On May 11th, 2009 the deadliest case of Soldier-on-Soldier violence while deployed in a war zone was perpetrated by an Army Sergeant, resulting in the shooting deaths of five service members in a Combat Stress Clinic in Baghdad, Iraq. The event is known as the Camp Liberty Killings. From this tragedy, much can be learned. This paper will focus on a single event, the murder and execution of five members of the military at the hands of one of their own. This is the worst-case scenario that a leader could ever face. Analyzing the case of the United States V. Sgt. John M. Russell will serve as a way to inform others of the pitfalls associated with properly identifying and managing a potential threat before it is too late. Hopefully this paper will impart some of the hard lessons learned to others in similar situations. This is a guide meant for ALL leaders, regardless or rank or duty position. From my experience, you never will know when you will be asked to face something you have never been trained for, far beyond your knowledge or experience. By speaking with those that lived through this incident we gain an insight on the event and gain knowledge intended to help leaders identify, manage, and cope with an “At Risk Individual” becoming suicidal, homicidal, or violent. Please note that this information paper is solely the opinion of the author and does not reflect the viewpoint or official position of the United States Government, U.S. Army, Legal counsel, or the victims and their families.

1. Preparing for the Worst-Case Scenario:
A Leader’s Guide
Major Mark D. Natale
Student and Master’s Candidate
United States Army Command and General Staff College,
Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas
mark.d.natale2.mil@mail.mil
Initial Draft:11 MAY 2013
Revised: 01 FEB 2014
13 JUN 2015
25 OCT 2016
17 DEC 2017

2. ABSTRACT
On May 11th
, 2009 the deadliestcase of Soldier-on-Soldierviolence whiledeployed inawar
zone wasperpetratedby an ArmySergeant,resultinginthe shootingdeathsof fiveservicemembersina
CombatStressClinicinBaghdad,Iraq.The eventisknownasthe Camp LibertyKillings.
From thistragedy,muchcan be learned.Thispaperwillfocusona single event,the murderand
executionof five membersof the military atthe handsof one of theirown.Thisis the worst-case
scenariothata leadercouldeverface.Analyzingthe case of the United States V.Sgt.John M. Russell will
serve asa wayto informothersof the pitfallsassociatedwithproperlyidentifyingandmanaginga
potential threatbefore itistoolate.Hopefullythispaperwill impartsome of the hardlessonslearnedto
othersinsimilarsituations.
Thisis a guide meantforALL leaders,regardlessorrankor dutyposition.Frommyexperience,
youneverwill knowwhenyouwillbe askedtoface somethingyouhave neverbeentrainedfor,far
beyondyourknowledgeorexperience.Byspeakingwiththose thatlivedthroughthisincident we gain
an insightonthe eventandgainknowledge intended tohelpleadersidentify,manage,andcope with an
“At Risk Individual”becomingsuicidal,homicidal, orviolent.
Please note thatthisinformationpaperis solely the opinionof the authoranddoesnotreflect
the viewpointorofficialpositionof the UnitedStatesGovernment,U.S.Army,Legal counsel, orthe
victimsand theirfamilies.

3. Preparing for the Worst-Case Scenario:
A Leader’s Guide
Before I can successfullyshare myexperiences,observations,andlessonslearnedindealing
withhomicidal/suicidalsubordinatesitisimperativethatIexplainthe contextandbackgroundof the
incidentIam goingto analyze.
On May 11th
, 2009 the deadliestcase inUS militaryhistory of Soldier-on-Soldierviolence,ina
deployedenvironment,wasperpetratedbyaU.S. ArmySergeant,resultinginthe shootingdeathsof
five service membersinaCombatStressClinicinBaghdad,Iraq.The eventisknownasthe Camp Liberty
Killings.
I have the authorityandexperiencetospeakonthissubject,because Iwasthere.Iwas the first
officerinthe chainof command of the perpetrator.My NCO, SGT John Russell,wasresponsibleforthe
murderof five Americans.Iknowthatwe (the unit, the medical staff,andmyself)dideverythingwe
couldto helpJohnRussell.Unfortunately,he wasdeterminedtokill onthatday. In my opinion, the
shootingwasnotcaused by a mental disorder,butrathercausedbyhis angerand lackof self-control.
SGT John Russell wasnotalwayslike this.Iwouldhave neverdeterminedhimtobe capable of a
quintuple homicidethe firsttime Imethim, orbe capable of executinghisfellow Soldiersincoldblood
the firsttime I shookhishand,yethere we are.From 2007 to 2009 I workedwitha monsterona daily
basisand neverknewit.Perhapsthatisthe firstlessonIcan impartto otherleaders: you neverreally
knowsomeone.
In 2007 I reportedtothe 54th
EngineerBattalion(Combat) (Mechanized) locatedinBamberg,
Germany.I wasa fresh 2LT from the Signal Officer’sBasiccourse atFt Gordon,Georgia. I wasunaware
of whatI was walkinginto.Mypositionwasthatof the BattalionS-6,the communicationsofficer.Iwas
responsible forensuringthateveryone inthe unitwasable tohave secure radios,computers,andother
communicationassetsreadilyavailabletoconductthe mission.Iwasa novice Lieutenantfulfillinga
Captain’sjob.Anotherlessonlearned…You may neverbeprepared orfully qualified to handlea crisis
aboveyourpay grade. Butyouhave to face ithead-on.
That is whenImetSGT JohnRussell.He wasa tall,huskymanfromTexaswitha classic“high
and tight”haircut.Dark brown,coke bottle glasses(The type commonlyreferredtointhe Armyas BCGs)
and a cigarette definedhisface.He alwayswassmokingacigarette andspoke witha hintof a southern
drawl.Inalmosteveryrespect,he lookedthe partof a SoldierfromTexas.He didn’tlookoutof place, he
seemedtofitin.That iswhy,inmy opinion,he wasable togetby inthe Army for solong.
From all accounts,formerCommanders,FirstSergeants,andSoldiers,sharedthe opinionthat
Russell wasasubpar NCO and perpetual E5, justtryingto do enoughtoget bywithoutbeinghassled.
Countlessattemptstorehabilitateandtrainhimwere unsuccessful.He wasalsomovedfromdifferent
companieswithinthe battalioninanattempttogive himan opportunitytosucceed.Russell nevertook
those opportunities toheartandinsteadbecame disgruntled. Iwasunaware of hisback-storywhenI
methim.My firstimpressionof himwasthathe wasquiet,reserved,kepttohimselfandhe likeditthat
way.

