How horrible! These poor pregnant women who keep dying under suspicious circumstances. It’s just awful what this world is coming to!!

The Army didn’t go looking for her before they called her AWOL? This is the military, not nursery school. It’s very sad that she was murdered, but don’t lash our at the Army. Should we go on a search every time some grunt doesn’t show up on time? Wow, another very sad example of the wimping out and femininization of our society.

Nobody has said whether or not she was fully clothed when she was found, or had actually been taking a bath. If she was dressed, then its definately suspicious. Either way, its so so sad. This story has really touched me. My thoughts are with her family

You keep asking the question of why the ARMY didn’t go check on her and didn’t report her missing. There is a very simple answer, the command was to lazy to do the right thing. Having been in the ARMY I have seen this all first hand and it doesn’t surprise that this has happened. The ARMY is so over latented with rules and regulations that no one ever follows until something terrible happens. I don’t know why everyone is so surprised that she wasn’t reported missing. And it’s 72 hours for them to report you AWOL not 24.

Are you kidding me, AWAY ON Leave??? That is not even close to what AWOL stands for. The reporters you have on your shows really need to be checked. It stands for Absent without Leave. And the possible reason she was staying in a hotel versus a barracks room, have any of you over paid journalists ever been subjected to an ARMY Barracks room espeacially at Fort Bragg. The ARMY’s worst post for barracks quality. It’s so much easier and cleaner to stay at a hotel off-post. So quit assuming what you don’t know and stop trying to guess at things you can’t even come close to understanding

I was just watching Fox news about the female soldier. The gentle that was talk about her being AWOL.
AWOL does not mean Away On Leave like the gentleman said it means Absent With Out Leave.

I just watched the report on Fox. I don’t the reporters name that commented about the Armies policy. But he said AWOL stands for Away On Leave. That is not right, it stands for Absent Without Leave. When a Military person misses formation and gone for 24 hours. They are reported UA, Unauthorized Absence then if they are gone more than 30 days then reported AWOL.

I just wanted to clarify, after watching a piece on the pregnant soldier that was found in her hotel room- the Army offered her a space in the barracks, however, she opted to stay in a hotel. Do we know if that was a temporary living arrangement until she found adequate housing? As a military wife, I know that we are all offered housing on base if it is available, however, we can choose to rent or buy off base and receive a certain amount of money each month to pay rent/mortgage. She may have opted to do so, but she would have been reimbursed for that stay, and it’s not uncommon for active duty members or their families do so.

Also, having been pregnant twice myself, I don’t blame her for wanting to stay in a hotel. Pregnant women can sometimes feel uncomfortable with their bodies, and not want to share a shower or bedroom with other women. She was discovered in the bathtub- that’s one of the most relaxing things you can do as a pregnant woman as it relieves physical pressure and weight. The barracks are not equipped with bathtubs, possibly another reason she chose to not stay there.

Whats so hard to understand as to why she would choose a hotel over barraks. I spent 31 years in the military, given a choice I would choose a hotel everytime.

What is so hard to understand why she choose a hotel over barraks? I spent 31 years in the military, and given a choice I would choose a hotel every time.

I find it interesting that the family’s immediate concern is placing blame on the Government because it did not “check up” on the deceased. Sounds like the family is already planning their lawsuit, as if the Government is responsible for the death. These comments are only speculation and judgment is not being passed, but my prediction is that attorneys for the family are already working on the case to extract money. If that is the situation, it runs counter to the character we hope our armed forces aims to create- mature adults. If the procedures for our armed forces are to create a situation similar to babysitting, then I question the very premise our armed forces is built on.

I don’t understand how the hotel’s management did not check the room. It is standard operating procedure in the hotel business to check rooms after 72 hours of do not disturb sign on the door to ensure the guest is ok and check the room.

I am surprised that no one bothered to check on her when she failed to show up for duty and seemed to just write her off as AWOL.

I recall when my Son failed to return to Ft. Benning, GA after “Christmas Exodus” as they called it. He had been injured in training and had been lingering in a RHU unit and was very demoralized, as he felt he was able to proceed on with his training. We stayed up late the night before he was due to fly back spending some quality time together and got to bed late, as he wasn’t due to fly out until noon that same day.

