LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Geno Clayton (photo above), a 22 year old Navy Seal who accidentally shot himself in the head, is not dead but on life support. Geno Clayton is the son of Clayton Heating & Air Conditioning Co. owner Gene Clayton. Local news claims that Geno Clayton and a woman had been drinking at a bar this week. Thereafter, they headed back to a house in Pacific Beach.

Investigators claim that, once at the home, Geno handled the gun, pointed it at his head to show the women it wasn’t loaded. He then shot himself accidentally.

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ST LOUIS (LALATE) – The above Air Force casket photo 2011 has prompted controversy and a major investigation today. The U.S. Air Force casket photo features out of frame the words “Da Dumpt, Da Dumpt … . Sucks 2 Be U”. The airmen are part of the 37th Training Group at Lackland in Fort Lee, Virginia, claims the San Antonio Express-News. Gerry Proctor, spokesman for the 37th Training Group at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, confirms the airmen were with 345th Training Squadron at Fort Lee. (The person in the casket is alive and reportedly also part of that squadron.)

The newspaper claims the Air Force Casket photo was snapped on August 23, at Fort Lee Air Transport Apprentice School. The logo in the upper left reads “All American Port Dawgs” — “Port Dog”. Lackland Air Force Base in Texas is investigating the matter, claims the paper.

Air Force Secretary Michael Donley issued a news statement this week denouncing the photo. While photographed in August, the image appeared on Facebook this week.

“We take this matter seriously. [Air Education and Training Command] has initiated a commander directed investigation,” said Donley. “Such behavior is not consistent with our core values, and it is not representative of the airmen I know. It saddens me that this may cause additional grief to the families of our fallen warriors.” The 37th Training Group says their investigation will be concluded in two weeks.

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ST LOUIS (LALATE) – The Joint Base Lewis-McChord Washington chopper crash of a OH-58 Kiowa Warrior has killed four. A OH-58 Kiowa Warrior, dubbed a scout helicopter, crashed Monday night. Joint Base Lewis-McChord officials tell news that the Washington State crash was during an evening training mission.

Base officials tell news that two reconnaissance choppers crashed at 8 pm local time last night. Officials would not indicate if both choppers were a OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. Base spokesman J.C. Mathews had no reason for the crash. He additionally did not know if the two choppers crashed independently or collided mid-air.

Maj. Gen. Lloyd Miles, acting senior Army commander at Lewis-McChord, issued a statement to news late last night.”Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and loved ones of the soldiers involved in this tragic accident.” He added “We will conduct a thorough investigation into this incident, and we will do everything in our power to support the families of the brave soldiers who died this evening.”

UPDATE: A second report from Base Lewis-McChord, base spokesman Lt. Col. Gary Dangerfield, claims both helicopters were OH-58 Kiowa choppers. He also believes each helicopter was carrying two soldiers. The fatalities have yet to be identified to news.

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ST LOUIS (LALATE) – Christopher Michael Hodges of Fort Gordon has committed a murder suicide Sunday claim police. Christopher Michael Hodges, a 26 year old Fort Gordon solider, fatally shot local Deputy James D. Paugh, 47, before killing himself. Hodges’ motivation still remains under investigation.

Deputy Paugh had ended his Saturday shift. Paugh was driving home today when, at 1 am, he noticed a peculiar car on the side of the road. Paugh, despite being off duty, pulled over to investigate the car on the side of the Bobby Jones Expressway.

Upon approaching the car, Paugh was shot at multiple times with a M4 semiautomatic rifle. Police claim Hodges fired thirty-five rounds at the deputy officer.

Witnesses claim that Hodges was angry at his wife and his girlfriend and had been drinking. Paugh reportedly may not even have come to a complete stop with his motorcycle when Hodges began shooting. In a news statement issued Sunday, officials believe that Paugh unsuccessfully fired his gun twice to defend himself. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – A Navy Seal Team 6 Chinook helicopter crash today has killed thirty one. The Chinook crash took the lives of thirty one American troops and seven Afghans. Officials tell news that this is the worse single incident loss of lives since the beginning of the Afghan war and since the war against the Taliban began a decade ago.

Navy Seal Team 6 loss twenty-two members today. But officials confirm that the Seal Team 6 members who perished today were not part of the bin Laden operation in May. Officials have yet to confirm the target of Seal Team 6; but they believe the target wass a top Taliban head.

Officials are now concerned that today’s crash will give motivation to the Taliban, especially in Kabul. Officials have yet to confirm the cause of the crash; unofficial remarks assert the helicopter was shot down.

Chinook Pictures
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Additionally, reports believe that this is the worse loss of life in the history of Seal Team Six. The Navy Special Warfare Development Group, or DEVGRU today has 3,000 members. “Their deaths are a reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our military and their families, including all who have served in Afghanistan,” President Barack Obama said in a news statement.

In the bin Laden raid, SEAL Team Six completed the entire operation in forty-minutes. It used twenty-two personnel. SEAL Team Six flew in two MH-60 helicopters during its attack. Some news reports claimed their training began in April. The operation reportedly used a one-acre replica of Osama’s mansion constructed at Camp Alpha, located in the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, for the training facility.

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