European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 6, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday april 6 2007 stars and stripes pages army finds Friendly fire possibly killed gis German based specialist on final Mission in Iraq was training his replacement Kevin and stripes members of an army Honor guard in Giessen Germany participate in a 21gun Salute feb 8 for pc Alan e Mcpeek of company a 16th Engineer battalion 1st brigade combat team 1st armoured division by Joseph Giordono and Kevin Dougherty stars and stripes two soldiers killed in ramada Iraq in february now appear to be victims of Friendly fire the army said thursday pc Alan e Mcpeek of the 1st armoured divisions 16th Engi Neer battalion and pvt Matthew t Zeimer of the 3rd infantry divisions 3rd battalion 69th Armor regiment were killed feb 2 at a combat outpost in the City Mcpeek 20 of Tucson Ariz was on his Finai Mission before re turning to Germany officials have said Zeimer 18 of Glen dive Mont who had been in Iraq for a week was reported to have arrived at the combat outpost just hours before the incident military officials at Mcpeeks Germany memorial service Origi Nally said the two were killed by Small arms fire later members of Mcpeeks unit said both had been killed by a Large Aliber round that struck a Wall near their observation position at com Bat outpost Grant on thursday military officials confirmed that a followup investigation by Mcpeeks unit suggests that Friendly fire might have caused the deaths following the initial report additional analysis indicated the possibility that the two soldiers killed in action were killed As a result of Friendly fire an army statement emailed to stripes on thursday reads on March 31 upon re clip of this new development Ca ceremony Marks ram steins new role As Gateway to Europe by Scott Schonauer stars and stripes Ramstein air base Germany Ramstein air base officially became the Gateway to Europe in a ceremony thursday belatedly marking the move of american Airlift operations from Rhei main air base Rhineland palatinate state leaders and american military officials dedicated a Monument in a Plaza near the bases air terminal to recognize the shift the us government handed Over Rhei main air base to Frankfurt International Airport on oct 10 2005 after transferring operations to Ramstein and Span Dahlem air bases the base officially closed on dec 312005 let us keep this Gateway open As far As possible in both directions Rhineland palatinate Deputy minister president Karl Peter Bruch said May it Al ways stay open connecting our continents and our people May it always be a Gate to Freedom and a Gate to peace German state leaders approached us military officials about marking the move As a Way to highlight its significant Eland the partnership Between the two countries Ben and stripes col Glen Apgar the 86th air Wing vice commander and wife Janis Check out the new Monument presented to the base by German officials during a ceremony thursday dubbing Ramstein the new Gateway to Europe on Many things and to demonstrate to our us part ners that they Are greatly valued in the Rhine land palatinate state minister of finance Ingolf Deu Elsaid the Kaiserslautern area is the largest american military Community outside of the Continental us with nearly 54000 americans Ramstein and Span Dahlem air bases Are among the largest employers in the area and Bruch said the installations inject nearly billion into the state Economy us ambassador to Germany William r Timken or Gen Tom Hobbins commander of us air forces in Europe and retired Gen John jumper former Safe commander along with local German civic leaders attended the event Mcpeek Salty Assis Tance offic ers informed the families of both sol Diers that they May have been killed by Friendly fire not enemy fire As Origi Nally reported the army regulation 156 uni level investigation into this incident currently is under re View by military commanders in Iraq once the report is approved the army will offer both families personal presentations on the con tents of the investigation Rose Doyle Mcpeeks Mother declined comment on the new re port when reached by the associated press i dont feel comfortable talk ing she was quoted As saying whatever i say int going to bring my son Back three other soldiers were wounded in the incident that killed Mcpeek and Zeimer what this suggests is there was the confusion that you frequently find on the Battlefield As soon As there is information that contradicts the initial report about the circumstances of a sol Diers death we notify the family about that suspicion army spokesman Paul Boyce was quoted As saying by the a last August the army spurred by High profile cases like those of 1st it Kenneth Ballard Ziemer and army Ranger Pat Tillman ordered changes in the ways combat deaths Are investigated and families Are notified of the circumstances of each death army regulation 60081 army casualty program was re Vised to require commanders of deployed forces to initiate an a 156 investigation into All hostile deaths the army thursday statement read the purpose of this policy is to apply a More Thor Ough investigating technique to initial casualty circumstances to ensure families receive accurate information a major or Lieuten ant colonel in the Field reviews each initial casualty report to verify the accuracy of the information based on the Best available Evi Dence according to the army As of the end of March 2007 in Iraq there have been 10 Friendly fire incidents resulting in 14 deaths three other deaths Are still being investigated officials said in Afghanistan there have been five Friendly fire incidents leading to seven deaths one Afghanistan death is still being investigated email Joseph Giordono at email Kevin Dougherty at this symbolic act offers an Opportunity to reflect email Scott Schonauer at Mccain pays a visit to Lan Stuhl on his Way Home from Baghdad by Steve Mraz stars and stripes Lan Stuhl Germany sen John Mccain Ariz presidential hopeful and former Vietnam prisoner of War visited wounded troops thursday morning at Lan Stuhl regional medical Center Mccain visit to the largest american Hospital outside of the us comes on the Tail end of a trip to Iraq where he said conditions Are improving he was greeted at the Hospital by Europe regional medical commands Brig Gen David Rubenstein and Hospital commander col Bryan Gamble press coverage of Mccain visit to Lan Stuhl was declined other notable politicians have stopped through Lan Stuhl on their Way Back from Iraq in re cent months sen Hillary Rodham Clinton any and House speaker Nancy Pelosi Calif toured the Hospital and greeted wounded during separate trips in january Mccain visit to a Baghdad Market last sunday has drawn criticism an exclusive interview with the senator is scheduled to air on this weeks 60 minutes the Washington Post reported that after a heavily guarded walk through a newly fortified Bagh dad Market Mccain declared that the american Public was not getting a full picture of the Progress unfolding in Iraq Mccain cited a drop in slay Ings the creation of a Constella Tion of joint us iraqi military outposts and a Rise in intelligence tips As signs of the Progress these and other indications Are reason for cautious optimism Mccain said according to the Post Mccain is a Strong advocate of the War and comes from a Mili tary background he graduated from the us naval Academy and served As a naval aviator in Vietnam his father and Grandfather both served As Navy Admi rals email Steve Mraz at