4. SGT John M. Russell prior to his
deployment to Ramadi, Iraq in 2005.
AfterbeingstationedinGermanyforafew months,we
receivedwordthatthe battalionwouldbe deployingtoIraqfor a
15 monthdeployment.Inpreperationforthatdeploymentseveral
communicationsNCOsand Iwentto Ft Hachuca, Arizonafor
trainingas ElectronicWarfare Officers(EWO).Duringthattime I
was able toobserve SGT Russell’swork ethic,personality,and
social skills.He waseitherunwilling,orunable tograspsimple
electronicsignal theory,resultingin himalmostfailingthe course.
I was alsoable tosee some of the anti-social traitshe exhibited.
He refusedtoeatmealsor spendtime withanyone fromthe unit.
He didn’tidentifywithorparticularly like anyof hisco-workers.
In retrospectthisaversionshouldhave beena“RedFlag”,
however,noteveryinstance of NCOsorSoldiersnotwantingto
socialize withtheirco-workersisadefinitive signof
homicidal/suicidal intent.Thatisa challenge of everyLeader…
“How do I identify and separateat-risktraits fromtheir normal
personality?” I don’tthinkyoucan with100% certainty. Asa
Leader,youhave to do the bestyoucan withthe informationyou
have.That wasdifficultwithSGTRussell,because he activelytried
to keep hissuperiorsata distance.
Shortlyafterthe EWO course ended,the battalionpackedupanddeployedtoBaghdadinsupportof
OperationIraqi Freedom(OIF8-10).Ourunitwas responsible forall of the route clearance missionsand
constructionprojectsinMND-CspanningfromBasra to Baladand MND-W to the Iranianborder
(roughlythe same areaas the state of Florida).Needlesstosay,providingcommunicationsupporttoan
area thissize anda task force of 1,100 people strongwasnoeasy mission.Itwasa burdenonmy NCOs
and Soldiers,butthatburdenis NOTwhatcausedSGT Russell topickupa weaponandstart shooting.It
was hischoice.Ihad manySoldiersandNCOsthat were undermore stress,hadmore responsibility,and
performedabove the standard.He didnot. I speakof a choice because itis myopinionthat SGT Russell
exercisedhis“free will”indecidinghis fate.
Once in Iraq,Russell wastransferredtobattalionstaff,where he wasplacedinmysection.
Duringthistime I wasable to witnesshisattitude andworkethic,one thoughtcame tomind:“Lazy”.
Duringhistrial,the defense teammade averybigdeal abouthow Russell wasmovedaroundfromunit
to unitand how hismultiple “combattours”affectedhim. Inreality,he wasa low-level staff NCOthat
neverleftthe base,neverhadcontactwiththe enemy,andinpreviousdeploymentsneverdidsome of
the actionshe claimed. Atsome pointhe claimedtohave beeninaconvoywhere three Soldierswere
killedbyaroadside bomb, andhe saidhe removedthe remains of the Soldiers.Thatwasuntrue.The
prosecutionprovedhe wasneveronthatconvoy. The convoycommandertestified:“Notonlyisit
untrue,butto steal the valorof the 3 Soldierswhodiedinthe attackisbeyonddespicable.”
The act of embellishingthe truthormakinghimself lookbetterthanhe reallywas wasjust
anotherfacetof hispersonality.Thiswasa part of hischaracter that he usedto justifyhispoor
performance.Beingconstantlythe “victim”of anunfairchainof commandandpoor evaluationslead
himto believethathe wouldneversucceedandthe bestoptionwasto“laylow”until he was able to
retire.Thiswasevidentwhenlookingathisrecords.He couldbe surmisedasa 15 year E-5 withoutan

5. official photoand several moderatelypoorevaluations backtoback.SGT Russell wasOK withbeing
categorizedasa sub-parNCO,the problemsstartedtooccur whensomethingchallengedthe statusquo.
A Case Study in Violence:
The Triggering Event
On the morningof 1 MAY 2009, I was approachedbya female Soldierthatworkedcloselywith
SGT Russell. She toldme thatRussell hadbeenmakingsexistcomments againstherandthat she felthe
was makingita hostile workenvironment. She requestedpermissiontoconfrontSGT Russell directlyin
orderto tell himto stop.ThisSoldierwanted the S6NCOICand I to be presentbecause she felt
intimidatedbySGT Russell.
On anygivenday,a situationlike this wouldbe unfortunate, butmanageable.However,SGT
Russell viewedthisas acoordinated attackon hismediocre career.Inessence he saw afemale
subordinate potentiallyusingthe EO(Equal Opportunity) programasa weaponagainst him.He sawit as
a way to initiate aflagor bar to reenlistment, therefore delayinghispromotiontothe rankof Staff
Sergeant(E-6).SGT Russell wasinthe window of hisRCP(RetentionControl Point) date.Inshort,being
inthe militaryfor15 yearsand not makingitpast the rank of E-5 (Sergeant) SGTRussell ranthe riskof
beingdischargeddue tohislackof progressinthe military,aconsequence of hisunexceptional
performance.
The female SoldiertoldSGTRussell thatif the harassmentandcommentscontinuedthatshe
wouldfile anofficial complaint.ThisenragedSGTRussell.Eventhe mere accusationof wrongdoing
causedhimto be solelyfocusedonone objective….eliminatingthe threattohiscareerand reachinghis
20-year retirement.He professedtobe innocentof the allegationsandsaid:“I’ma countrygentleman,I
don’ttalklike that!”The nextmorningiswhenIsaw the full extentof hisanger.
2 May 2009, I enteredthe office inthe morningandsaw SGT Russell feverishlytypingsomething
on the computer.Iaskedhimhow he was doing.He respondedbysaying:“I’ll be muchbetterafterI
submitthiscomplaintandtake all three of youdown!”To my shockand amazement,SGTRussell had
blatantlydisrespectedeveryoneinthe sectionandassertedthatwe were insome type of “conspiracy”
againsthim. He claimedthatthe Soldier,the NCOIC,andIhadall colludedtogetherinordertopush
throughsome type of discharge and kickhimout of the Army.I triedto logicallyexplainthatitwas only
a verbal warning,buthisactions bordered oninsubordination.That iswhenhe explodedintoatirade.
Anotherlessontoleaders: whatoneperson seesasa minorissue could bean insurmountable
problemthatdestroystheworld of someoneelse.SGT Russell reallybelievedthateveryoneinhischain
of commandfromhisimmediate supervisortothe Battalioncommanderdecidedtodoeverythingthey
couldto kickhimout of the military.Obviously,thiswasnottrue. However, SGTRussell didn’tsee itthat
way. Several expertstestifiedthatSGT Russell showedtraitsconsistentwitha narcissisticpersonality,
thiswas clearinhisassertionsof histheoryonthe “conspiracy”to remove himfromthe military.
I was able tocalm himdown and have himsee the errorsin hisassumptions.Iinformed the
companyFirstSergeantandCommanderof hisoutburst.Theyaskedme for myrecommendationfor