I awoke to find a note saying that he didn’t want to wake me and that a friend had taken him to the airport. I had no idea that he had no intention of going back.

I recall that when he originally arrived at Benning he was allowed [no more than] a 30-second phone call; enough to say he’d arrived safely and that was about it.

The following day, actually LESS than 24 hours after he was due back, I got a phone call. Since the Caller ID showed “Ft. Benning” I picked it up, expecting it to be him. Instead, a male asked for him.
I told him that my son was not home, that he was now in the Army and was [supposed] to be at Ft. Benning. The Caller turned out to be his First Sgt., who informed me he never made it.

To make a long story short, I tracked him down and turned him into Military Police at a local Air Force Base.

The point is…..within 24 hours of being AWOL, the Army was on the line tracking down a basic recruit. Why wouldn’t they make the same effort for an Army Spc., Cpl., Sgt., or other?

Some thoughts from an ex-GI,

1. Barracks in a replacement detachment, for new folks, suck. It does not surprise me a pregnant woman (or anyone) would find a motel room more comfortable while awaiting assignment.
In addition barracks generally have communal restroom facilities, common recreation (TV) areas, and limited telephones.

2. Formations, required attendance, are held less frequently and only as a means to keep in touch for new recruits awaiting assignment. It is concievable for someone to be missed, or believed to have already been assigned to a unit.

3. Pregnant soldiers often receive more lattitude in attendance due to their medical requirements.

So while foul play may be involved, it is not unusual for her not to be missed immediately, nor for her to stay off base and away from the barracks.

Since when does the Army have become a babysitting military. You don’t see COSTCO or WALMART doing that. Its procedures. Yes you do send someone to check but you don’t have the authority to break in the house/apartment door. You will knock and if no answer then no answer. Call people or next of kin and that’s it. We are preparing and fighting a war, we cannot dwell on something. I feel sorry for the loss but the husband is just whining. Either way he would whine. Pathetic.

This case has nothing to do with whether or not the Army should have looked for her sooner. All that would have meant was they would have found the body sooner. Chances are the ex-husband is wondering why it took anyone so long to find the body he left.

What happened to that pregnant soldier is really heartbreaking. It makes you wonder if the husband is involved with her death. Its always like that, simply they cant take the pressures of raising that unborn child, so they feel power and superiority by taking muliple lives. Look at the Maria Lauterbach and Scott Peterson cases. What is our society and world coming to?

Who was the father of the baby?

My heart goes out to the victim’s family who is left to deal with not only the death of their daughter, niece, granddaughter but also the new arrival of a new life! There could be 1001 reasons why and how this could have happened and the reality is, it appears she was alone and she was pregnant. Anything can happen while you are a pregnant woman just if you are an elderly person. Should someone have kept more close tabs on this Soldier because of her medical condition will always be debatable. It will come to pass that the Army will introduce another regulation on how pregnant Soldiers should be processed during PCS if allowed to continue to PCS while pregnant at all!! Just like an earlier comment made, the Army creates new regulations as unfortunate events happen. And still, everything unfortunate cannot be avoided. I’m a fellow 68E and I’ve never had the pleasure to work with this Soldier. Our Dental field is a small one and I know she’ll be missed by many. The tragedy of this loss will be long felt in our DENTAL community. I send my condolences to her family and I’m truly sorry for their loss. GOD BLESS SPC Touma and her Unborn Baby!!!

So I have done some research and here is the Army Regulation regarding AWOL that I found on Fort Bragg’s website. 1. An absentee is any military person is who is absent without authority from
his unit, organization, or other place of duty for more than 24 hours, but who
has not been administratively classified as a deserter. This is per AR 630-10 so she should have been classified as AWOL but would not have been classified as a deserter. 2. In the first 24 hours, conduct an inquiry into the location of the absent soldier. If the soldier is located, the commander must determine if the absence is authorized or unauthorized. Although I do not believe the Army should have to be a babysitting service, these regulations are in place for a reason and they certainly were not followed in this case.

EX HUSBAND they got divorced after 3 years of marriage because the distance and not seeing each other cause of living in different countries. Do you people read?

