Family of Marine frustrated by military not disclosing his death by friendly fire

Lance Corporal Benjamine Schmidt, at age 24, was a sniper with the United States Marines. 

"He enjoyed the comradery of like being on a football team," said David Schmidt, Benjamin's father.

David says his son's dream was to one day become a professor of history.  But on October 6th, 2011 David Schmidt knew that dream would never come true as two marines slowly approached his house.

"I knew then it wasn't good," said David.

The family, some of whom live in Marin County, says it was never given the full story from the military about Benjamin's death. Only that an investigation was underway. And never were the words "friendly fire" mentioned, until a reporter brought it to the family's attention 18-days after Benjamin's death.

"My sister called me and told me that Benjamin had been killed by friendly fire and she said i feel like i just got another kick in the stomach," said Benjamin's aunt, Martha Whetstone.

The Greebrae resident says at her nephew's funeral in San Antonio, the military had only said Schmidt was killed in combat.  But Whetstone says a secret was being kept by those who were saluting one of their own.

"At the funeral and thereafter there must have been at least 50-people who knew Benjamin had died of friendly fire. Everyone except the family.  We felt like we were the last to know," said Whetstone.

The family of Pat Tillman was also not told the truth. An investigation showed at the time of Tillman's memorial service in Arizona, some army officials knew Tillman was killed by friendly fire. His family at the time was told it was enemy fire.

"That was 2004 and one has to be shocked that after the Tillman story got so much widespread publicity that the military has not been able to correct this adequately," said Whetstone.

Since the Tillman story the military says it has confronted the issue of fratricide, the fog of war. And specifically, military family frustration with the casualty notification system.

An investigation conducted by the Marine Corps Inspector General looked at friendly fire incidents in Iraq from 2003 to 2007.  It found 87 out of 91 cases involved family members who were not told about the cause of death in a "timely manner".  The report found the Corps' shortcomings were "the result of unclear procedures, outdated directives, and a confusing chain of command" but not from "negligence, personal indifference, or professional incompetence."

A Marine Corps spokeswoman told KTVU she could not comment on Schmidt’s case but says the Corps made changes in its notification system prior to Schmidt’s death.  Changes include the establishment of the Headquarters Marine Corps Casualty Section created to investigate deaths regardless of circumstance. Also the establishment of the Personal Casualty Report as the method for commands to report friendly fire incidents.

"Obviously the policy has not been changed for a tremendous amount of good," said Whetstone.

In the case of her nephew, Martha Whetstone said the Marine corps has apologized for the handling of the notification.

As for Benjamin's father, he says it doesn't matter how his son died.

"I don't think there is any greater honor than to give up your life for your country," said David Schmidt.