6. UCMJ action.I suggestedthatdue tohisoutburstwe holdoff on any adverse actionandhave him
evaluatedbyaprofessional.Myconcernwas that since 2007, I had neverseenhimraise hisvoice,let
alone allowhisangertoget the betterof him.I wanteda professional totell usthat he either1.) losthis
temperor 2.) had some legitimate conditionhisoutburstcouldbe attributedto,like PTSDorsome other
medical circumstance.
SGT Russell sawthisas an opportunity.Inwhatthe prosecutioncalled“the goldenticket”,SGT
Russell knewthatif he wasable to “justify”histirade medicallythenhe wouldnotface anyadverse
actionand couldcontinue forwardinhiscareer.Hisplanwas to claimPTSD,thus givinghimthe “Golden
Ticket”and a path to redemption.The onlythingleftwastofindamedical professional willingtogive
himthat diagnosis. Todothishe wouldhave tomanipulate amedical professional andprovide afalse
diagnosticpicture.Accordingtoprosecutionwitnesses SGTRussell hadalreadystartedresearchinghow
to displaytraitsconsistentwiththe diagnosishe needed.
The Diagnosis of PTSD:
The Only Way Out…
For some,the diagnosisof PTSD(PostTraumaticStressDisorder) carrieswithita stigmaof
weakness.Forothers itisrelief fromthe unknown.And yetothersstill seeitasa heavyburdentheywill
neverbe able toescape.JohnRussell saw itas a wayout. A wayout of trouble anda wayout of the
Army while maintainhisbenefits.
I am fullyaware thata genuine diagnosisof PTSDisone of the hardestthingsto come to terms
with.I have servedwithsome amazingSoldiers,NCOs, andOfficerswithPTSDandhave watchedsome
successfullydealwiththeirissues,while otherswerenotsolucky.Itis myopinionthatSGT Russell was
not one of the brave that “sufferedinsilence” withlegitimate issues,butratherhe saw mental health
and PTSD as an excuse forhisangerand self-control issues.The prosecutionandmultiplewitnessesfor
the governmentwere able toprove thatSGT Russell didnothave anyof the signs,symptoms,or
stressorscommonlyassociated withPTSD.
I cannot speakasa medical professional onthistopic, butI can assertmy viewpoint asthe
officerincharge and hisco-workerfora three-yeartime period.Duringour15-monthdeploymentto
Iraq I can say with100% certaintythatSGT Russell NEVERleftthe base,he neverwentonanyconvoys,
he didnot have any contact withthe enemy,he neverfiredhisweaponatthe enemy,hislife wasnotin
imminentdanger,andhe neverparticipatedinanyroute clearance missionsordismountedpatrols.
In everysense of the word,SGTRussell was a “shammer”…. someone wholooksforthe easiest
wayto do everything. He wassomeone whomanipulatesthe system, whotriesto notdraw attentionto
himself, anddoesn’ttake responsibilityfortheiractions.SGTRussell startedtovoice hisconcernsof
PTSD afterhe was already introuble. Itwasa knee jerkreaction afterhe losthistemperwithafemale
subordinate.Itwasveryclearthat he was usingPTSDas an excuse forhisactions.He wantedand
needed the “goldenticket”.Regardlessof hismotivationorhistrue intentIcouldn’tignore him.Asa
leaderitwasmy jobto take care of him.That iswhy I listenedtohisconcerns,genuinelywasinterested
inhis well-being,anddemandedthathe speakwith amedical professional.Thatlessonisone Istill fully

