http://blog.thenewstribune.com/military/2010/12/30/his-name-was-sean-and-he-died-for-his-country/

Family of fallen soldier warmed by letters, stung by politicians
Posted By Adam Ashton on December 30, 2010 at 4:03 pm Share this
The parents of a Yelm soldier killed in Afghanistan earlier this month have received cards from friends and strangers expressing condolences, and they’re grateful for the support.

“As a father of someone killed, it is overwhelming,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Collins (Ret.). His son, Sgt. Sean Collins, was buried Wednesday at the Tahoma National Cemetery.

Among that outpouring of empathy, two politicians inadvertently stung the family.

One slight came in a letter of condolences the family received from the office of Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

At first, the Collins family appreciated that Cantwell had taken the time to send a letter acknowledging their son’s sacrifice.

But the letter misidentified the slain soldier in its last paragraph, which reads:

“Again, please accept my warmest condolences. May your memories of Bryn and the knowledge that he made a positive impact on the lives of so many serve as a source of comfort to you during this time of sorrow.”

The letter was dated Dec. 20 and delivered to Sean Collins’ mother, Linda Collins of Yelm. The error conveyed to the family that Cantwell had sent a form letter.

“They couldn’t even proofread it,” she said. “I’m sure if her son had died, she would’ve at least wanted his name spelled correctly.”

“That’s just sloppy staff work, that’s an embarrassment,” Patrick Collins said. He has not yet called Cantwell’s office to ask for an apology.

Cantwell’s office is on short staffing for the holiday week and has not replied to an email to its press staff. The Collins family was in touch with Cantwell’s office in the capital Thursday, and was told Cantwell’s staffers were looking into the mistake.

The other slight came when Patrick Collins called the White House and asked to have President Obama call his ex-wife, Linda, to talk about their son.

He was told that Obama did not regularly make phone calls to the families of fallen soldiers.

Later, Patrick Collins read a story about Obama’s phone call to Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffery Lurie. Obama reportedly praised Lurie for giving quarterback Michael Vick a second chance to play football after serving time in prison for running a dog fighting ring.

“That burns,” Patrick Collins said Thursday.

“Any soldier that gets killed in action, you’d think the president would be calling someone in the family. There’s no politics in it. His predecessor did it,” Collins said.

Call a dog killer's boss, but you don't have time to call the mother who gave her son's life to this country? Really?

Ugh.

Didn't call Cantwell's office but went straight to the press instead. He's retired military.

The Collins family was in touch with Cantwell’s office in the capital Thursday, and was told Cantwell’s staffers were looking into the mistake.

Dad served for a whole lot of years to get that rank. Son served more than a few years to get his E-6/7.
I forgive Cantwell's office for the typo. Sh!t happens, but as Barry said, "the buck stops here". If a Lt. Colonel make an error, does he say "I'm looking into it"?

Simple apologies from Cantwell and Barry fixes this. My guess is that they will throw blame elsewhere instead. Make the damned call. We lose a few soldiers each day. The least we can do as a country is to at least get that right and not fawk it up. Mistakes happen. How you correct them shows your true character.

Calling on behalf of a felon instead of a mother? You'll defend that? (I know it was a staffer puke who answered that phone, and not Barry, but hopefully they will use this as a training tool.) Talk about pandering.

I have two boys, one of whom is interested in joining .MIL at this point in time. I would hope they get our name right, MESOJEDNIK, and that they apologize if they don't, should one of my boys lose his life after being sent somewhere by .GOV.

Not only is this a US citizen, but this young man grew up in our area. He is one of ours, and he deserves respect, and the best of treatment in recognition of his sacrifice for our country. I cannot imagine the horror his family feels for his loss. I hope I never know.

Well said.

My take is you don't drag that out in the press especially if you are a Lt Col unless you've got a political agenda. A shame all the way around.

Or your disappointed in the way it treats soldiers, fallen or not.

Well Humper then he'd be calling Bush wouldn't he? Anyone think Cantwell or Obama knew about the letter or phone call? This is a grieving father and Mother and its vacation time when staff refuse to bother the boss. Yeah it would have been nice to get it right if you can call it that at this point.

Death didn't take a vacation.

Nope. I got a bottle of 18 yr old MacCallans for Christmas and saved it for the Dawgs so probably shouldn't be posting on this. Should Cantwell have stopped whatever and sent a personal letter sure. Hope it wasn't a vet who sent the form letter. Almost 1,400 lost in Afghanistan now.

Every man lost has a mother.

Bush, really? How is he involved with the letter or lack of phone call? Barry found tome to make a phonecall on Vicks behalf while on vacation. There are no excuses here.

Since when does a Pres personally call the next of kin of dead soldiers?

Fawksake if Roosevelt did that, he would have been on the horn comforting old ladies for the entire war. Same with Bush.

Get fukkin' real.

Aw, for crying out loud....WHO started the war has nothing more to do with this incident that who invented bullets.

It's a tragic mistake/error in judgement/SNAFU......whatever!

It is also being heartlessly capitalized on by self-serving agendas.
Did Cantwell or Obama put any personal effort into recognizing this soldier's sacrifice? Not likely. Is that understandable? Sadly, yes. Neither could/should be expected to shed tears or even feel the impact of another fallen servant.....there have been too many. Whether or not there is something wrong with that is not for me to judge, but I am leaning towards recognizing the tragedy of the whole thing and leaving it at that.
To the family of the soldiers.....my sincerest condolences. I'm sure they are very proud.....and rightfully so.
There are some arenas (perhaps many arenas) from which politics just needs to be banned, IMO.