Two Years On, Families of Fallen Criticize Niger Ambush Investigation, Say Soldiers’ Leaders Unfairly Treated by Kyle Rempfer – Army Times
On the anniversary of the Oct. 4, 2017 ambush that killed four American soldiers near the village of Tongo Tongo, Niger, family members of three of the fallen expressed continued frustration with how U.S. Africa Command handled the investigation.
The fathers of Staff Sgt. Jeremiah W. Johnson, Staff Sgt. Dustin M. Wright and Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, as well as Black’s mother and widow, released a joint statement Friday. The statement was also supported by Black’s brother and Johnson’s widow.
“After 2 years of scrutiny and disparagements, team members, both those killed in action and survivors, have finally been recognized for valor and performance under fire. However, we are disappointed in the AFRICOM investigation," the family members wrote in their statement. “It downplays the reported pushback by team commander CPT Michael Perozeni against the mission which led to the deaths of our soldiers, and portrays an overall misleading narrative.”…