7. Camp Liberty Combat Stress Center in Baghdad, where
five U.S. service members were shot to death. (U.S.Army)
believeintothisday: You cannotignoresomeone’scriesforhelp justbecauseyou may notthinkit’s
legitimate. You have to lookat everypersoninanunbiasedmannerandremainunprejudiced.
Withmy preconceivednotions setaside,Iwanted SGTRussell toreceive the helphe deserved.
That is whyhe wentto so manyappointmentsandsaw somanyproviders.Withinthe spanof a few
dayshe spoke toover10 differentdoctors,mental healthprofessionals, chaplains,andleaders.We all
listenedandtriedtohelp,butnota single one of ussaw whatJohnRussell wantedustosee. He wanted
us to see a man sufferingfromPTSDand thatwasn’tthe case. We laterdiscoveredthathe was
“shoppingfora doctor” inorder to secure the diagnosishe wanted.
The real victimsof PTSDare the countlesspeopleJohnRussell affectedwithactions.The NCO
whowas hisescortand assaultedwithadeadlyweapon,the medical doctorsunwillingtofalsely
diagnose himwith PTSD;the survivorsinsidethe clinicthatwere shotatand jumpedoutof the windows
to stay alive were all psychologicallytraumatized.Some of these personnel exhibitedseverepost-
traumaticstressreactionsinthe aftermath.A few of those individualsmayneverfullyrecoverfromthis
earthshatteringevent.Accordingtothe professional consensusIhave gleaned,andmyownpersonal
impressionsbasedonmydiscussionswithsome witnessestheyare the real victimsof PTSD.PTSDwas a
majorfactor in thiscase,but notthe waythe defense described.JohnRussell wasnotthe victim, he was
the perpetrator.
9 Days:
The Final Choice
It was only9 daysfrom whenIfirstrecommendedSGTRussell see amental healthprofessional
to whenhe wouldcommit quintuple homicide. Itonly took216 hoursto make a choice thatwould
irrevocablychange the livesof countlesspeopleandendthe lives of five Americans.
Those 9 dayscan be compressed
intothree distinctphasesforSGT Russell:
Realization of theSituation,Weighing the
Options, andfinally TheChoice. SGT Russell
quicklyrealizedthathe wouldbe facing
UCMJ (UniformCode of MilitaryJustice)
chargesfor hisconduct towardssuperior
OfficersandNCOsif he didnot have an
extremelygoodexcuse.Thatexcuse wasa
diagnosisof PTSD.He then weighed his
options onhowto get thisdiagnosisand
spoke withseveral doctors, chaplains,and
legal professionalsonhowtoget outof the
militaryandavoidanypunishment.When
those options were exhaustedhe hadto
make a choice. The choice was todo
somethingrash,tocreate a personal crisis,

8. John Russell seen in an undated High School yearbook
photo.
inorder to showeveryone he wastobe takenseriously.
From 3 MAY 2009 to the morningof 11 MAY 2009 everyone inSGTRussell’schainof command
triedto helphim.Ipersonally checkedonhimdailyandhadmany conversationswithhimabouthis
medical treatment.Inclassic“JohnRussell”style,he blamedeveryone else buthimself.He toldme that
no one tookhimseriously,thatthe medical evaluation screeningwasso“childish”thathe shouldhave
filledthemoutwith“Crayolacrayons”.He hadmany issueswiththe three different doctorshe met
with;one wastoo stern,anotherwastoo funny,andthe last one didn’thave anysympathyforhim at
all.SGT Russell wasconvincedthatthe membersof the unithad“warned”the doctors thathe was
cominginorder to denyhimcare.An absurdideathat he dwelledon fordays.
Justa fewdaysbefore the shootingIhada veryimportant conservationwith SGTRussell.Iasked
himif he wasthinkingaboutkillinghimself.Lookingintothe eyesof anotherpersonandaskingthemif
theyintendtoendtheirlife wasthe hardestthingIeverhad todo. He sat there fora moment,
ponderinghow toanswerme.He finallysaid: “no sir,if I was going to do it would havedoneit a long
time ago….” For me,hisanswerraisedall typesof redflags.Why didn’the justsay“No way!”or “you
mustbe crazy,I’d neverdothat!”? There wassomethingabout the wayhe answeredthatconcerned
me.It appearedtome thathe mayhave alreadymade a choice about something.The worst-case
scenarioI imaginedwouldhave beenhissuicide.
We are trainedinthe militarytolookforthe warningsignsof potential suicide,butwe rarely
considerhomicide asacreditable threat. Thatislike preparingforthe 9/11 scenarioon September10th
2001. It wassomethingthatwe didnotevenconsider. Anotherlesson learnedforme:Thinkthe
impossibleis probable. In retrospect,afterIaskedSGT Russell if he wasgoingto kill himself Ishould
have asked:“Are you thinking abouthurting anyoneelse?”
Thisis a keypoint duringa crisis,youhave to ask the hard questions.Afterhe answeredmy
suicide question,Ifeltuneasybyhisresponse.Itwasa gut feeling,soIaskedhimto openhisweapon
and I removedthe boltassembly,renderingthe weaponinoperable.Forsome,disarmingaSoldierina
combat zone carrieswithita huge stigmaof weaknessandinstability.IaffordedSGTRussell the ability
to save face withhispeersbynot takinghisentire weapon, whichwouldhave left himscrutinizedbyhis
fellowSoldiers.
I leftthe conversationsatisfied because
SGT Russell assuredme thathe wouldn’tdo
anything“stupid”andthankedme manytimes
for lookingoutforhim. Unfortunately, itwasa
promise SGTRussell didn’tkeep. Iinformedthe
chainof commandof myactionsand felt
confidentinhisattitude andbehavior.Itwas
now justa few shortdaysuntil the pointof no
return.
In the daysleadingupto the shooting
SGT Russell toldme more abouthislife growing
up,his aspirationstomove backto Texasonce
we got back fromIraq, hisdogshe adored, and
hisideasonbuyinga home.All thingsIcould

