Camp! Talk about old!
3rd, 4th and 5th graders during the gulf. Yikes! I was in Boot Camp! Talk about old!
If he is alive and comes home that's one homecoming I want to be at! I've been following his story since 1995. It just seems like our leaders at the time came to alot of conclusions and assumed many things without hard facts, this is unacceptable. They wouldn't even talk to the pilots who were in his strike package that night....they all said he could have ejected. It's almost like it was just easier for them to declare him dead. Too bad we had a weenie for a President(Clinton) when all the facts started coming out and we could have gone in to get him.
He could be alive....Iraq held a Iranian pilot for 17 years, then released him. The best thing for all to do is pray for his safe return.
He could be alive....Iraq held a Iranian pilot for 17 years, then released him. The best thing for all to do is pray for his safe return.
doubleeagle
Registered User
For those interested, I read the book on this topic a while back and it sounds like most of you know many of the details presented in the book. If you want to read it, it is called "No One Left Behind" written by Amy Walters Yarsinske. It explains all the background questions that have been brought up.
One other interesting note that I haven't seen in this forum yet either. President Bush made a reference, though indirectly, to Capt. Speicher as he made his pre-war demands to Iraq. He said something close to "... disarm and account for all Gulf War POWs and personell..." I only heard this one time and it didn't get much attention in the media but I know he said that. I, like you all hope only for the best for his family and Capt. Speicher. Let's hope our true leaders of today can find him and re-unite him with his family, unlike our previous "leaders."
One other interesting note that I haven't seen in this forum yet either. President Bush made a reference, though indirectly, to Capt. Speicher as he made his pre-war demands to Iraq. He said something close to "... disarm and account for all Gulf War POWs and personell..." I only heard this one time and it didn't get much attention in the media but I know he said that. I, like you all hope only for the best for his family and Capt. Speicher. Let's hope our true leaders of today can find him and re-unite him with his family, unlike our previous "leaders."
Almost sounds like you're blaming Clinton for this whole mess. If I recall correctly, George H.W. Bush was President when this whole fiasco occurred, not Clinton.
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Mongol General: ...Conan, what is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!
Mongol General: That is good.
Kimphil, I think that the Clinton reference was to when the flight suit etc was found, 5 years later, which would be during the Clinton administration, but I admit to being very hazy on pretty much all details of the story because I basically didn't watch TV in High School or college (making me an oldie too, 10th grade).
As far as the pay and benefits for family. If a servicemember (SNM) is KIA then the family will receive 55% of 75% of the highest pay the SNM ever received and maintain commissary and medical benefits until the surviving spouse remarries (these benefits are also received if SNM dies for any reason that isn't considered negligent, so a car accident, kids will receive until adulthood if spouse dies and kids get additional educational benefits). If MIA then they would continue to receive all regular benefits. I'm sure that when they changed his status the gave his spouse/family any money that they were due. I'm not sure how long CAPT Speicher was in before the gulf war, but the average timeline for promotion is:
LTJG 2yr service
LT 4yr service
LCDR 10yr 6mo service
CDR 15yr 7mo service
CAPT 21yr 9mo service
If he was already a LCDR when shot down then he would probably be a CAPT 12 yrs later anyway.
Missy (feeling old) IT1 type
As far as the pay and benefits for family. If a servicemember (SNM) is KIA then the family will receive 55% of 75% of the highest pay the SNM ever received and maintain commissary and medical benefits until the surviving spouse remarries (these benefits are also received if SNM dies for any reason that isn't considered negligent, so a car accident, kids will receive until adulthood if spouse dies and kids get additional educational benefits). If MIA then they would continue to receive all regular benefits. I'm sure that when they changed his status the gave his spouse/family any money that they were due. I'm not sure how long CAPT Speicher was in before the gulf war, but the average timeline for promotion is:
LTJG 2yr service
LT 4yr service
LCDR 10yr 6mo service
CDR 15yr 7mo service
CAPT 21yr 9mo service
If he was already a LCDR when shot down then he would probably be a CAPT 12 yrs later anyway.
Missy (feeling old) IT1 type
Or better yet, buy it directly from:
http://www.freescottspeicher.com
that way the proceeds go directly to the Scott Speicher foundation. There is a lot of cool things to get, like bumper stickers, lawn signs, t-shirts, etc...
Ohh and by the way. It wasnt Clinton who made the call on how to take care of the Speicher case. It was one guy with a really long wierd name which I cant remember at the moment. His exact quote was: "I dont want to risk American lifes on 'old bones'". Correct me if Im wrong but didnt Clinton play a hand in getting Speicher back into the publics eye, letting the world know that he is still out there?
@double Eagle,
Bush also said straight up that "Iraq is holding many political and prisoners of war. One of those being an American pilot".
Some people believe that Saddam might have Speicher with him. If you think about it, it kind of makes sense. He knows we are after him and will find him in one way or another. He could be using Speicher as personal insurance. not to mention that Speicher's Jet was pretty much the first Iraqi kill for the gulf war. Some sick bastards might consider that a trophy.
anyway I say again. Go by http://www.freescottspeicher.com and find away to show your support!
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