Thieves steal monument to Washington soldier who died in Afghanistan

Mikayla Bragg served in Afghanistan and took her own life in that country in December 2011.

The city of Longview honored her service with a plaque that was dedicated in April 2012. The touching ceremony included poetry, prayers, eulogies and the singing of the national anthem by the Mark Morris High choir, according a report in the Longview Daily News.

The memorial plaque reads:

"The city of Longview honors the life of Mikayla "Kayla" Anne Bragg. A motor transport operator for the Third Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division of the U.S. Army serving in Afghanistan, and recognize her courage, devotion and unselfish sacrifice to our nation. June 9, 1990 - December 21, 2011."

Her father Steve Bragg has been circulating images of the plaque via social media, hoping to find what he suspects were scrap metal thieves.

"Whoever did this is the pond scum at the bottom of the earth," he told the Daily News.

More In Your Army

3D animation shows the inner-workings of an AR-15

The video explains why the rifle is such an efficient, and ultimately dangerous, weapon.

Army schoolhouses dive into new social media trainings

“Everyone carries a cell phone...it’s a tool, [but] it can also be used as a weapon."

Everything we know Gen. Milley has told the Jan. 6 panel

Here is all of the publicly released testimony by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in one place.

The National Guard has a new weapon in the fight for COVID vaccination

The National Guard is shipping doses of Novavax’s newly approved COVID-19 vaccine out to units in hopes it will help shrink the number of unvaccinated Guardsmen who face expulsion.

Army Space, Cyber and Special Operations commands form ‘triad’ to strike anywhere, anytime

US Army Cyber, Space and Special Operations Forces are coming together in a new "triad" that aims to increase effectiveness in operations and provide combatant commanders with more unique options to act.

In Other News

Army identifies 2 soldiers killed by falling tree in Georgia

It was the second deadly incident involving Georgia-based soldiers in the past month.

Biden signs burn pit exposure health bill into law

Biden called the PACT Act one of the most important changes to veteran support policies in decades.

Campaigning at the top of the world: The Arctic and homeland defense

It is becoming increasingly apparent that competitors, such as Russia and China, desire to influence international norms and alter the behaviors of allies, partners and Arctic-focused countries for the benefit of these competitor nations.

US launches three airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia

The strikes killed four militants, according to a release.

China appears to wind down military drills near Taiwan

China reaffirmed its threat to use military force to bring self-governing Taiwan under its control, amid threatening Chinese military exercises.

US Army’s ‘Lethality Task Force’ looks to save lives with AI

The Close Combat Lethality Task Force hosted the first meeting of the Artificial Intelligence for Small Unit Maneuver working group at Fort Benning, where participants tested robots among other AI technologies.

Ukraine says 9 Russian warplanes destroyed in Crimea blasts

Russia denied any aircraft were damaged in Tuesday’s blasts — or that any attack took place.

The Army needs to increase boots on the ground in urban areas

The Army continues to pour resources into a bottomless pit to solve its recruiting issues, and it is time to think outside the pit.

Camp Lejeune’s toxic water killed my daughter. This new law finally allows affected families to take legal action

Janey, the only one of the author's four children conceived at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, died of leukemia at age 9.

Austin pledges military training, support for Baltics

Austin is the first U.S. defense secretary to visit Latvia in nearly three decades, underscoring the increased importance of the Baltic nations.

Load More