Its not uncommon with a soldier PCS’s for them to stay in a hotel temporarly and was more than likey authorized. She should have signed into her unit at the local Dentac within 72 hours of being stateside. Immediatly the 1SGT and command staff has to account for the soldier. It sounds as if they were expecting her and that she probably even signed in. If she was on leave then there is no accounting for her time. If she was waiting to process into the Dentac then she should have been reqired to report daily(either in person or through a phone call). There is dual responsiblity here, the soldier is responsible for his/her part and local command is responsible for its part.

I worked for the Army Dental Command for 2 years at Fort Sill for the local Dentac and at the Command level at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. When I was at Fort Sill I was an HQ asset so I was involved with local command issues and I know first hand the policies and processes.

I think its more important to honor the soldier (who I actually met last year on a TDY to the Bavarian Dentac for digital x ray system deployment). Its a tragedgy what has happend here. Our country has lost another one of its finest and sadly a family has lost a daughter; not to mention the unborn child. If it was indeed a homicide then the finger pointing can begin. I wont be supprised to find out that she signed in and went on leave. That is common. If so there was not much the local command could really do to account for her or check up on her.

The media is so quick to jump to conclusions when the cause of death is not known. Until that is officially determined I would reserve any judgement.

As a young man, I would seriously be terrified to put myself under the chain of command of some of the people in our armed forces. There are a lot of good men there for sure, but there are also hard-hearted people who have a lot of power. I would seriously question most people’s sanity if they joined any branch of the Armed Forces and subjected themselves to the levels of bureacratic power corruption. I know it sounds unpatriotic but that is how I feel.

Peorian … I have experienced nothing but professionalism with the Army and dealing with local chains of command and at the HQ level for the entire Army Dental Command. I worked in the medical and Dental field for the Army for almost 5 years. Sure there are always going to be a few bad seeds. The Army invests ALOT of time in developing leaders from the enlisted to the officer Corp.
The Army and all our Armed Forces are full of incrediable leaders and professionals… I wouldnt be so quick to condemn until you have been on the other side…

Now that I am working in the corporate world I have seen worse leadership and less professionalism than my time working with Army…

This issue has nothing to do with leadership of the Army. Its an very unfortunate tradegdy and an unfortunate chain of events. Most of the time investigating these things it will be determined nothing could have been done to prevent it… Again the media has sensationalized something and allowed it to become fodder for the public…

Hey Dick,

If you were military you were not a good supervisor. If someone is late for work and no good reason a true supervisor will check on his or her troops. The military is not a daycare, but you are probably the guy who would not take blame. I am glad you were not one of my supervisors.

I know this isnt related to the soldier’s death, but they said she just flew in from Germany right? And was 7 months pregnant?? This cant seriously be true can it? It is, or so i thought, common knowledge that flying after 5 or 6 months into pregnancy, is dangerous & highly unadvisable. There must be holes in this story.

Why? Who would kill an inocent girl….This world is taking God out of the picture and if you haven’t noticed, this world is falling closer and closer to satan…I’m just saying…. I am a christian and to tell you the truth, i hope the person comes clean about this…i mean how would they feel….

Tracey,
Your comment is valid and could totally be related! This pregnant soldier could have easily had Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) from the long flight and poor pregnancy circulation. Great catch!

Since the Ex is in Charleston ( a quick shot up the 95 ) which is approx 3 1/2 hours from Fayetteville – I wonder if he had seen Ms. Touma. She had been out of country and is 7 months pregnant, who is the father and has he been located/interviewed?
Standing by for more info….

Can someone please explain to me why the Army is required to check up on its members?

It’s not the job of the REPO depot to chase down soldiers. Did that soldier leave contact info? This case sounds like a press field day to knock the Army. Let’s not get too spun up by the press. Let’s look into where the soldier was staying, etc.

Tracey, I am with you 100%. This story, ever since it broke, has been extremely vague. There are many details being left out, probably for good reason, but it makes you wonder. So many here are blaming everyone else for her death, some assuming she was murdered. Has it been officially announced that she was murdered yet?? Could it have been suicide?? She’s divorced and her ex is remarried but who is the father of her baby?? Why did no one check on her sooner?? Did she choose the hotel so she could commit suicide?? Who the heck knows?? No one has even reported anything about the type of person she was or the kind of mood she was in recently. Very strange.

