Fallen American
Doesn’t really look like the kind of guy who would be killed in the lead Humvee of a four-vehicle combat patrol, riding with the 101st Airborne’s Task Force Currahee in Khowst Province, does he? A little bookish, maybe. But it maybe there’s something there in the eyes. Hard to tell from a snapshot. Easy to read it in, after you find out a little about how he lived, how he died, and the company he died in.
Local boy goes out into the world, makes good, makes a sacrifice. Michael Vinay Bhatia, 31, of Medway, Massachusetts, magna cum laude Brown University, Oxford University doctoral candidate, didn’t have to be in Afghanistan, but he wanted to make a difference, and he did. You’ll find a Small Wars Journal tribute/roundup and the Boston Herald’s article below. DoD provides what appear to be the names of the two American soldiers he died with, below. Two others critically wounded. All volunteers who chose to be where they were, making the world a better place.
Spc. Jeremy R. Gullett, 22, of Greenup, Ky., who was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Staff Sgt. Kevin C. Roberts, 25, of Farmington, N. M., who was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Yes, 2/506 is the “Band of Brothers” battalion, and I guess they are brothers now.
Here’s Small Wars Journal:
From the Human Terrain System,
It is with deep sorrow that we must inform you of the tragic death of Michael Bhatia, our social scientist team member assigned to the Afghanistan Human Terrain Team #1, in support of Task Force Currahee based at FOB SALERNO, Khowst Province.
Michael was killed on May 7 when the Humvee he was riding in was struck by an IED. Michael was traveling in a convoy of four vehicles, which were en route to a remote sector of Khowst province. For many years, this part of Khowst had been plagued by a violent inter-tribal conflict concerning land rights. Michael had identified this tribal dispute as a research priority, and was excited to finally be able to visit this area. This trip was the brigade’s initial mission into the area, and it was their intention to initiate a negotiation process between the tribes.
Michael was in the lead vehicle with four other soldiers. Initial forensics indicate that the IED was triggered by a command detonated wire. Michael died immediately in the explosion. Two Army soldiers from Task Force Currahee were also killed in the attack, and two were critically injured.
During the course of his seven-month tour, Michael’s work saved the lives of both US soldiers and Afghan civilians. His former brigade commander, COL Marty Schweitzer testified before Congress on 24 April that the Human Terrain Team of which Michael was a member helped the brigade reduce its lethal operations by 60 to 70%, increase the number of districts supporting the Afghan government from 15 to 83, and reduce Afghan civilian deaths from over 70 during the previous brigade’s tour to 11 during the 4-82’s tour.
A copy of Colonel Schweitzer’s comments can be found at the Human Terrain System web page.
We will remember Michael for his personal courage, his willingness to endure danger and hardship, his incisive intelligence, his playful sense of humor, his confidence, his devoted character, and his powerful inner light. While his life has ended, he has not disappeared without a trace. He left a powerful effect behind, which will be felt by his friends and colleagues and by the people of Afghanistan for many years to come.
Steve Fondacaro
Program ManagerMontgomery McFate
Senior Social Science AdvisorHuman Terrain System
US Army TRADOCFORT MONROE, Va. (TRADOC News Service, May 9, 2008) – Michael Vinay Bhatia was killed Tuesday by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) strike in the vicinity of Sabari District in the Khowst Province of Afghanistan. He was a civilian contractor employed by BAE Systems, assigned to 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division in Afghanistan and working as a social scientist supporting the U.S. Army’s Human Terrain System (HTS) program.
While assigned to the 4th BCT, Bhatia brought a critical skill and wealth of knowledge to his support of the mission in Afghanistan. He developed this knowledge, not only as an academic, but also as a humanitarian and researcher in areas such as East Timor, Kosovo and the Sahrawi refugee camps of western Algeria.
HTS is a program run by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Its purpose is to improve brigade and division commanders’ level of understanding of the highly complex local socio-cultural environment in areas where U.S. Army troops are deployed.
“Our deepest sympathy and heartfelt prayers go out to Michael Bhatia’s family and friends,” said Gen. William S. Wallace, TRADOC’s commanding general. “Michael is a hero. The Army didn’t go looking for him to ask him for his service – he came looking for us because he was committed to make things better. Our nation is better, as are the people of Afghanistan, because of his devotion and brilliance. He will not be forgotten.”