9. The white Ford Explorer driven by Army Sergeant John
Russell sits outside the crime scene (U.S.Army via Bloomberg)
identifywithhimabout.WhatIcouldn’tunderstandwashow he plannedonfulfillinghisgoals. He had
no plan,he wasreactive.He was quickto judge andwouldleapbefore he looked. He neverthought
thingsout.At the trial, SGT Russell’smothertestifiedthathersonhad an unstable childhood andwas
prone to insomnia(attributedtohisdyslexiaandpremature birth).Regardlessof hisharshchildhoodI
didnot feel anysympathytowardshim.Ihave hadmany Soldierswithharderlivesundermycommand
and none of themcommittedthe crimesSGTRussell did. HismotheralsotestifiedthatJohnRussellwas
a shy boywithpoor social skills.He wasmisunderstoodandthatshe believeshe was incapable of the
murders.Ibelieve thataparent’smemoryfindsithardto reconcile the innocentboytheyraisedwith
the mass murdererthatsat inthe courtroom.
SGT Russell refusedeveryattemptwe made tomake himapartof the unit.He remainedanti-
social and disgruntledupuntil 11 May 2009. That morningI wasinformedthatSGT Russell wasputon
suicide watchandhad an emergencyappointmentatthe CombatStressClinic.The lasttime I saw him
he was sittingona benchsmokinghistrademarkcigarette,visibly upset,andangry.SGT Russell was
thenescortedtothe CombatStressClinic forhisappointment.
In court itwas revealedthat duringthe emergencyappointmentSGTRussell beggedthe doctor
to give himthe diagnosishe needed.Whenthe doctorrefusedandrecommendedmore sessionsand
treatmenttoaddresshisproblem SGTRussell’sangeroverflowed. He leftthe clinicinarage. He had
beenpinningall hishopesanddreamsonthislastdoctorand now thisoptionwas gone.SGT Russell told
the doctor: “You made your choice!”The doctor responded bysaying:“Youmade yourownchoice to
endthe treatment”.SGT Russell leftthe clinicwithhisescort.Hismindwasmade up,he wouldbe back.
The 30 Minute Drive:
The Point of No Return
From the CombatStressClinicon
Camp Libertytothe battalion headquarters
buildinglocatedatCampStrikerwasabouta
30-minute drive ona serpentineroute
litteredwithT-wallsandcheckpoints.Plenty
of time forRussell tothink aboutwhathe
wantedtodo and “war game”the scenarios
he had before him.Time toplan, a time for
“premeditation”. Inhismind,all of the
optionsendedbadlyforJohnRussell,except
one.
Upon reachingthe battalionbuilding
(returningfrom hisfailedappointment)SGT
Russell sawanopportunitytotake
advantage of hisescort.Russell reached into
the backseatand tookthe escort’sweapon,
loadingafull 30 roundmagazine of 5.56 mm
ammunition intothe M-16 rifle.Sgt. Russell

10. thenpointedthe loadedweaponatthe chest and face of the escortand said:“Give me the keysor I’ll
shootyou!”The escortcompliedwiththe request. SGTRussell droveawayquickly,kickingupthe
trademarkgravel thatlitteredthe FOBsof Iraq. The defense arguedthatSGTRussell always intended to
commitsuicide infrontof the Stress Clinic;however, Ibelieve thatSGTRussell alwaysintendedto
murderthe last doctorswhohad refused hisrequestsforaPTSD diagnosis. A questionthatalways
lingerswithme iswhydidn’the enterthe battalionheadquartersif he just“snapped”likethe defense
asserted?Myoffice andthe officesof several people he dislikedwere only20pacesaway fromwhere
he assaultedhisescort.Instead,he wenttothe CSC (30 minutesawaybyvehicle) determinedtomurder
the doctors that were notwillingtogive himthat“Golden Ticket”.
Upon arrivingat the CSC,Russell hastily parkedthe dustywhiteSUV andsat fora moment.He
thensmoked one of histrademarkcigarettes,removedhis Velcronametape andthe M68 CCO(Close
CombatOptics) sightfromthe M-16 Rifle.Russellhadtoldme inGermanythat he prefersironsights,
because theyare simple and“oldschool”,justlike him.Russell thenexitedthe vehiclewalkedaroundto
the back entrance,avoidingdetectionbythe security personnel nearthe frontof the building.He
walkedbetweenthe T-wallsandthe side of the buildingatthe “low ready”preparedto stalkhisvictims
and engage themon-sight.He lookedinthe firstwindow nexttothe backdoorand acquiredhis first
target.
The Shooting:
“It’s one of our People!”
SGT Russell peeredthruthe backwindow,and saw a man standinginthe breakroomof the CSC
that matchedthe descriptionof the doctorhe had targeted.He raisedhisweapon, acquiredhis“sight
picture”, andsqueezedthe trigger.Once thatroundwasdischargedhe was“committed”tohisplanand
couldn’tgoback. The round wentthruthe window strikingMAJ Houseal inthe head.Russell then
proceededintothe rearentrance of the clinic.He discoveredthat the manhe had shot was MAJ
Houseal,andwas not hisintendedtarget.Russell waslookingfor doctorandnavy CommanderKeith
Springle.The social workerthathe hadseenjustdaysbefore.He encountered CDRSpringleinthe door
wayof hisoffice andfired 2 roundsintohischest.AsCDR Springle wastryingtocraw to safety,Russell
thenstoodoverhisbodyand firedone roundintothe back of hishead, killinghiminstantly. Multiple
witnessessaidthatthe firstshotsoundedlikeametal doorslamming,orsomeone droppingsomething
heavyontothe tile.Once the secondshotrang out everyone knew someone wasfiringaweaponinside
the CSC.

11. The interior of the Combat Stress Clinic a few months
prior to the shooting (APNews)
Pictured is the M16/A2 recovered by MPs at the crime
scene. The weapon was stolen by SGT Russell from his
escort. (U.S.Army)
Soldiers,patients,anddoctors
startedto scramble toassessthe
situationandgetout of harm’s way.
Many jumpedoutof the windows,tried
to reach the weaponsholdingarea,or
attemptedtomake the run to safety.
The third victim, PFCYates,ran to the
entrance of the CSC where he attempted
to secure a weapontofire back.His last
wordswere “Oh God,letthere be some
Ammo!”Russell movedat the “low-
ready”and stalkedhim.PFCYates was
gunneddowntryingtosecure a weapon
to fightback.SGT Russell thenturnedhis
attentionto SGT Bueno-Galdos.He was
hidingneara filingcabinetinafront
office.SGTMoralestestifiedthatRussell shot SGTBueno-Galdosone time andchuckled.SGTBueno-
Galdosmoaned"OhGod, oh God..."and then Russell shothimagain.
"I heardSergeantRussell chuckle...anevil chuckle,"Moralessaid."Tome,afrighteningchuckle.
Russell thenapproachedSGTMorale’shidingplace nearthe entrance of the CSCand shotSPC Jacob
Barton,whose deadbodyfell ontoSGT Morales.Duringa pause inthe shootings,SGTMorales sprinted
out of hishidingplace andnarrowlyescapedtwotothree more roundsfiredat himby Russell.
At 1:41 PM (Local time),justminutes
afterthe firstshotsrang out,MilitaryPolice
were notifiedof the shooting.Uponarriving
on-scene SGTJohnRussell wasapprehended.
Accordingto witnesses,he threwdownthe M-
16/A2 on the gravel,puthishandsin the air,
and said:“I thinkI killedsome people”.Russell
had foreverchangedthe livesof dozensof
people,fivefamiliessharedunimaginable grief,
and we now stoodon the brinkof uncharted
waters.Atthe time,itwasan unimaginable
scenario. NowI wondered:“Howdowe go
fromhere?”

