Charges Referred in Pvt. Danny Chen Case for 8 Soldiers

(Editor's Note: The following is a press release from the Ft. Bragg Public Affairs Office)

Charges have been referred to courts-martial against one officer and seven Soldiers relating to the alleged hazing and death of Pvt.
Danny Chen, an Infantryman who died in Afghanistan October 3, 2011.

The Soldiers involved in the case remain assigned to 1st Stryker Brigade
Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, Chen's
unit of assignment at the time of his death. The unit deployed to
Afghanistan in 2011.

On April 23, 2012, Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick, the commander of the XVIII
Airborne Corps, referred to general courts-martial the charges listed below
against one officer and seven Soldiers in connection with Chen's alleged
hazing and death at Combat Outpost Palace.  All Soldiers will be arraigned
by a military judge in the coming weeks and the individual cases will be
scheduled for trial.

In mid-April 2012, the eight Soldiers were attached for Uniform Code of
Military Justice purposes to XVIII Airborne Corps.  The Soldiers will remain
assigned to the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division for
the duration of the proceedings.  The proceedings, however, will occur at
Fort Bragg.

On April 10, 2012, Helmick approved Maj. Gen. James Huggins' request to
transfer jurisdiction to XVIII Airborne Corps.  This request was based on
operational reasons in Afghanistan and the fact that Fort Bragg has the
capacity to accommodate these trials.  Huggins is the 82nd Airborne Division
commander and currently commands Regional Command-South in Afghanistan.

The Soldiers above are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The charges referred are:

First Lt. Daniel Schwartz - six specifications of dereliction of duty

Staff Sgt. Blaine Dugas - violating a lawful general regulation, three
specifications of dereliction of duty, and making a false official statement

Staff Sgt. Andrew Van Bockel - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment,
assault, two specifications of maltreatment of a subordinate, three
specifications of dereliction of duty, and two specifications of violating a
lawful general regulation

Sgt. Jeffrey Hurst - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, maltreatment
of a subordinate, two specifications of dereliction of duty, and two
specifications of violating a lawful general regulation

Sgt. Adam Holcomb - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, communicating
a threat, assault, two specifications of maltreatment of a subordinate,
dereliction of duty, and four specifications of violating a lawful general
regulation

Sgt. Travis Carden - reckless endangerment, assault, two specifications of
maltreatment of a subordinate, and two specifications of violating a lawful
general regulation

Spc. Thomas Curtis - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, four
specifications of assault, six specifications of maltreatment of a
subordinate, and two specifications of violation of a lawful general
regulation

Spc. Ryan Offutt - negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, three
specifications of assault, four specifications of maltreatment of a
subordinate, and two specifications of violation of a lawful general
regulation