DeMint Questions Marines' Death-Notice Delay

[Shaffer]

Boiling Springs Parents Say They Should've Been First To Know.

South Carolina Congressman Jim DeMint is complaining about the way the Marine Corps informed an Upstate couple about the death of their son in Iraq.

On Saturday, Larry and Carolyn Hutchings got word over the telephone from a Navy officer that their son was killed in a friendly fire incident.

The Marine Corps did not send representatives until Sunday to notify the family that Pvt. Nolen Ryan Hutchings died March 23 as he traveled with an armored vehicle unit.

DeMint announced Tuesday that he has written to Marine Corps Commandant General Michael Hagee, requesting that the Marines revise their policy to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future.

DeMint says it could have saved the family from days of holding out hope when there was none.

[firstsgtmike]

I don't understand this one.

It sounds like a Congressman's desperation to pick up a few votes.

"Boiling Springs Parents Say They Should've Been First To Know."

First before WHOM?


"South Carolina Congressman Jim DeMint is complaining about the way the Marine Corps informed an Upstate couple about the death of their son in Iraq."

The Congressman is objecting to a personal visit by a "Condolence Team". What form of notification would he prefer?


"On Saturday, Larry and Carolyn Hutchings got word over the telephone from a Navy officer that their son was killed in a friendly fire incident."

If THIS is the Congressman's objection, he has a valid point.

"DeMint says it could have saved the family from days of holding out hope when there was none."

The telephone notification, which I object to, was received on Saturday. The personal notification by Marines was delivered on Sunday.

Can the Congressman explain what he meant by "DAYS of holdng out hope"?

We are talking about a dead Marine. What we are seeing is a Congressman trying to get reelected over his dead body.