I read in an earlier news clip that her ex-husband was upset that the army knew where she was staying and had not checked on her. Just HOW was the army supposed to know where she was staying ? ? Raleigh is quite a ways from Ft. Bragg. Is he legitimately “upset”, and if so, what’s his reason ? ? I can understand the grief, but to try to lay blame this early in the investigation. There are quite a few hotels in the Fayetteville area, where she could have spent the evenings. It is a curious thing, however that she was not reported AWOL after missing formations.

My first thought after hearing that she had just flown in from Germany and that she was 7 mos. pregnant was that there could possibly be a medical issue here. From what I understand women are most succeptible to blood clots and strokes when they are pregnant. Not to mention the long period of sitting on a plane, which is known to carry deep-vein thrombosis risks as well.
Journalists or anyone else who asks the question “why would she turn down the replacement co. barracks and opt to stay in a nice hotel” OBVIOUSLY have never been to or had to stay in replacement. What went through my head immediately was “why in the world would she stay at the barracks if she had the choice NOT to”. There’s no way you would catch me 7 mos pregnant sleeping in a barracks bunk! And no-if I had just arrived at a new post from an overseas assignment, I would NOT immediately be out trying to make new friends, etc… There will be PLENTY of time for that once you get through replacement. I would taking a nice warm bubble bath at a comfy hotel somewhere near post.
Now, the issue of being AWOL. When you’re assigned to your permanent company, yeah I’d be knocking on your door, ringing your phone off the wall if you weren’t in formation. ANY formation…Because I’d be answering to someone for your whereabouts. However, since no one in replacement typically knows one another, there isn’t the same sense of accountability for your buddy. I see that as the main reason why no one was out looking for her. I’m sure the fact that she was more than half way through her pregnancy may have caused some to kind of notice, but “overlook” the fact that she wasn’t there. Pregnant females usually have a little bit more latitude than others. It is my hope above all that she didn’t meet a violent demise. Blessings and warm regards to her grieving family.

As a retired First Sergeant, US Army with 26 year’s service, allow me to explain a few things:

1. At an incoming (we used to call them Casual) company you generally only have one formation per day at which everyone is present. Morning formation. That is because people are in-processing, going to classes, all sorts of other things. People are assigned, reassigned, go on emergency leave, get sick or injured and are often sent by command to go do things and we are not told. Riding herd on such a unit is a challenge, and is one of the most difficult assignments for a 1SG.

2. This soldier would not have had an established supervisor as she was not yet assigned. Nobody would know her very well. Hopefully she gave them the phone number to the hotel or her personal cell number, if any. Some just go get a hotel room for the weekend or stay there after duty hours. Since bed checks were abolished when I was a private the command has no way to know.

3. Since she was pregnant, she DOES get some slack. Pregnant ladies have all sorts of problems they have to deal with and many of them are more important than making formation in a casual company. If she were in medical difficulties she would not be able to call the unit. Also, if she was absent of Friday, nothing would normally be done other than a cursory check, until Monday. The Army has civilians working for us, too, and they don’t function well on weekends. With more troops deployed, many admin functions are assigned to GS civilians in casual companies. In casual companies, it would be assumed she had an early class or appointment and forgot to tell somebody and only the phone call checks would have been made. We would not immediately assemble a courts-martial and send out the hounds to drag her back for trial while we erected a gallows. Upon missing the second formation the command would begin to worry.

4. When she did not report, the first thing that would have happened was to call the number/s she left. If no answer (she was probably dead by then). Then the unit would have called the base hospital to see if she was there and in trouble. After 24 hours had passed they would have called the local hospitals. Then sent someone to the hotel room to knock on the door (if she told them she was staying in a hotel). Remember, the military, due to Posse Comitatus, cannot kick in doors off post. After 72 hours the police are called. Then after 96 hours her next of kin would commonly be called. So for her to be found at the end of 48 hours is nothing bad. Remember, the vast majority of mising formation incidents are mistakes (slept through alarm) or accidents, flat tires, etc. You are not AWOL until missing for 24 hours. We do not assume that everyone who misses a formation is dead or a deserter. There are time lines set out in regulation. With the current overstretching of the military, many functions are turned over to civilians who do not have to deploy to combat and they operate on civilian time.

