StarBulletin.com

Isle soldier's death in Iraq spurs Army investigation


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POSTED: Saturday, April 04, 2009

The military is investigating the death of a 25-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier who was killed Tuesday in Iraq.

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Sgt. Devin C. Poche, 25, of Jacksonville, N.C., died Tuesday at Contingency Operating Base Speicher near Tikrit of injuries sustained from a noncombat-related incident, the Pentagon reported yesterday. No other details were released by the Army.

He was assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team's Special Troops Battalion.

Poche joined the Army in February 2005 and was assigned to Schofield Barracks in October 2005.

He is the fourth soldier from the 3rd Brigade to die since the unit was deployed to Iraq in November, and the second to die from noncombat injuries.

On Jan. 11, Pvt. Sean P. McCune, 20, of Euless, Texas, was killed in an accidental rifle shooting in Samarra. The Army still has not released details of the shooting.

The brigade is serving its second combat tour in Iraq. Thirty-six soldiers serving with the 3rd Brigade and other Schofield Barracks units died during the first deployment, which ended in October 2007.