12. Pictured above is the crime scene on the morning of 9 MAY 2011. SGT Russell entered from the rear
of the building shooting the first victim, 1. MAJ Houseal, through the breakroom window, he then
shot 2. CDR Springle multiple times in the doorway of his office. SGT Russell then stalked his third
victim, 3. PFC Yates, to the entrance of the CSC where he was gunned down trying to secure a
weapon to fight back. Russell then shot his fourth victim, 4. SGT Bueno-Galdos, near a filing cabinet
in a front office. Russell then killed his fifth victim, 5. PFC Barton, who was under a desk with SGT
Morales. Russell fired his last shots at SGT Morales, missing him three times. SGT Morales was the
only known person to be targeted by Russell and survive. All the other victims were shot in the head
in an execution style massacre. (U.S. Army exhibit - US V. Russell)

13. The Aftermath:
The Road Ahead
I thinkitis safe to saythat for anyone connectedwiththisincident,May11th
2009 is a date that
foreverchangedyourlife.Forsome,the impactwasminor.Perhapsjustshockingnewsthatseemed
unbelievable.Forothersitwasdevastating.Istill cannotimaginethe strengthandfortituderequiredto
go on as a familymemberof the victims.Iknow thatafterthe shootingmanypeople feltasense of
responsibilityforSGTRussell’sactions. The doctorunwillingtomisdiagnose SGTRussell,the Soldierin
my sectionwhofeltasif she triggeredthisevent,andthe escortwhowasassaultedbyRussell all have
agonizedwithsurvivorguilt. It’sunknownif thesepeople whowere traumatizedby Russell meetthe
diagnosticcriteriaforPTSD.That isnot for me to say; butthe cruel ironyisthat the criminal
investigationrevealed Russell didnothave PTSD,buthe mostcertainlycreatedit.
Everychance I getto speakwiththese brave peopleIreassertandreassure themthatit wasn’t
theirfault.IexplainthatRussell wasboundtodosomethingregardlessof theiractions.Igenuinelyfeel
that the stepswe tookwithinthe unittohelpSGT Russell wasthe onlythingthatsparedthe livesof
those inthe battalion.Itstill hauntsme whyhe didn’twalkintothe battalionheadquartersand start
shooting.Itwasonly20 paces fromwhere he assaultedhisescorttoour office.
Anotherrule forleadersis: Makethebestdecision with the information you have.You cannot
dwell on whatis done,butbeprepared to review youractions. Forme,thisrule is verycut anddry.
Sometimesthere isno luxurytoconductanin-depthanalysispriortoanincident.Youhave to
“wargame”everpossible contingencyinasplitsecondandmake a decision.The hardpartis knowing
whateverdecisionyoumake hasconsequencesthatyouwill have todefendmonthsand yearslater.The
fearof makingthe wrongdecisionshouldnotstopyoufrommakingany decision.Sometimesinactionis
a far greaterfailure.
Immediatelyafterthe shootingmanydifferentpeoplefromseveraldifferentorganizations
startedaskingveryhard questions.Myadvice toANYONEinthissituationisto: takea tactical pauseand
documenteverything.Write downeverythingwhile itisfresh;timelines,interestingfacts,statements
that the perpetratormade…etc.Thiswill helpyouovertime.Itis notunusual tohave an investigatoror
lawyerscontactyoumonthsor years afterthe fact and askyou whatyou meantina writtenstatement
fromyears ago.

14. SGT John Russell moments after he was
taken into custody by Military Police in
Baghdad (U.S. Army)
Once the initial shockwore off we were immediatelyrequiredtoprovide asmuchinformation
as possible toinvestigators.Swornstatements,interviews,andbriefingswere the mostimportanttools
inrecreatinga picture of what happened.Leadersmustbe preparedtoprovide asmuchdata as possible
withoutincludinganyconjecture orassumptions.Thiswill impedethe investigationandpossiblyleadto
false theories.Regardlessof the ongoinginvestigation, leadersare still charged withtakingcare of their
troopsand conducting the mission.Anotherrule,whendealingwithasituationlikethisis: Continuewith
the Mission. Makingthe missionaprioritywill actuallybenefityouandthe troopsina few ways.First,
the missionrequirementswill notcease.People are still relyingonyou toprovide communication
supportand getthe missiondone.Itwasa testamenttomy unitthat we were still able toconducta
“no-fail”missionduringthistryingtime.Andsecond,itprovidesadistractiontothe Soldiers.Itgives
thema focus,task, and purpose.Itaffordsthemthe opportunitytothinkabout somethingotherthan
the event.
As a leaderyoumustalso take intoaccount
the humantoll and the effectof traumaticeventson
your subordinates,peers,and supervisors.The long-
termaffectsmay notbe readilyvisible.Itisyour
responsibilityto ensure thatthose leftbehindare
able to pickup the piecesandcan cope withthe
trauma. Your jobas a leaderisto: Comfortthoseleft
behind.Doingso,is the rightthingto do,the moral
thing, andwill allowyourunittorecoverfasterthanif
it wasignored.Nothingisharderthan to move on
withoutthe supportof those to yourleftandright.
As a leader,Ipushedhardto ensure thatall
of mysubordinateswere affordedthe opportunityto
speakwithcounselors,medical professionals,and
clergy.Some of my Soldierswelcomedthisinvitation
withoutreservation.Otherswereeithertooproud,or
too embarrassedtoaskfor help.Thatis whenyou
needto“highlyencourage”yourSoldierstotake
some time forthemselvestoassesstheircondition
and take actionif needed.Everyoneisdifferent;there
isno “one size fitsall”solutionortreatmentthatwill
cure theirills.Youmustremainonthe pulse of the
unitto see whatlevel of care isrequired. Thisalso
appliestoleaders themselves,regardlessof rank.The
commandercannotleadif he can’t take care of
himself.AnotherlessonIsawplayed out:Leadersneed to takecare of themselvestoo. From the
commander,tothe chaplain,to the Soldiersinvolved,itisyourresponsibilitytotake care of yourself so
that you’re still combateffective.Itishardto care for yoursubordinatesif youhaven’tdone aself-
assessment.
If you take thisincidentoutof the militaryarenaandremove the preconceivednotionsof being
ina “war zone”youare leftwithanall too familiarscenario:workplace violence.Usingtoolsthatthe
civiliansectorhasrelieduponfordecades,suchasgrief counselorsandactive shooterdrillswill helpyou
and yourunitcope withany similarincident.