Hopefully death was due to natural causes. I know my wife avoided the bathtub and took showers when she was pregnant as doctors a generation ago used to advise women heavy with child not to soak in a warm bath for some reason or another. Perhaps she slipped, fell and hurt herself grievously. Perhaps she had a “tubal” pregnancy and it went bad. God forbid perhaps it was even suicide. I will wait and judge when ALL the facts are out, not upon the mistaken “facts” read off by talking heads on a TV news program who don’t know AWOL from “away on leave”, or something else from Shine-Ola. I believe those reporting on military matters should perhaps have served at least one day?

Armywife,
Those regulations most likely were followed, and the standard military procedure is a phone call, and a knock on the door. If no answer try again later, we have no right off post to run around and request access to a hotel room or someones personal quarters until it becomes criminal in nature.

So before you go reading and translating these things in your own views you might want to step back and take a bigger look.

Anyone saying the military this or the military that might want to do some research on how many people go AWOL any given week and stop pointing their fingers at the military.

Yes this is a messed up situation. But to go after the “Army” is jacked. Yes if she had an actual NCO over her and not a replacement guy over her then yes her NCO would of went to go check on her. Replacement has a butt load of Paratroopers going through there every week, and it is very hard for those guys to keep track of every Trooper that comes through. That is not an excuse though. Whoever was supposed to be in charge of that Trooper should of spoke up when she was missing and CQ (charge of quarters) should have been able to check the sign-out roster to see where the Troop was staying and yes they should have checked on her. And that Command Group should check their shot group and get their crap together. Also if she was assigned to her unit then she would have had a permanent Chain of Command and they would defiantly have found out where she was sooner then she was found. So please don’t blame the Army as a whole. All we can really do is to pray for the family in their hard times and if there is some wrong doing, pray that we find the person that did this and charge him to the fullest extent for the murder of not one but two people!

It CYA time. You can bet the Army brass is in full coverup mode. It happens all the time in the Army. It is much much easier for the military to hide their failure than civilains can. Basically the Army is full of “yes” men, so most just follow orders. The smart ones end up getting frustrated and eventually leave. The generals are all “lifers” and have kissed so much ass in their career that they become worthless political hacks at the end of their careers.

The cut off for flying pregnant is usually 36 weeks. Most airlines will not let you fly later unless you have a note from your physician.

My heart goes out to the family of this SPC.

What a terrible thing. This is what happens when we don’t follow the regulations. She might still be alive if the regulations were followed.

By the way, the regulations I refer to are found in Titus 2:5 (KJV-of course). “To be discreet, chaste, KEEPERS AT HOME, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Titus 2:5.
If we don’t follow God’s instructions/regulations, we can expect trouble in this life.
When trouble then comes, why do we bemoan the situation? It should be expected. “And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day” Deut 6:24″.
Someone would say, “What’s this country coming to”? Hell, thats what this country and this world is coming to; “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” Psalms 9:17.

For those (Acts 13:48) ordained to eternal life, read Acts 4:12. All others, just keep doing what you’re doing. You’re fulfilling God’s plan also, but your way leads to wrath as “children of disobedience”. Eph 5:6

Seagypsy: Our Alaska Gov Sarah Palin flew back to AK from Texas after her water broke to have her baby, Trig in Alaska. She knew he was going to have Downs Syndrome and wanted her own docs back here to deliver him. We have a long AK story about Frank Murkowski “Frank the Banks” private jet. The legislature forbid him to buy it but he did anyway. Beame a symbol of wasted money even before the bridges to No Where. Sarah Palin sold Franks jet on EBAY. So, she had to fly commercial, Alaska Air, home to give birth

Now to this disgusting US Army story. Four years ago my fiance’ was ordered into work in a US Army Command Center at USARAK (Alaska). Then the US Army decided to send him to Iraq. One must stop and ask themselves, Why would the US Army need a 50 year old back to war, a veteran that is 100% service connected disabled? The US Amy gave him an excellerated vaccine schedule so he could get to Iraq in 30 days. He took his first ten shots in ten days are was deathly sick. His doc wanted him to come in for an IV his boss ordered him into work. John showed up with another doctors note and they refused to let him leave. An hour later he was on he way by AIRFIRCE AMBUALANCE to Elmendorf AFB Hospital. He was in Elmendorf AFB Hospital ICU and the US Army…WHO PUT JOHN THERE wrote him up as AWOL.

