Ex-Green Beret Pummeled to Death in Apparent Fratricide

Combat Diver

Combat Diver

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Accounts of Rick Rodriguez’s death are vague, but they involve a trash-talking brawl in northern Iraq that left the Special Forces veteran beaten unconscious. He never woke up.
An American contractor fatally injured in Iraq, apparently by members of the U.S. military, is a former Green Beret who served in the Army for 20 years, his family said Monday.

Rick Rodriguez, who was stationed in Erbil for Lockheed Martin, was flown from Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, an aunt told The Daily Beast.

His wife and four kids, who live in Fayetteville, North Carolina, were then flown by the military to Germany and, according to a U.S. military source, made a decision to take him off life support on Jan. 4.

Rodriguez’s death, which multiple sources said was the result of a sudden fracas involving U.S. Marines, follows last year’s brutal strangulation of another Green Beret, Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar. Two Navy SEALs and two Marine Raiders were recently charged in the Melgar case.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/military-contractor-slain-in-apparent-fratricide-was-ex-green-beret


Now I'm really interested in this case since Rick and I were doing the same job in Kuwait/Iraq in 16'. I've known about this since they found his body. He was a good friend and will be missed. Picture of Rick, me and some other friends in Dec 15' in Kuwait. Rick and I in the middle.


DSCF2498 rz.jpg

CD
 
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Image doesn't show for me.
Sorry to hear it was a friend. I'd be interested in hearing the details as well. I can understand brawling, but, you've got to know when to stop. There's no honor these days, anywhere. But, maybe there's justice.
 
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Word I first had was he was attempting to stop a fight between two MARSOC and they turned on him. Waiting for the investigation to be completed.

CD
 
WTF!

Image works now. Maybe it was just me.
 
CD, sorry for the loss of your friend, and a prayer for his family.

"...lots of witnesses..."

Should be a quick investigation...unless there really is no honor in this particular group. The two men responsible are thugs, not warriors, and need to be made an example of...way too much of this type (similar) of behavior starting to occur amongst all the services.
 
Thanks all, been a rough year for me.

1 Jan 2018 SFC Mihail Golin 18B 10th SFGA KIA Astan , fixed his teams guns.
21 Sep 2018 Roy Hinton, gunsmith near Houston TX, my best friend in High School dies of a long battle with kidney failure due to malaria. I left for Astan two days later.
27 Nov 2018 4 KIA Astan off of ODA 3126, guys I worked with including CPT Andrew Ross 18A, SFC Eric Emond 18B, SGT Jason McClary 11B, SSgt Dylan Elchin TACP
4 Jan 2019 MSG(ret) Rick Rodriguez, former 18Z and gunsmith in Iraq

Never lost so many at once before :(


CD
 
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The 2nd one in recent memory due to fratricide. That makes me sick. First it was SEALs and now a couple Raiders.
 
11B CIB said:
The 2nd one in recent memory due to fratricide. That makes me sick. First it was SEALs and now a couple Raiders.
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It's my understanding that first incident was because the guy discovered they were embezzling funds. So, criminal cover up. This one sounds, just plain stupid. :mad:
 
Combat Diver said:
Thanks all, been a rough year for me.

1 Jan 2018 SFC Mihail Golin 18B 10th SFGA KIA Astan , fixed his teams guns.
21 Sep 2018 Roy Hinton, gunsmith near Houston TX, my best friend in High School dies of a long battle with kidney failure due to malaria. I left for Astan two days later.
27 Nov 2018 4 KIA Astan off of ODA 3126, guys I worked with including CPT Andrew Ross 18A, SFC Eric Emond 18B, SGT Jason McClary 11B, SSgt Dylan Elchin TACP
4 Jan 2019 MSG(ret) Rick Rodriguez, former 18Z and gunsmith in Iraq

Never lost so many at once before :(


CD
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Thoughts are with you. I can't imagine.
 
Another good article. Rick was NOT a small guy either but 3 vs 1 it seems.

8254514-6567705-image-m-69_1546925136116.jpg


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...aq-DIES-pummeled-unconsciousness-Marines.html

CD
 
CD
It's hard enough to loose a brother in battle but this has to be a special kind of hurt.
You've had a tough year indeed. My prayers and sincere condolences for the loss of your friend, and may the Lord give grace and comfort to his family and loved ones.
RIP
 
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Soft landings & short walks, brother. RIP.

I so hate to hear about these type of incidents. The Special Ops community seems to get hit especially hard & not just combat casualties. I was attached to E/96th CA when 1SG Wright killed his wife (then later, himself). I don't even know how many we've lost to suicide, murder-suicide & accident/misadventure.

Maybe it's simply the nature of the beast, but I sure do hate to see it.
 
Combat Diver said:
Thanks all, been a rough year for me.

1 Jan 2018 SFC Mihail Golin 18B 10th SFGA KIA Astan , fixed his teams guns.
21 Sep 2018 Roy Hinton, gunsmith near Houston TX, my best friend in High School dies of a long battle with kidney failure due to malaria. I left for Astan two days later.
27 Nov 2018 4 KIA Astan off of ODA 3126, guys I worked with including CPT Andrew Ross 18A, SFC Eric Emond 18B, SGT Jason McClary 11B, SSgt Dylan Elchin TACP
4 Jan 2019 MSG(ret) Rick Rodriguez, former 18Z and gunsmith in Iraq

Never lost so many at once before :(


CD
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You really have had a bad one, and I'm sorry for the loss of yet one more person close to you! This is just terrible.....
 
My sincere condolences to Rick Rodriguez’s family and to all his friends. RIP
 
Sorry for the loss of your friend CD. Hard loss for sure.

Aren't they all supposed to support the same team??? Team USA...!
 
Very sorry for the loss of your friend. Sounds pretty messed up what happened.
 
Really feeling for you CD. Prayers that no more of this bad news effects you or your friends. It’s bad enough to have our service men and women lost to the enemy but these are our own people. This should never happen, like ever!
 
Please forgive me if this sounds ignorant, but in my opinion, this could be the end result of deployment after deployment after deployment. These guys are just burned.

I’m not trying to disrespect the fallen, but these are my thoughts.


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Sad for your loss and sad for his wife and kids. I hope the “multiple cowards” responsible for his death receive the max prison sentence. There is absolutely no excuse for what they did IMHO.
 
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Prayers for our Brothers who lost their lives, no mater how. CD, let me know if you need anything over there! I haven’t sent a care package in quit a while.
 
sr30 said:
Please forgive me if this sounds ignorant, but in my opinion, this could be the end result of deployment after deployment after deployment. These guys are just burned.

I’m not trying to disrespect the fallen, but these are my thoughts.


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They are. I have seen the toll roughly 15 deployments took on my best friend with the 2nd Rgr Bat and RRC. Some of my good friends who run retreat for Special Operation vets in can attest to the toll constant deployments have taken. Sorry for hijack.
 
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The Rodriguez family has finalized the planning for Rick's memorial, it will be held on Saturday 09 FEB 19 at 1000 AM in the JFK Chapel on Fort Bragg NC.

His relatives are also going to have a memorial for Rick in Los Angeles CA on 02 FEB 19. More details to come.

CD
 
RIP, am very sorry to hear of your loss and a brother!

The issue sr30 brought up is valid, but no excuse. Tempers flare, and patience gets short but a certain decorum should even exist in ass whoopins! At least it did in my time. Unfortunately too many lose common sense.
 
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