By Gary Meyer and Patric Hedlund

GORMAN, Calif. — As Memorial Day approaches, a tragic sign that the Iraq war has again touched our community occurred Tuesday, May 20 with the report about 10 a.m. of the body of a man found on Gorman Post Road.

The preliminary assessment at the scene was suicide, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Investigator Kevin Lowe said, although the medical examiner makes the official determination.

"He appears to have died from a single, self-inflicted gunshot to the head, fired from a small-caliber rifle," Lowe told The Mountain Enterprise (which arrived at the scene prior to the homicide investigator or coroner).

Paul Huie, 25 years of age with close-cut reddish-brown hair, lived in Benton, Arkansas and was an Iraq war veteran who was unemployed. He was neatly dressed, wearing blue jeans and a green and white striped polo shirt.

An increase in deaths by suicide and the frequency of post traumatic stress in returning Iraq veterans has recently been publicized by the military and by medical authorities.

Deputy Lowe called The Mountain Enterprise Tuesday afternoon to say the family had been notified. Benton Police Department personnel went to the Huie’s residence to contact his family in person.

Lowe said that Huie had recently left Arkansas without his family’s knowledge. He said Huie’s family was unaware of any troubles that the veteran may have been experiencing.

If you or a loved one feel at risk, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 (800) 273- TALK (8255) can help.

This is part of the May 23, 2008 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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