Today’s Army sucks. They don’t care about their troops. After they get out the the VA treats vets like garbage. Best thing you can do is keep your kids away from recruiters. They lie they have no morals. Getting ahold of your kid is their only goal. Ms Touma and her beautiful baby maight have been alive today.

Stay away from the Army…drum it into your kids, kids you teach. kids in the neighborhood you hang with. The life you save might be of the one you love.

Robin
MakeTheArmyHonest.Com

I highly doubt she stayed in a hotel room because she was there with someone else or trying to meet someone else. The general public does not know the living conditions Soldiers stay in. I’ve been in the military over 10 years and every time I changed duty stations, there was never a clean room waiting for me. This is why most people choose to stay in a hotel room. A Soldier would be lucky to have sheets and a pillow inside a barracks room upon their arrival at a duty station. As far as anyone checking on her, the Army is extremely careless when it comes to tracking Soldiers in between duty stations.

ArmyCoverUp… give me a break! I don’t know if you’ve never served or if you attempted and discovered that you were too smart for us. Regardless, you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. If you did you’d see that the “outside” is just as ripe for hineykissing serfs to get ahead too.

I pray for the family of this soldier… but there’s a lot more to this story I’m willing to bet. I find it very interesting that the ex is running his mouth this much; particularly if he has indeed remarried.

The 1SG’s post from upthread is completely correct as well as Trickery’s. Replacement is always busy and this is what we call “transition” time. Most PCSing is done during the summer months, so replacement companies are packed to the rafters. As a rule single soldiers are required to stay on base but with her expecting and the company probably overflowing, they may have let her go off post. They do the best they can and I’m not entirely sure they are apprised of where she was lodging. That would make it a bit harder to track her down and as mentioned a few times over, pregnant soldiers, especially ones that far along are given a lot more freedom for lack of a better term. The Army is male dominated. They don’t want details about female issues and are less apt to question one missed accountability formation from a soldier in that condition than they are about a male soldier. Especially in a transitional setting where people are coming and going on an hourly basis. The 1SG’s timeline makes it clear that really things aren’t that far out of line. If she had been at her assigned unit, she’d have been far more likely to have been missed.

You only get 10 days of TLE money when CONUS and that is only if there is a Statement of Non-Availabilty from on-post facilities. She is a single 4 (and taking a paycut when you figure she was going to lose her COLA from being overseas) and this was a Fairfield Inn. That is pretty pricey to pay out of pocket for alone even if you are planning on reimbursement and I just don’t think she’d have a DoD travel card. I have no idea what was going on but this is just another thing to consider. I also wonder how the hotel went all that time without having a maid go in there or try to contact her if there was a “do not disturb” sign out.

Pray for the family. Their grief must be overwhelming….

The military is reaping what they sow when they decided to promote this generation of soldiers with no exeperience. I guarantee the leadership that works at this replacement center has soldiers in charge of other soldiers who only have 4 years in the military but wearing SSG stripes. E-7’s with 7 years in the military. I wont be surprised to hear the HHC Commander has 3 years in the military as a Captain. If you wan’t to blame anybody and anything for this girl death, blame the army promotion system that is gonna continue be a factor in these careless deaths at home and on the battlefield.

It’s always interesting to hear opinions, always bad, about the military coming from people who have never worn a uniform. These same people acting like her death was the militaries fault would be the first people protesting if on Monday morning the military had kicked in the door of her motel room because she missed a formation. Cover-up? What is the military trying to cover up? Enron, BJs in the White House, etc were cover-ups. The military is cooperating fully with the local authorities who jurisdiction in the case.

