Army Sergeant Jim Wilt recently expressed his frustration regarding President Bush's directive to fly flags at half-staff at Bagram military base in Afghanistan for the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre yet military deaths occurring in Afghanistan were not recognized with the same protocol.

Wilt insisted he was concerned that his comrades' deaths seemed to have become a minor blip on the television screen and therefore barely worthy of consideration. In contrast, the Tech shooting deaths appeared to carry the necessary "shock factor" to earn those victims special treatment.

Wilt stated the obvious, "I think it is sad that we do not raise the bases' flag to half-staff when a member of our own task force dies."

Bagram flew all U.S. flags at half-staff through Sunday, April 22, in accordance with Bush's directive to honor the 32 people killed at Virginia Tech by a 23-year-old gunman.

According to Defense Department reports, 315 U.S. service personnel have been killed in Afghanistan since late 2001. Nearly 200 of those deaths (198) occurred in combat.

Wilt suggested a reconsideration of current US policy regarding military deaths. The Sergeant expressed that flying flags at half-staff for a fallen service member would certainly be appropriate. Wilt suggested that the flags be lowered both at the base that service member was working and at home, in the state where the fallen soldier lived.

Sgt. 1st Class Dean Welch quickly made note that the comments of Wilt's were a "soldier's commentary, not the view of the coalition and not the view of the U.S. forces."