Bhatia was a leading academic and lecturer in conflict and international relations who realized that his vast experience and cultural knowledge could be a critical asset to the Army in operations surrounding Afghan villages and provinces. A 1999 doctoral candidate in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford and a George C. Marshall Scholarship recipient in 2001, his hope was providing assistance in creating a better quality of life for the local population while decreasing the level of lethal operations within the 4th BCT area of responsibility.
“Michael Bhatia’s efforts empowered the achievement of peace and stability among local populations without a reliance on force alone as the principle means,” said Steve Fondacaro, HTS project manager. “He didn’t merely write about it or talk about it, he just did it. And there are very many Soldiers and civilians who are alive today and together with their families because of it.”
As a civilian and as an academic, Bhatia lived the Army values of personal courage, loyalty, duty and respect. His accomplishments and contributions will be felt for many years to come.
More:
In Memory of Michael Vinay Bhatia ‘99 – Brown University
The Cost of Being There – Complex Terrain Laboratory
Michael Bhatia Killed in Khost – Ghosts of Alexander
Social Scientist Killed in Afghanistan – Kings of War
‘Human Terrain’ Social Scientist Killed in Afghanistan – Danger Room
In Memory of Michael Bhatia – Coming Back to Kabul
Michael Bhatia – The QWU Blog
Human Terrain Team Member Killed – Historicus
A Medway doctoral student who devoted his life to bringing peace to war-torn nations died in combat in Afghanistan on Wednesday.
Michael Vinay Bhatia, 31, was serving as a social scientist embedded with troops in the U.S. Army’s Human Terrain Systems program.
HTS program manager Steve Fondacaro said, “He was an example of a brilliant scholar who could have made his job and done well in the U.S., but who of his own accord discovered our program and volunteered to participate as a team member fully understanding the risks. This makes him a hero three, four times over.”
Bhatia, assigned to the 101st Airborne’s Task Force Currahee, was riding in a convoy’s lead Humvee in remote Khowst when it was hit by an improvised explosive. Two soldiers were also killed and two were critically injured.
Bhatia had been with the program since September and in Afghanistan since November. Bhatia’s former brigade commander, Col. Marty Schweitzer, testified before Congress in April that Bhatia’s team helped improve operations and reduce civilian casualties in the region, Fondacaro said.
Bhatia was due to come home by the Fourth of July weekend. Fondacaro, speaking for Bhatia’s family, said Bhatia had last seen relatives in October.
“It was not just a professional loss, it was a great personal loss for me because he was the spirit and mentor of the program,” Fondacaro said, refering to Bhatia’s role advising field commanders.
A magna cum laude graduate of Brown University, Bhatia was a doctoral candidate at Oxford University. “He had a lot of integrity as a scholar in terms of studying conflict and its impact on civilians and he was willing to take that into an operational field,” said Sarah Havens, a former Brown classmate. “He was adamant that that was the right thing to do.”
Bhatia’s dream of making a difference also took him to war-torn East Timor. But friends said they believed Bhatia was looking forward to a peaceful life back home. “I got the sense this was the last hurrah for him,” Havens said. “He was building his nest egg and looking for academic positions in the States for when he came back.”
Topics: Afghanistan, GWOT, academia, military
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 10:34 pm Comments (4) on Friday, May 9, 2008
4 Responses to “Fallen American”
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May 9th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Damn. A good man, giving his all. I salute you, sir, and your brothers who died with you.
May 10th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
2008.05.10-11 Politics and National Defense Roundup
This post will grow as the weekend goes on. Please don’t forget to check back later. Worth knowing about this weekend: The Re-Jihading of Gitmo Alumni Military adds armor to protect troops in IraqCongress OK’s $22 billion for 15,000 blast-resistant
May 10th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Every loss is a tragedy.
May 12th, 2008 at 12:37 am
Thank you for the insight into this man. The DoD information you have regarding the names of the two soldiers that died alongside Michael Bhatia is correct. The 4/320 FA is my husband’s BN and he worked with Michael Bhatia and respected him greatly, both for his intelligence and his sincere desire to assist in making life better for the Afghan people and bringing understanding of the people to the Army.