15. A Hard Lesson Learned:
The Rules of the Road
Beloware some of the rulesI’ve createdindealingwithsubordinates deemed“atrisk”. This
appliestopeople inanypositioninthe militaryorinthe civiliansector. The rulesare intendedtohelp
avoidthese situationsentirely,withthe understandingthatsometimesitisoutof your control.Notonly
are the rulesdesignedtopreventatragedy,butillustrateshow todeal withacrisisafterit occurs. They
are inno particularorderand all carry heavyconsequencesif ignored:
1. You neverreally knowsomeone.Alwaysbeobservant.
2. You may neverbe prepared orfully qualified to handlethecrisis, butyou haveto meet it
head-on
3. Try to identify and separate“red flags”fromtheir normalpersonality
4. Whatone person seesas a minor issue could be an insurmountableproblemthatdestroys
the world of someoneelse.
5. You cannotignoresomeone’scriesforhelp justbecauseyou may notthinkit’s legitimate.
6. Think theimpossibleis probable
7. Makethe bestdecision withthe information you have.You cannotdwellon whatis done,
butbe prepared to reviewyouractions.
8. Take a tactical pauseand documenteverything.
9. Continuewiththe mission
10. Comfortthoseleftbehind
11. Leadersneed to takecare of themselvestoo.
12. Don’tbe afraid to ask thehard questionsaboutsuicideor homicide,it may savemorelives
than you’llever know…including yourown!
The Friends We Lost:
The Family We Gained
You cannot understandthe value andrichnessof aperson’slife onpaper,butthisismyattempt
to expresshowinthe wake of tragedythere isstill hope forthose leftbehind.Inevermetthese men,
but I can say withouthesitationIconsiderthemmybrothersinarms. Indealingwiththis tragedy, I’m
remindedof aquote:“For he whoshedshisblood withme shall foreverbe mybrother”.
These menwill alwaysoccupyapart of myheart andmind.For the longesttime Iwasunsure
howmy role indealingwithSgt.Russell wouldbe viewedbythe victim’sfamilies.Alldoubtwas
removedonce Igot to meetthe Mothers,Fathers,Brothers,Sisters,andchildrenof these five brave
men.That day we lostfive of ourown,but I gaina new extendedfamily.

16. The five menthat were takenthatday hadverydifferentandunique lives. All of whomgreatly
contributedtothe bettermentof theirfellowman. Ihope that thisstandsas a testamenttofuture
leadersof the humancost indealingwithanincidentof thismagnitude.
Charles'Keith'Springle
Age:52
Branch: Navy
Rank: Commander
Based:Camp Lejeune,N.C., where he servedasdirectorof the Community
CounselingCenter
Personal:Married,withtwochildren
Hometown:Wilmington,N.C.
Springle,whojoinedthe Navyin1988, trainedasa social workerand devotedhis
careerto treatingsoldiersforcombatstress. "He regardeditas veryimportant
work,"hisfriendBobGoodale toldthe AssociatedPress."We all whoworkinthis
knowthat itis difficult,"saidGoodale,directorof behavioral mental healthfor
the Citizen-SoldierSupportPrograminChapel Hill,N.C. "Thisisanexample of
howdifficult."
Dr. MatthewP. Houseal
Age:54
Branch: ArmyReserve
Rank: Major
Based:55th Medical Company,Indianapolis
Personal:Married,withsix children
Hometown:Amarillo,Texas
"He wasa veryfine doctorthatwas always doingeverythinghe couldtohelp
those whohad a mental disorder,"ArthurWare,ajudge inPotterCounty,
Texas,toldthe AmarilloGlobe-News.
"Somebodyendednotonlyhislife,butendsthatabilityforhimtohelpthe
people thathelpotherswithmental disorders."Houseal hadworkedasa
psychiatristatTexasPanhandle Mental HealthMental Retardationsince 1997.
He wasinspiredtojointhe militaryinresponsetothe Sept.11 terroristattacks.

