Former Ft. Stewart Soldier Receives 70 Months Imprisonment for Faking Wife's Death and Collecting Insurance Proceeds

Edmund A. Booth, Jr., United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced that Ingerberth Baird, age 38, was sentenced on October 14, 2008, in U.S. District Court in Savannah to 70 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge B. Avant Edenfield.

Booth commented that, in imposing sentence, Judge Edenfield made an upward variance from the advisory guidelines range of 44 to 51 months, finding that Baird committed perjury when he testified on his own behalf at trial and noting that Baird remained totally unrepentant of his criminal actions. Baird had been convicted by a jury on January 29, 2008, on one count of conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, one count of making false claims against the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 287, and one count of mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341.

Baird had been extradited from Trinidad to face the charges in this case in June 2007. Booth noted that Baird will be transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation to his home country of Trinidad after he completes serving his sentence.

The convictions rested upon the evidence at trial which established the following :Ingerberth Baird and his wife, Nicolette, lived in Hinesville, Georgia, in 2002. Ingerberth Baird was an enlisted officer in the U.S. Army, posted at Ft. Stewart. Nicolette Baird was an elementary school teacher at Joseph Martin Elementary School in Hinesville. In September 2002, Nicolette Baird requested time off to travel to Trinidad, where she had been born, to attend a family funeral. Several days later, a person identifying himself as Nicolette's husband called the principal of Joseph Martin Elementary to report that Nicolette had died in an automobile accident in Trinidad. Ingerberth Baird sought leave from his duties with the United States Army and traveled to Trinidad shortly after Nicolette's reported death, spending eleven days there before returning to the United States. The evidence further showed that in October and November, 2002, Ingerberth Baird applied for benefits under life insurance policies covering Nicolette through the U.S. Army (under the Family Servicemembers Group Life Insurance program, or "FSGLI") and the Liberty County, Georgia school system.

In connection with those claims, he presented a handwritten death certificate and handwritten police report purportedly describing Nicolette's death in Trinidad. Ingerberth Baird received over $100,000 from the U.S. Army FSGLI policy on Nicolette. The benefit was paid in the form of a checking account funded with the entire benefit amount, and a checkbook drawn on that account was mailed to Ingerberth Baird at his home. Over the course of October and November, 2002, Ingerberth Baird wrote numerous checks that totally depleted the account. In December 2002, Ingerberth Baird left the United States for Trinidad.

Shortly thereafter, it was determined that the death claim was false in that the handwritten death certificate was counterfeit and that no registrar of deaths with the name listed on the death certificate actually existed. In April 2003, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation located Ingerberth Baird and Nicolette Baird, alive, living together in Cunupia, Trinidad. At that time, Ingerberth Baird admitted to the FBI agents that he knew on his first trip to Trinidad in September 2002, right after his wife's reported death, that no accident had occurred and that his wife was alive.

Booth praised the efforts of Special Agents Joseph Swiatek and Freddie Watkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys R. Brian Tanner and Brian F. McEvoy.

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Division Command Change Marks Milestone for Returning Surge Force

Yesterday's (July 14, 2008) change-of-command ceremony at Fort Stewart, Ga., set against the backdrop of near-daily 3rd Infantry Division homecoming ceremonies, marked one of the last milestones for the surge force that's credited with helping to bring about a dramatic turnaround in Iraq.

Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch passed command of the "Rock of the Marne" division to Army Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo as his soldiers continued to return home from their third combat deployment to Iraq.

"It has been the greatest honor of my career to serve it with the 3rd Infantry Division," Lynch said, extending thanks to his troops, their families, and the local communities, retirees and veterans who support them.

"I refuse to say goodbye. I say farewell," Lynch said.

After two years leading the division, he will be promoted to lieutenant general later this week before taking command of the Army's 3rd Corps at Fort Hood, Texas.

"His efforts ensured that this division was ready to fight, and fight it did," Army Gen. Charles Campbell, commander of U.S. Army Forces Command, said of Lynch during the ceremony. "You have been a great division commander, but far more importantly, you have commanded a great division. Congratulations on a remarkable performance and a remarkable division."

Cucolo, who served two previous tours with the 3rd Infantry Division, most recently as a brigade commander, said he relished returning to Fort Stewart. "It's good to be back home," he said as he accepted the division flag. "Today is a humbling dream come true."

The 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, was the first unit to cross the Kuwait-Iraq border in March 2003. The division returned to Iraq two years later for its second deployment. This month, the last contingents of 2nd Brigade Combat Team troops are returning to Fort Stewart, wrapping up the division's most recent 15-month deployment.

The troops represent the last surge troops sent to Iraq to boost security in and around Baghdad to return home. The surge included five Army brigades, two Marine battalions and a Marine expeditionary unit.

More than 240 members of the brigade's advance team marched onto the post's Cottrell Field during a June 26 homecoming ceremony. Their fellow soldiers have followed in a steady stream of flights into Hunter Army Airfield, outside Savannah, Ga.

Yesterday's change of command took place as both Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield buzzed with homecoming ceremonies: One was scheduled today, three tomorrow, one July 17, two July 18, one July 20, three July 22, and two July 24. In addition, a July 20 homecoming ceremony is slated at Fort Drum, N.Y., home of the division's 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Stewart officials reported.

As the homecomings have continued, the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd BCT security detachment recently conducted the surge force's last operational mission, escorting members of an embedded provincial reconstruction team in Baghdad between two forward operating bases, officials said.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Fort Stewart last month to thank recently returned 3rd Infantry Division troops personally for the huge difference they and their fellow surge troops made in Iraq. Mullen credited them with "changing the calculus in Iraq and giving us possibilities that a year ago we didn't have."

The chairman told the soldiers they accomplished "what many people didn't think possible" during their deployment: bringing down violence and giving hope to the Iraqi people.

Lynch noted that when his troops first arrived in Iraq, they were being attacked about 25 times a day. By the time the 3rd Infantry Division headquarters left Iraq, attacks were down to fewer than two a day, he said during a June 29 interview with local media.

During the division's deployment, total attacks decreased 89 percent, indirect-fire attacks stopped, small-arms attacks saw an 88 percent drop, and roadside bomb attacks dipped 79 percent, Lynch said.

Mullen told the soldiers the surge, part of a new strategy in Iraq, represented a dramatic shift in previous ways of doing business with a powerful impact. "You set the stage for potentially succeeding in Iraq, and up until that point, that certainly was in question," he said.

Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, who the Senate confirmed last week to lead U.S. Central Command, has called for a pause before decisions are made about additional troop reductions in Iraq. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and President Bush announced they will support Petraeus' request.

No further troop strength decisions are expected until mid-September at the earliest, after defense leaders review a post-surge assessment military commanders are preparing and make recommendations to the president.

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

America Supports You: 'Good Grief Camp' Helps Children Overcome Loss

Losing a parent or sibling who served in the military can be devastating to children, but they don't have to cope alone.

Thanks to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, more than 300 of war's youngest survivors attended the TAPS "Good Grief Camp" over Memorial Day weekend. Many of them have lost a father or brother serving with the military in Iraq or Afghanistan.

TAPS is a veterans service organization providing peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, seminars, case work assistance, and 24/7 crisis intervention care for all those affected by a death of a loved one in military service. The organization has held its Good Grief Camps for 14 years.

"We've found that children who have attended the Good Grief Camp felt a closeness to each other like many have never experienced, as they are surrounded by others their age who have [suffered] a similar loss," said Heather Campagna, director of the 2008 Good Grief Camp. "There is a comfort when someone says they understand, ... and for the first time, in many instances, they know it is true."

While attending the camp, children are paired one on one with a military mentor who becomes their "big brother" or "big sister" for the weekend. They gain their own age-appropriate peer support network and learn coping strategies for dealing with loss through educational activities.

The campers also connect their own family's experience with a national legacy of military service, learning how the nation honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the country as they visit memorials and participate in ceremonies.

Organizers say the depth of loss children experience may not be fully recognized.

"When a child loses a parent or another relative in the military, often they suffer secondary losses that are not acknowledged in their lives," Campagna said. "They might move away from a home, be away from a military base when that is the only thing they have known, have to attend a new school, notice the ... empty chair at Thanksgiving dinner, and miss their confidante. Connecting with a mentor can be an empowering experience for a child who has already lost so much."

Mentors said the experience is rewarding.

"I loved working with the kids," said Marine Cpl. Phillip Vilkas. "The first time, I was exhausted at the end of each day, but I never felt more proud to be in uniform than when a child who has lost a loved one looks up at me."

TAPS will hold Good Grief Camps with a one-day curriculum in conjunction with an adult survivor seminar in nine locations around the United States this summer and fall. The events are planned for July 12 in Philadelphia, July 26 in Alabama, and Aug. 2 in Indiana. Dates for events in Ohio and Hawaii, as well as at Fort Lewis, Wash; Fort Stewart, Ga.; and Fort Bliss, Texas, are currently being scheduled.

A special camp and seminar designed for families who have lost contractors and U.S. government civilians working with the military will be held in Dallas on Aug. 23.

TAPS is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.

Troops, Families Rack Up College Credits During Deployment

While 3rd Infantry Division was serving its third deployment to Iraq within five years, its soldiers set records amassing college credits during precious downtime between missions.

"Rock of the Marne" soldiers took more than 15,000 college classes during fiscal 2007 while deployed to Iraq as part of the surge force, reported Pam King, post education officer. That trend continued as the soldiers began returning to Fort Stewart in March. They've racked up an additional 11,000 college classes during the first two quarters of this fiscal year, King said.

Robin Ellert, chief of the post's online education program, pointed to the unmistakable trend in college enrollments, from 4,600 in fiscal 2003 to more than three times that level today.

"Our numbers have consistently jumped. There's a clear upward trend in the number of enrollments we're seeing," she said.

"There's a clear recognition that college is a way to get promoted -- both in the military and outside the military," she said.

And contrary to what some may expect, King said, many soldiers are finding deployments, when they're away from their families and home, to be the best opportunity to take classes.

"Education is a wonderful distraction, in a positive sense," she said. "Soldiers are able to -- for a minute -- escape where they are while doing something very positive for themselves, both mentally and for their career."

Thanks to the GoArmyEd.com portal that went online in April 2006, educational services are just a few mouse clicks away. Soldiers at even the most remote outposts can log into the system, tap into the $4,500 in tuition assistance the Army offers every soldier every year, and work toward a degree at one of about 180 colleges, universities and technical schools represented.

Army Sgt. Anthony Wilfong, a platoon sergeant with 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, spent much of his downtime during his past deploying taking Army correspondence courses. All but four of his soldiers were signed up for some kind of classes during their 15 months in Iraq. "It beats the time you waste seeing the same movies over and over," he said.

Wilfong and his soldiers have been back at Fort Stewart for about three months and still are awaiting their vehicles' return. Meanwhile, they're squeezing in all the classes they can.

"I've got 12 years to go to retirement, and each credit course is worth one and a half promotion points," Wilfong said as he reviewed the offerings at Central Texas College. "I figure everything I take will help me in the long run."

Meanwhile, many military families pass time during their loved ones' deployments enrolled in college programs, too. Officials estimate close to 4,000 family members at Fort Stewart and nearby Hunter Army Airfield took classes through Army Continuing Education Services during fiscal 2007.

Many attend one of the five colleges represented at Fort Stewart: Savannah Technical College, Central Texas College, Columbia College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Webster University.

"It gives them a great mental diversion," King said. "Whether you're talking about soldiers or their families, you know when you're taking courses that you're bettering yourself and bettering your career opportunities."

The $10 million Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith Education Center, which opened its doors in December 2004 just outside the post's front gate, sends an unmistakable message that Fort Stewart values education, King said.

Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, the 3rd Infantry Division commander and a big fan of educational services, promoted the new center based on the "Field of Dreams" concept, King explained. "The way he saw it, 'If you build it, they will come.'"

And to ensure soldiers do come, the Army Continuing Education Services staff distributes oversized paper checks at the start of every fiscal year for $4,500 to ensure soldiers don't forget about their annual tuition assistance benefit. "If you don't use it, you lose it," King said. "We want to make sure soldiers know it's available to them and encourage them to take advantage of it."

As they build their credentials, King said, soldiers enrolled in educational programs also are building their combat readiness and adaptability for unpredictable environments like Iraq.

"You train for certainty, but you educate for uncertainty," she said. "And regardless of what capabilities you have, the fact is, the brain is ultimately the most important battlefield weapon."

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Mullen Visits 3rd Infantry Division to Express Thanks, Gauge Concerns

The nation's top military officer yesterday praised recently redeployed soldiers here who made up part of the troop surge in Iraq for "changing the calculus in Iraq and giving us possibilities that clearly a year ago we didn't have."

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spent a whirlwind day moving from one session to the next to deliver personal thanks to groups from the 3rd Infantry Division: junior soldiers, noncommissioned officers and junior officers, captains, wounded warriors and spouses.

He also assured them their leaders are working to increase "dwell time" at home stations between future deployments, improve quality of life for soldiers and their families, and move as quickly as possible to end to the unpopular "stop loss" program, which keeps some soldiers in the Army beyond the enlistment contract they signed.

Mullen told about 500 junior soldiers who assembled in the new post chapel that they accomplished "what many people didn't think possible" during their 15-month deployment: they brought hope to the Iraqi people, the chairman said.

He noted that they served at a time that was "incredibly dangerous, incredibly violent and incredibly critical for the future security, not just of our country, but of many places in the world."

The surge, part of a new strategy in Iraq, represented a dramatic shift in previous ways of doing business, but with powerful results, Mullen said.

"You set the stage for potentially succeeding in Iraq, and up until that point, that certainly was in question," he said.

Mullen told the soldiers to expect change to be the norm as they continue their Army careers. "We are going to be changing how we educate people, how we train people, how we fight, how we stabilize," he said.

Calling the troops "the most combat-hardened Army" in U.S. history, the chairman said it's important to take the lessons they've learned and apply them to ensure the Army's long-term health.

"Clearly, what you have just accomplished is indicative of being the best military, the best army this world has ever seen," Mullen told the group.

The fact that the division reached its annual re-enlistment goal just five months into the fiscal year -- while serving its third deployment in five years -- speaks volumes, he said, showing not only that soldiers believe in what they are doing and have faith in their division leadership, but also that they recognize that the Army values both them and their families.

The division's success in Iraq wouldn't have been possible without "matchless" support from family members, Mullen said.

"The military has always had great family support, but I have never seen it better than it has been since 9/11," he said. "We could not be the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard we are today without incredible family support -- and particularly with the stress that the Army and the Marines have been under in the number of deployments, lengths of deployment and rotation cycle that we are in right now."

Mullen said his visits to 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq validated his belief that 15-month deployments are too long. He said he's glad to see the Army return to 12-month deployments, but also believes more dwell time is critical.

The current 1-to-1 ratio -- a 12-month deployment followed by 12 months at home -- needs to become a 2-to-1 ratio, with 24 months at home after a 12-month deployment, he said. "That's the goal, and we need to move there as rapidly as we can," he said.

Mullen said during a question-and-answer session that he worries "a great deal" about continued pressure on the force.

"I don't think the force is broken, and you represent that," he said. "But I think that, at this pace for another four or five or six years, this isn't going to work. ... We don't have that much gas left in the tank."

Admitting to another questioner that he dislikes the stop loss policy as much as anyone, Mullen said the Army can't end it until the service is able to increase the size of the force to match the demands on it.

He explained that deploying as units rather than individuals has big payoffs, but it also means "we have to essentially lock down that unit, freeze that unit -- before it deploys, while it deploys and after it comes back."

If anything, the number of people affected by stop loss actually could increase slightly in the next couple of years, he acknowledged.

Mullen conceded that soldiers have endured a lot, through demands from the Army and the missions they've carried out. He urged them to take care of each other, their families and themselves, and to reach out for help if they need it while readjusting after their deployment.

Meanwhile, Mullen called on soldiers at all levels to exercise leadership. "This isn't about being senior or being in charge," he said. "My expectation is that we lead from the front, the middle, the back, from the junior level to our peer level to our senior level."

He told the soldiers that he's seen time and time again in his own career how individuals were able to solve tough problems by stepping up to become leaders. "We can have the greatest stuff in the world. We can have a mission we understand clearly," he said. "But without leadership, we are not going to succeed."

Telling the troops he wanted to hear what was on their minds, Mullen fielded questions about issues ranging from barracks improvements to proposed Montgomery GI Bill enhancements.

Barracks deficiencies discovered at Fort Bragg, N.C., "should never have happened," Mullen said, and he and Army leaders are focused on making sure it never happens again. New barracks being built to replace old World War II buildings will solve the problem over the long term, but in the meantime, Mullen said, it's up to leaders to ensure their troops get the best of what's available now.

Mullen said he supports proposals to boost GI Bill benefits and allow troops to transfer unused benefits to spouses and children. He declined to support any single approach being debated on Capitol Hill, but said he's hopeful any legislation that passes won't detract from robust military education programs already in place.

The chairman told reporters after his sessions that he welcomes the chance to thank soldiers personally for what they've done and to hear how proud they are of what they are doing. He said he got "a lot of good feedback" that he'll take back to Washington with him.

By listening to what's on troops' minds, Mullen said, he hopes to be able to "take that back as a senior leader and make a difference in policies for the future for them and for their families."

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service