Thursday, 4:30 PM
Kerry's letter to the Department of Defense
Secretary Robert Gates
United States Department of Defense
The Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310
Dear Secretary Gates:
I write to you on behalf of my constituent, Angela Durkin, who last week was notified that her daughter, Army Specialist Ciara Durkin, had been killed while serving our country in Afghanistan.
Since the terrible news of Ciara's death became public, I have spoken with her mother and brother and my staff has spoken with other family members. Initial reports indicated that Ms. Durkin, a member of the Massachusetts National Guard, was "killed in action" but since that time, other circumstances and rumors surrounding her death at Bagram Airfield have come to the attention of her family.
As you can imagine, the confusion and potential misreporting around Specialist Durkin's death have added to what is already an extraordinarily painful time for her mother, her siblings and her
extended family, here in Massachusetts and in Ireland. The Durkin family desperately needs answers to the following questions:
1. Why has the Army not responded to the Durkin family's request for an independent autopsy?
2. Why, after not responding to the family's request for an independent autopsy, did the Army fail to contact the Durkin family with the Army's autopsy results? The family was told to be available to receive a phone call between 1 and 3 PM on October 1 and the Army never called.
3. Why has the Army refused to make Specialist Durkin's will and paperwork available to her family so they can respect her wishes as they plan her funeral and burial?
While I understand that in accordance with the US Central Command policy, an investigation is taking place, I cannot overstate the urgency and importance of this matter to the Durkin family. I urge you to deploy your staff on this matter immediately so that the answers and
circumstances around Specialist Durkin's death are uncovered, expeditiously and thoroughly.
Your cooperation in this matter is appreciated. Please know that my staff in Washington and Massachusetts is prepared to assist you
and the Department of Defense with regard to this matter.
Sincerely,
John F. Kerry
United States Senator
cc: Joseph Carter, Massachusetts National Guard