17. Michael “Mikey”E. Yates Jr.
Age:19
Branch: Army
Rank: Private firstclass
Based:U.S. ArmyGarrison Grafenwoehr,Germany,3rdBattalion,66th
ArmorRegiment,172nd InfantryBrigade
Personal:Single,1-year-oldson
Hometown:Federalsburg,Md.
"He wasone of the luckyonesthat understoodthathe neededhelp,"his
stepfather,RichardVanBlarganJr.,toldCNN. Hismother,Shawna,toldthe
AssociatedPress.She saidhe wasreceivingtreatmentatthe clinicbecause
he was havingtrouble adjustingtolife inIraqaftera month-longtriphome
inApril,andshe expressedbothsympathyforandangerat herson's killer.
ChristianE.Bueno-Galdos
Age:25
Branch: Army
Rank: Sergeant
Based:U.S. ArmyGarrison Grafenwoehr,Germany,3rdBattalion,66th
ArmorRegiment,172nd InfantryBrigade
Personal:Married,no children
Hometown:Paterson,N.J.
Born inPeru,Bueno-Galdoswas7years oldwhenhisfamilyimmigratedto
the UnitedStates.He became a U.S. citizenwhile he wasservinghis
secondtour inIraq withthe Army.
"If my son haddiedinwar, we wouldbe able tohandle that,"saidhis
father,CarlosBueno. "Butnot to die inthismanner.”
Jacob D. Barton
Age:20
Branch: ArmyReserve
Rank: Specialist
Based:Waco, Texas,277th EngineerCompany,420thEngineerBrigade
Personal:Single
Hometown:Lenox,Mo.
Barton,who lovedgraphicnovelsandscience fiction,enlistedinthe Army
Reserve shortlyaftergraduatingin2008 fromRollaHighSchool,where
teachersdescribedhimasa quietstudentwhoneverthelessstoodupfor
otherswhowere bullied. "He wouldalwayscome tellme he hadto leave
earlyto make sure hisgrandma hadwoodand food,"RollaHighAssistant
Principal Bonnie Brainardtoldthe AP."He wasalwaystryingtobe the man
of the house,especiallyafterhismotherdied."
Biographiesfurnished by theU.S.Army via Bloomberg and CNN News

18. 11 MAY 2013, Moments after the verdict and sentencing of SGT John Russell. Pictured are the families of CDR
Springle, MAJ Houseal, SGT Bueno-Galdos, PFC Yates, PFC Barton, the Government Prosecution team,
Witnesses, and civilian legal experts (U.S. Army PAO)
Four Years to the Day:
Justice Prevailed
As I sat inthe courtroom listeningtothe final momentsof testimonyIthoughtbackto the
shooting.Didwe doeverythingwe couldhave?Wasthere anythingwe learned?How dowe stopthis
fromhappeningagain?All questionsthatIfeltdidn’tonlyapplytome,butthe Militaryas a whole,and
societyatlarge. I startedwritingmy“rulesof the road” momentsafterthe courtdecidedthe fate of SGT
JohnRussell.OnMay 11th
, 2013, four yearsto the day,the judge renderedhisdecision.Guiltyonall
counts.He wassentencedtoa Dishonorable Discharge,reduction inranktoE-1, forfeitureof pay,and
life inprisonwithoutthe possibilityof parole.
It was a bittersweetendingforthe families,knowingthatJustice hadfinallybeenservedbut
theirlosswasstill sofresh.Iknowthat it wasa monumental effort thatspannedseveral years,butinthe
end, itwas the hard workand determinationof the Government’steamof litigators,investigators,
victimadvocates,andSoldiersthatmade itpossible.Iwantto thankeach andeveryone of themfor
theirtirelessefforts.
I hope that thispaperhas providedsome insightintothe case andhas equippedthe readerwith
some newtoolstouse in theirownlives.Asleaders,itisourresponsibilitytoensure tragedieslikethis
do notoccur. Take the “hard” lessons learnedandapplythemtoyourorganizations. Ihope the next
generationthatstandswatchdoesnot have to repeatthisexperience.

19. Forged in the Inferno:
Birth of True Leadership
Rarelya day goesbywhenI don’tthinkaboutwhat happenedon May11th
, 2009. I can say, in
everyfacet,thatthiseventforeverchangedmylife andmybeliefs.Iwasveryluckyto have followedmy
gut, tohave noticedthe nuancesandsubtle changesinSGT Russel’sbehavior.If Iwouldhave ignored
these redflagsor handledthe situation differently, IbelievethatIwouldhave beenamongthe victims.I
replayedthe eventsinmymindmanytimesover.IbelieveIdidthe bestI couldina no-winsituation.
As a resultof survivingthe infernoof aquintuple homicidesoclose tohome,Ibelieve thatit
forgedme intoa genuine leader.Before thisevent,mylitmustestof beingaleaderwasconstrictedto
the viewof personal performance.Cananofficershoot,move,andcommunicate?Cantheyscore a 300
on the APFT?What is theirworkethic?Dotheylive the Armyvalues?All abstractconceptsandfalse
measuresof genuine leadership.AfterthiseventIlearnedsomethingthatmanypeople spendalife-time
figuringout.Ilearnedthatbeinga true leaderisabout caring forpeople andhavingempathy.
My entire outlookonlifechanged.Hardissuesdidn’tbecome thatmuchharderanymore.A
crisisbecame a minorhiccupand the value of humanlife became mymain concern.Afterlivingthruan
eventlike thismyopinionschanged.The Armywasnolongerthisdauntingorganization,Icouldhandle
much more than I believedIcouldbefore the shooting.Itinfluencedmycommandstyle andthe wayI
treat everyone.Inowgo outof myway to buildstrongerpersonal relationshipswithmysubordinates
and peers.Icare more for the personthanfor the positiontheyhold.
The way I handledSoldierschanged.Iknow more aboutthem, Icared a little more andevenin
the face of some critics,I putthembefore otherpriorities.We alwaysaccomplishedthe mission,butmy
people were alwaysfirst.I’ve triedtobalance the accomplishmentof the mission withthe wellbeingof
my Soldiers.Thiswasthe hardesttask.
Handlingthiscrisistaughtme the importance of confidence andthe value of caringforothers.
Havinglawyers,police,seniorofficers,soldiers,andthe victim’sfamiliesreaffirmmyactionsthatday
reallyhelpedme cope withmydecisions.Asone lawyerwouldsay:“youhandleditbetterthan
textbook”.These opinions gave me aboostof confidence Ineeded andremovedmyguilt.Idirectly
attribute mysuccess inthe Army to the supportof these peopleandtheiropinioninmyactions.After
the shooting, Itookcommand where Iputthese theoriestothe test.
As I progressintothe rankof a fieldgrade officerandmove intooperational-levelleadership
positionsIbelieve Iwill maintainalevelof caringandconnectionwithSoldiersatlowerechelons thatis
uncommonforsome officers.Istrive tocare formy subordinatesandhope thatmydevotioncanavert
the nextcrisis.Ihope to neverface thistrial again,but if I must,I know I’m qualifiedtodoso.