A Fort Stewart military police officer died this past week while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
According to a release from the Department of Defense, 23-year-old Sgt. Thomas P. McGee was killed on July 6 in Wazi Khwa, Afghanistan when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.
McGee, a native of Hawthorne, Calif., was assigned to Fort Stewart's 546th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion.
According to icasualties.org, a Web site tracking the number of troop deaths for both OEF and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, 53 U.S. soldiers have died this year in Afghanistan.
The military offensive in the country began in October 2001 in response to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. The objective was to capture Osama bin Laden, destroy the al-Qaeda terrorist organization and remove Afghanistan’s Taliban regime, which had provided support and safe harbor to al-Qaeda.
Although originally successful in toppling the Taliban, there has been a resurgence of Taliban fighters since 2003, according to some analysts. Destroying al-Qaeda and capturing bin Laden have proven to be much less successful goals.
Since its inception, a total of 410 U.S. troops have lost their lives supporting the campaign in Afghanistan.
According to a release from the Department of Defense, 23-year-old Sgt. Thomas P. McGee was killed on July 6 in Wazi Khwa, Afghanistan when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.
McGee, a native of Hawthorne, Calif., was assigned to Fort Stewart's 546th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion.
According to icasualties.org, a Web site tracking the number of troop deaths for both OEF and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, 53 U.S. soldiers have died this year in Afghanistan.
The military offensive in the country began in October 2001 in response to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. The objective was to capture Osama bin Laden, destroy the al-Qaeda terrorist organization and remove Afghanistan’s Taliban regime, which had provided support and safe harbor to al-Qaeda.
Although originally successful in toppling the Taliban, there has been a resurgence of Taliban fighters since 2003, according to some analysts. Destroying al-Qaeda and capturing bin Laden have proven to be much less successful goals.
Since its inception, a total of 410 U.S. troops have lost their lives supporting the campaign in Afghanistan.