The soldier’s death is a tragedy and her supervisor should have checked on her immediately. I am a former Army officer stationed at Bragg in the early 70s and my memory is that people would have been looking ASAP. That aside, I’m wondering if the ex-husband was the father of the fetus and, if so, why he wasn’t there to check up on the mother of his unborn child. He’s evidently more concerned about the Army’s responsibilities than his own. Another example of ‘it’s everyone’s fault but my own’ syndrome.

I imagine that she was already deceased at the time of the missed formation – what good would “kicking in the door” have served? All of you commenting that she would still be alive are wrong, in my opinion.
Had she been in-processed and assigned, things would have gone differently…she would have been missed sooner.
Unlike the Lauterbach story, you don’t hear about the family calling and being unable to reach her. The family didn’t file a missing person report like Maria’s mom did. Unusual? I know if my child was returning from 3 years overseas, they would have first come home on leave – OR I would have been down visiting.
I’m sure there is more to come.

I agree completely with ARMYCoverup, top brass is always covering their tracks in failure. And not a single person will convince me otherwise. I served 8 and a 1/2 years and I know first hand that officers are worthless pond scum that kissed the right cheeks to get their appointments to military college and OCS.

And ARMYWIFE,
just because you married an officer does not make you an ARMYWIFE. You are just a spoiled brat just like your husband. Who jumps to conclusions without hearing any evidence about anything. So just go doll yourself up and kiss the general’s wife’s butt and let real soldiers and soldiers wives talk here.

The lack of an AWOL declaration is of minor consequence in this case. The fact that there is so much focus on the “AWOL” or not AWOL demonstrates the lack of substance of those working on the story.

I am not absolutely certain that the following occurred, but I shall state this possibility for consideration: military personnel can sign in and not be required to report for duty until their transfer documentation date which is often later than the sign in date. Consequently, there may have been no reason to report her AWOL until….

Concerning female military personnel pregnancy: they should be discharged from the service ASAP, just as the policy was before many changes occurred in the USA that I am not in agreement but am forced to accept.

I wonder what else Jonathan Serrie may have gotten wrong in his story? An army Spc. which is short for specialist is an enlisted rank akin to being somewhere between a private and a corporal depending on one’s grade (E-1 through E-5). Therefore, she cannot have been a “dentist” as reported and headlined. An army dentist would be an officer and have graduated from dental school, something enlisted personel are not likely to have done.

The title of the article calls her a Dentist … at 23?

Really horrible case. Can’t believe, however, that Fox News is reporting the 23-yr-old dental technician as a dentist. Don’t reporters have a modicum of knowledge about how long dental school takes and that dentists are officers in the service??

In addition to bad reporting by FoxNews, This young woman is a Dentist Spc, NOT a DENTIST. Enlisted are Dentist Spc and Officers are Dentists.

Why cannot FN have smart reporters who know something about the beat they are covering. If this detail is not fact checked, how can I believe the remainder of the story.

Again, FN and Poor reporting go hand in hand.

Ron…the bible is full of women who were warriors, some at home and some not. Read in context, Titus 2:5 describes how older women can teach younger women good Christ-like behavior in the setting of that culture. Unless you are willing to write off all the women throughout scripture who were used tremendously by God but were not “homemakers” I (humbly) do not suggest that you preach this doctrine. To others… I apologize for using this forum this way, but it hurts my heart to see my Jesus mis-represented in this way. I am proud of this young women, and her sacrifice on my behalf, and I would have gladly honored her in life, I do honor her in her death. Let God’s grace and especially His peace rest on her family as they go through this difficult passage. Let all truth be revealed. Once again, I desire to thank all our young men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom here at home! Let God bless you all!

You keep calling the dead Spc. a dentist, but she is a dental hygentist not a dentist which is an officer. AWOL stands for abscent without leave, not away on leave. I think you need a military specialist to proof your articles.

Peripheral to this horrible murder, but a reminder should be posted that neither the victim or the supposed fiance were dental officers. Apparently they were dental assistants.

Why doesn’t anybody ask about the zodiac symbol the person left and the letter that was sent..

Mr Serrie,
She was a dental technician, not a dentist.

THIS IS A DISGRACE! THIS JUST SHOWS HOW MUCH THE ARMY VALUES ITS SOLDIERS AND HOW MUCH REGARD THEY GIVE THEM!! LETS SEE IF WHOEVER HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE CHECKED ON THIS POOR GIRL IS EXPOSED AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM! I ASSUME NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO THEM!

FYI Pregnant Soldiers can fly up to their 7th month and then can fly after that with a note from their Doctor. Trust me TRicare Patients in Germany get checked out very well at there OB doctors and get an Ultersound at every appointment. The Army will change a Soldiers Report to ensure that report prior to their cut off date. This Soldier left Germany at her cut off date. Second if and when the Army went looking for her probably would not matter if the Soldier was Murdered. Third If the Soldier was planning on commiting Sucide like someone mentioned above why fly all the way back to the states to do it in a bath tub where NO ONE really knows you. But Yes there is more to this story.

Did the reporters ever say if the local, army-base boyfriend on a relocation plan from Kazahstan, too?
If so maybe he is the father?

I heard that a soldier at Ft Bragg is being sought out as a person of interest.

That is really strange, because i just also heard that a NC newspaper printed a letter from a guy that said he was supposedly the killer, and he gave distinctive details about what was found at the crime scene, including a cryptic sign that was found inside the motel room where her body was found. He called himself a serial killer, and claimed he has murdered a dozen other people from years past.

I take issue with Scarlett’s post. I am in my 14th year of military service and have had four children. If anything, my children motivate me to continue to serve this great country and defend our liberties and freedoms. Why can’t I be a soldier and a mother? What in the world? Your comment was sexist and unneccessary. Shame on you.

I have read the posts concerning this soldier and I usually do not comment, but some of the storyline hit close to home.
I was in the Marines stationed in Japan. When I was 7 months pregnant I received orders to Camp Lejeune. I was ordered by the base doctor to get up every 30 minutes and walk around for 5 minutes on the flight to prevent blood clots.
My husband and I had divorced, due to an ocean separating up. When I arrived at Lejeune, I too stayed at a hotel instead of the enlisted quarters. My reasoning was I did not want to climb three flights of stairs to get to the assigned room and I was also looking for housing in town.
Before anyone judges the decisions she made, they should think them through.

I was watching the news this morning and it showed a letter from the “killer” It looks similar to the style the ” Military” uses. Most people use month, day, year, but the Military uses day, month, year. I just thought that was interesting I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed this. I hope they look at the computers that this person of interest had access to. It’s as though he is taunting the police, but I don’t think he is as smart as he is trying to portrait.

So do any of you actually know SPC Touma? Well I do, I knew her in Germany. As a matter of fact she checked my teeth the week that I left and she started clearing the next Monday. She was excited about going to Fort Bragg. She was happy to be leaving Germany, especially being pregnant. The Army didn’t kill her, they might not have been accountable for her, but definately didnt kill her. Yeah, Megan might have been found earlier if she was reported AWOL, but doesnt the fact still remain that she would still not be with us today. I definatly think that there is a lot more to the story that has not been released, I mean I am only an MP and all, but I think that our attention should be focused on finding whoever did this, not complaining about what the Army has or hasnt done. I just PCSed from Germany 2 weeks before her and I stayed in a hotel too. It is VERY common for Soldiers to stay in hotels, especially pregnant ones. Some units dont allow pregnant Soldiers to stay in barracks because they want to get them into an apartment to get them settled well before delivery. Has anyone ever thought about the fact that the Army still pays her while she is going to all of her pre-natal appointments and that she continued to get paid through her pregnancy. Usually females dont get paid if they are not at work due to pregnancy, depending on the place that they work with. So if you ask me, this is a very sad situation, especially knowing SPC Touma, and we should stop blaming the Army and let the Cops investigate and do their jobs.

Seems there is an update on this story, we now have a Church that plans to picket the funeral. These people need to be shot, Freedom of Speech is one thing, this is utter garbage and anyone that feels they have the right to do this can go jump in a nuclear waste dump.

If people really appreciate us military types, there would be hundreds of folks over there beating the crap outta this human trash!!