The U.S. soldier implicated in the massacre of 16 villagers in Afghanistan is remembered by friends as a happy man, one they could not see committing such an atrocity.
U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, a four-tour combat veteran, is suspected gunning down 16 civilians in Afghanistan last weekend, in a
massacre that sent American-Afghan relations into a tailspin.
Friends and neighbors remember a very different man.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BALES' NEIGHBOR KASSIE HOLLAND SAYING:
"Happy guy, full of life. I really wouldn't expect it."
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BALES' FAMILY FRIEND LEON SPANGLER SAYING:
"This is, this is just a tragedy, tragedy for everyone concerned and our heart aches, aches for this family."
Steve Burling attended high school with Bales in Ohio.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BALES' HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE STEVE BURLING SAYING:
"He was one of the better football players and captain and always a heavy lifter in the weight room, very outgoing, funny, big smile."
A U.S. Army statement said Bales spent a total of 37 months in three deployments in Iraq between 2003 and 2010.
His civilian attorney, John Henry Browne, said Bales experienced violence firsthand during that time.
. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BALES' ATTORNEY JOHN HENRY BROWNE SAYING:
"He saw people killed literally standing right next to him and there was an incident right before these allegations where one of his fellow soldiers was mortally wounded."
Bales' wife, Karilyn, and two young children have been moved into military lodging at Joint Base Lewis-McChord outside of Tacoma, Washington.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters
