Army Cover-up Regarding Death of Aussie Soldier

[ned]

The Australian Army is lying about the death of an Australian soldier in Iraq. I have recently had a telephone call from another soldier - defence force whistleblowers seem to be out in force today on Indymedia - to say that the soldier shot himself with his handgun.

Steyr rifles as used by the Australian Army are notorious for accidentally discharging. So it has been easy to fool the sheeple into believing that the gun went off while being cleaned. Aussie soldiers are better trained than that: no-one cleans a loaded rifle.

This man was obviously in terrible distress for some reason. Perhaps the truth will come out soon. Reading the article on the treatment of recruits - or rather the torture of recruits - it is easy to see some reasons why soldiers would be suicidal.

Here is the report from the 'other' media:

Army Private Jake Bruce Kovco was killed in an accident in Iraq. (Department of Defence)



Deceased Australian soldier's name released


The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has released the name of the 25-year-old Australian soldier killed in Iraq.


Private Jake Bruce Kovco was killed in an accident on Friday.


It is believed he died when he accidentally shot himself in the head while cleaning his gun.

A spokesman for the Department of Defence says there are still no
details on when Private Kovco's body will be returned to Australia.

The 25-year-old Victorian had enlisted in 2002 and after completing
basic training was selected for service in the 3rd Battalion of the
Royal Australian Regiment based in Sydney.


He was sent to Iraq in October last year and had been providing security for Australian government staff in Baghdad.

Defence describes him as a highly qualified soldier who had completed a
number of specialist courses in his four years of service.


He is survived by his wife Shelley and children, Tyrie and Alana.


Private Kovco came from the small Victorian community of Briagalong in eastern Victoria, which has a tragic military past.


A Briagalong mother lost four of her seven sons in the first World War, making Anzac Day an even more poignant time for locals.

[cardigan]

ned said:

The Australian Army is lying about the death of an Australian soldier in Iraq. I have recently had a telephone call from another soldier - defence force whistleblowers seem to be out in force today on Indymedia - to say that the soldier shot himself with his handgun.

Steyr rifles as used by the Australian Army are notorious for accidentally discharging. So it has been easy to fool the sheeple into believing that the gun went off while being cleaned. Aussie soldiers are better trained than that: no-one cleans a loaded rifle.

This man was obviously in terrible distress for some reason. Perhaps the truth will come out soon. Reading the article on the treatment of recruits - or rather the torture of recruits - it is easy to see some reasons why soldiers would be suicidal.

Here is the report from the 'other' media:

Army Private Jake Bruce Kovco was killed in an accident in Iraq. (Department of Defence)



Deceased Australian soldier's name released


The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has released the name of the 25-year-old Australian soldier killed in Iraq.


Private Jake Bruce Kovco was killed in an accident on Friday.


It is believed he died when he accidentally shot himself in the head while cleaning his gun.

A spokesman for the Department of Defence says there are still no
details on when Private Kovco's body will be returned to Australia.

The 25-year-old Victorian had enlisted in 2002 and after completing
basic training was selected for service in the 3rd Battalion of the
Royal Australian Regiment based in Sydney.


He was sent to Iraq in October last year and had been providing security for Australian government staff in Baghdad.

Defence describes him as a highly qualified soldier who had completed a
number of specialist courses in his four years of service.


He is survived by his wife Shelley and children, Tyrie and Alana.


Private Kovco came from the small Victorian community of Briagalong in eastern Victoria, which has a tragic military past.


A Briagalong mother lost four of her seven sons in the first World War, making Anzac Day an even more poignant time for locals.

Are Steyr rifles as used by the Australian Army are notorious for accidentally discharging.?

[nogun]

AUSTRALIA'S first Iraq war casualty was to be will be honoured in an Anzac Day ceremony in


But the wrong body arrived in a coffin from IRAQ

Private Jake Kovco, 25, died from an accidental shot to the head on Friday while cleaning his pistol.


His hometown is Briagolong, in Gippsland


Private Kovco's body is en route to Australia again after being draped in the
national flag in an emotional farewell by his comrades at a Baghdad
hospital yesterday.

the other body is being sent back



Now the truth is coming out. It's gone from a longarm to a 'pistol'. The rest of the truth will surface . Maybe the Defence Force Spin Doctor will then apologize regarding his discounting of the truth in such a rude manner.

These soldiers go through hell and believe me, they do not want to be in Iraq involved in for this.

I have a close family member going to the Middle East in September and he's very annoyed about it; but he has to keep his job to feed his family.

[lingus]

My two bobs worth - As I said earlier (and am not alone) - this sad event is NOT ringing true and did not from the first excuse.

These are the scenarios:
a) DOD is telling the truth and that comms got confused since the first release of information.

b) DOD is lying to protect itself.

c) DOD is lying to protect Pte Kovco and his family.

d) DOD is lying to protect others.

Regardless if handgun or longarm - the story of AD when cleaning is false. It is second nature to ensure any firearm is clear when disassembling, and not loaded when outside direct areas of coflict. If it was 'hot' - then being loaded is the norm.

Styer at one stage has problems with AD, but was fixed many years ago. The technical reasons I have somewhere. No doubt this will surface in any investagation.

It is a very sad event indeed.

Peter Cunnnigham

[lennie]

Who knows what could have happened. It may have been suicide, or firearm misuse. Whatever, the DOD has to come clean on this one. One report I heard stated that the deceased soldiers wife was going to assist in the inquiry, work that one out.

[lennie]

According to AAP News this morning:

New reports say Private Kovco was in his room alone and had just opened an EMAIL from his wife when he fatally shot himself with his own pistol.

The new reports contradict governments line on what happened.

The Defence Dept and the Govt initially said Private Kovco was in a room with two other soldiers at the time of his death. However, News Ltd Newspapers have reported - a source close to the troops in Baghdad says Pvte Kovco's mates were in the next room and discovered him after the shot went off.

[tommygun]

I am very good friends with one of Jake Kovco's brother in laws. I hope for Shelley's and Jake's families sakes they get the answers they're after in regards to his death. The problem with the military is they're full of cover ups to save their own arses. After the bungle with Jake's body I pray that his wife and family can get the full truth into what happened for their own piece of mind. They've been through enough already as it is. I know Briagolong and it is a very small a friendly orientated town where the locals all come together in time of need to help. Jake is a hero he might have only been in iraq for a short amount of time but he was there as an australian doing our country proud like all the other australian troops over there

Unfortunatly such a tragedy has happened and yes there is a lot of speculation into the cause of death. There is critisism because he was specially trained in his particular field and such a trained person can't have done this to himself. Shooting accidents happen alot wheather the person is a gun expert or not. I believe it was pure accident and I really hope there is closure on his cause of death without the need of too much military cover up. Because at the end of the day he has two small children that are now facing a future without their dad and as they get older they're going to ask questions about what happened to their father hopefully Shelley will know the truth by then so she can there for let her children know.

I will be there at his funeral to pay my respects and honour a man that although died accidently was over in iraq fighting a war and doing his country and his family proud. Rest In Peace and not in vain Jake.

[fusil]

If the weapon involved was a 9mm Byowning Hi-Power then there is a need for the most through inquiry possible.
This pistol is so overengineered with safety features that accidental discharge is virtually impossible.

Fusil.

[nogun]

fusil said:

If the weapon involved was a 9mm Byowning Hi-Power then there is a need for the most through inquiry possible.
This pistol is so overengineered with safety features that accidental discharge is virtually impossible.

Fusil.

the concern is whether the soldier suffered existential angst and killed himself. The authorities are quick to state it was an accident.

In any case a death at a young 25 is not explained or understood by angriness on the string here.

Let's keep in mind his family and friends who are grieving too.

Sure it's well within the realm of possibility of a cover up, but that doesn't mean it is. I'm no soldier but if I was there I would have a bullet in my gun at all times, safety on and off, green to red zone.


You will notice the big media like Jim Middleton Insiders show yesterday gently, firmly probing why the widow is brought in on the terms of reference of inquiry into the death. THAT is curious. A real judicial inquiry process is neutral, objective as best it can be, not for or against a family's interests and the reputation of the dead man.

Compassion is important and maybe that is where Nelson is coming from after all the bad press on issues traversed above. Yet on the other hand with this Howard govt all things should be checked with a skepticism backed by hard won experience eg right wing fantasies about WMD and uranium from Niger, and the all the rest.

J.B. Kovco RIP.