Autopsy set for Navy recruit found dead in Waukegan

i was reading the post again and if he was still a E1 we was still a recruit. Even if he was out of basic. E1, Fireman Recruit, E2, Fireman Apprentice, E3 Fireman

California DAD wrote:

My Son is now at Great lakes and is in the same school this boy was in. Please tell the family that we are praying for them. My son was pretty upset. I have stayed in that area twice when i have gone to visit him. I really never noticed any problems. But my son told me the day of his graduation while we were driving around that he was not allowed to be on MLK. i dont know if that was the area? But i do know that he was warned and told about the area's around the base.
Hopefully somthing positive will come from this. Maybe the navy will pay to have the area cleaned up or better patroled. This kids are the future of our Navy...
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The military will inform their people where not to go. It's up those military personnel not to go there. The military should not have to babysit adults.

Karen wrote:

Misty - fyi - I wasn't being mean with you. I saw what you saw - but I just didn't see any blood. I just get aggrivated with people who assume and makes judgments about something like the Navy, which - while not perfect, they did their job.
Karen

Karen,

The Navy's job, and the governments, is to protect their property. This young sailor was government property and the Navy holds some of the responsibility in this boy's death- just as he holds some as well; however when is it going to stop? In my opinion the Navy needs to be stricter with the buddy system (which is in place to prepare these young men and women for war or hostile situations to protect each other) and with the rules while in boot camp and school. Sounds to me like someone brought him there and dropped him off, in his t-shirt and boxers? A whole slew of drugs knowing he could be tested at any time? I personally don't see this as intentional on this young man's part- It truly sounds as if there is something else going on here- just like all over America, drug dealers and druggies preying on unassuming kids that are trying to make something of themselves.

he did take the drug but he didnt dump himself on the road. he had a buddy that signed a contract. they were to be together. how can someone with no outside contact find those kinda drugs that fast in one nite? i just want to remind you his family can read this! try to consider that please:(

It is just any awful situation. I have a son there right now. And now i have one more thing to worry about. I read a very good article in the Great Lakes paper yesterday This boy was the 3rd to die this way since March. According to the paper the instructors feel like the failed the boy and his family. My son said that there is always a liberty breifing proir to going on liberty and that they talk about what can happen and where not to go. There was one line in the article that really hit home for me being ex-military with a son in the Navy at Great Lakes right now.... You have a moral obligation to protect your shipmates it is also your Duty. I had a long talk with my son about it yesterday. He told me that on the back of the liberty card there are emergency contact info. All i have to say is everyone needs to read this article something just does not sit well with me. it is a very strange story....

I read the same article while I was at work last weekend. It was a very good article. Here is the issue- these young men and women are just that - young. They have been told for the past 8 weeks what they can and cannot do, buy, etc. One of the points for boot camp is teaching them what ONE MISTAKE can do to an entire ship. For instance, say the RDC is going to grant them a phone call if they do well on something. ONE MISTAKE can affect them getting that phone call or trip to the NEX, etc. It's to teach them responsibility, to think as a team, be responsible, and ultimately, when in the fleet, that RDC is your partner as well-so ultimately I am putting my life in your hands and you are putting yours in mine. I will be there for you to protect you and back you up so that we are a strong force - not just individuals. What everyone forgets is that giving these young men and women liberty, not all of them can handle that much freedom. I see the new graduates every weekend and I talk to them and get to know them. Some of them who are in THU while they are waiting on orders - are there for quite awhile waiting on orders - by the time they leave, sometimes I know a lot about them sometimes down to their favorite color. I love it when they come back over to the RTC side and sit down and we shoot the bull but I try to be a person in their life who gives them a few minutes of my time to let them talk.
This is just a situation that whether he had a history of doing drugs no one knows but him. Maybe the family didn't know he was using - it's really none of our business. We also don't know if the "buddies" he was with forced it on him or if he even knew he was "ingesting" the drugs. The article mentioned that as well - that he "ingested." WE DON'T KNOW. That is up to the police and the Navy to figure that out. If you put yourself in their shoes, and if he did have a history of using, then he probably had stopped before boot camp, was clean throughout boot camp and then either couldn't help himself OR it was forced on him. That is not for us to figure out or blame him, etc.
With that said - yes, it is sad we have lost another Sailor. I am disgusted by those who, if they did place him out in front of that hotel - or if they caused this, then I hope they are dealt with appropriately. They are not worthy to wear that uniform and they should have known better. By the way folks, it was NOT a ditch. I drive by there every weekend - there is a slight raised area in front of the parking lot. Where there is nice landscaping, etc. That's where he was. Had he been in the ditch he would have been right up next to 41 - next to the road. He was under a small tree.
I tell all of them I come in contact with to please be careful and remember they are in uniform and people ARE watching. Not only near the base, but even in downtown Chicago. Remember to take your cover off, no drinking, no foolishness and also - HAVE FUN!
Honestly, I think the Navy should reconsider the liberty time(s), etc. I have heard that the liberty on the NTC side is on lock down - which I think is a good thing.
My prayers are with the family.

