Keith is about the first child of our family. He had a generous spirit, a kind and loving soul, and a strong faith in God.
He chose to join the navy to spare the family college expenses, which would have been a hardship for the family. He chose to work on ship engines. He received "Sailor of the Month" award in 2005. Keith was assigned to the USS Champlain at the time. He detected a faulty engine part that could have caused a fire.
In August 2012, our family received tragic news that Keith had committed suicide according to the navy. We as a family were never given a thorough opportunity to ask and delve into Keith's death. According to a few generous individuals, there were signs at Keith's death scene that indicated otherwise.
This is one case among many US service people's deaths that are so sudden and so unexplained. There needs to be a revamping of the military justice system. More independent investigators need to look into these deaths to determine why a murder is being called a suicide? What factors can be looked at other than the bias of a military investigator's list on what constitutes a murder? The nation gives its children to serve and defend our country. It must be the military's responsibility to look after our loved ones who give their lives to serve and protect, as well as being held accountable for the investigation and true explanation behind their deaths.