Soldiers' Rights Project Calls for Congressional Probe of Shooting Death of Ft Drum Soldier

Sgt. Dustin McMillen, 29, was shot to death by military police officers in his home on Ft Drum at 1:30 am on February 9. They had gone to the McMillens' housing unit in response to a report about a domestic dispute. McMillen had returned from a 15 month combat tour in Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division last June.

Details that have been released by Ft Drum about the shooting so far are based soley on police accounts. Shortly after the soldier was killed his widow, Alexis McMillen and their three young children were "relocated" from their quarters to "temporary housing" by base officials. Mrs. McMillen's version of events prior to her husband's death is unknown at this time.

Tod Ensign, Esq., co-coordinator of "The Different Drummer" internet cafe, near Ft Drum has sent letters to Chairs of both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, asking that in light of the growing epidemic of number of soldiers suffering from PTSD they conduct an independent investigation into Sgt McMillen's death.

"There are several unanswered questions about this tragic incident and we don't believe that the Ft Drum command should be allowed to investigate itself," Ensign stated.

"*First, were the responding military police officers trained in the use of various techniques--short of deadly fire, such as negotiation, Mace, pepper spray, Tazer gun, etc., often employed by police in domestic disputes? Second, why does the Ft Dix command continue to withhold the identities of the responding police officers? Third, why is Sgt. McMillen's widow still isolated from the public at Ft Drum? Fourth, why did the Ft Drum Public Affairs Office feel it necessary to issue a statement just one day after McMillen's death concluding that, "he had not been referred nor sought counselling for battle related illnesses or PTSD?"

Above: The McMillen's home.