I was just up at Great Lakes last week conducting an inspection of one of our schoolhouses and spoke with several young Sailors about the availabilty of drugs at NTC/RTC. Everyone I spoke with said the same thing, drugs (including heroin) are readily available right on base. They said the number one suppliers were taxi drivers and Goodwill employees. What a surprise they mentioned Goodwill employees, these are the contracted personnel who work at the barracks and galley facilities. The majority of Goodwill's workforce are recently released felons who are employed under a second chance type work program. They hire the scum of society and allow them on base where the Sailors are easy targets and easy money. Drive around the base and you'll see them standing outside the galley in their baggy pants smoking cigarettes. Until the Navy gets rid of Goodwill, the influx of drugs will continue.

That is interesting and I wonder who knows that info. Does the CMC know?

A Laz wrote:

What everyone seems to forget is that these enlisted boys are for the most part unable to find a job because they have no skills and no ambition. They have usually been in trouble so they figure they will go in the military and try to do something with their lives. They are not all upstanding citizens and they get in trouble just like any other boy.
Also, I agree with the first person who asked why they always place bases in seedy area's of the country. I wonder why that is. Why can't them place them in a safe area of a town and make things available closer to base so they don't have to go far and run into shady people trying to rob them or take advantage of them.

NO skills and ambition? Are you kidding me? You apparently have little intelligence. How would you feel if this were your son, daughter, niece, brother or sister. I myself had been in the Navy for six years. I have a high amount of intelligence, ambition. No I was not a drug addict, alcoholic either. Enlarge your world. People join the military for many different reasons. The Navy provides training for a specific job, offers college, medical,dental benefits, the traveling one does is an life learning experience in itself. If you have no understanding of why a person joins refrain yourself from such ludacris comments please. I come from a long history of military family.....would you like to go and fight in the korean war, World War II, the mess of Vietnam, and now and always on-going this current War? I guess not! You are above that....
My heart goes out to James family-my condolences to you and your family. How painful this must be for you all. Your son for 1 minute or 1 hour made a terrible mistake which unfortunately took his life. May he rest in peace now. May you find peace. Your son joined the Navy - which is an honor within itself. He went through boot camp, and was trying to educate himself by going through a Navy school. Remember this. Only God knows why James did what he did that night and what happened. Don't however look to the Navy to give any answers. You have to push to find out what occured. I am so sorry for your loss. I will keep the family of James in my prayers...remember they are looking at these comments and are GRIEVING the death of their young son. Think before you say such callous comments.

Texas mom wrote:

I have known this young man most of his life. No matter what the circumstances of his death, I would like people to know he was smart, funny, athletic, loving and the most loyal friend and one could ask for.
It was an honors and privilege to have shared part of his short life.
I'm so sad that his mistake cost him his life, but even sadder that anyone would leave him instead of calling 911 or bringing him to a hospital. Pray for his family pkease

Texas mom: You're so right in stating how loyal,smart etc. this young man was. For 1 minute, 1 hour he made a terrible mistake, choice which ended his short life. No one person is above making terrible choices, if they think they are their kidding themselves. I did not know james or his family but can relate to their grieving, suffering. My prayers go out to all who knew and loved James. Such a sad story.