AWOL Fairbanks-Based Stryker Soldier Arrested In Fla. Seeking Mental Health Treatment

25-year-old PFC Devon Ritchie will not be returned to Afghanistan, according to U.S. Army officials

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By Sam Friedman / Fairbanks Daily News Miner

Story Created: Nov 17, 2011 at 5:30 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Nov 17, 2011 at 5:30 PM AKDT

A Stryker soldier arrested while undergoing mental health treatment in Florida was returned to Fort Wainwright on Wednesday. His commanders will decide whether to prosecute him for deserting.

Pfc. Devon Ritchie, 25, was home on a 15-day leave from his deployment to Afghanistan last month when he became agitated as his Oct. 11 return date approached, his mother, Barbie Boynton, said.

Ritchie deployed twice to Iraq before leaving for Afghanistan in August with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. He had a history of mental health problems dating back to his first deployment, she said. Instead of returning to Afghanistan, he went to get mental health help Central Florida Behavioral Hospital in Orlando.

On Nov. 8, U.S. Marshals and local police arrested Ritchie and took him to a local jail. Boynton was not at the medical center when the arrest took place but said it took her by surprise because she had been in communication with her son’s commanders.

U.S. Army spokesman Lt. Col. Bill Coppernoll in Anchorage confirmed Ritchie was arrested last week and was returned to Alaska Wednesday.

At Fort Wainwright, Ritchie will be given mental health care and will be given legal counsel if his commanders decide to prosecute, Coppernoll said.

Commanders have already decided not to return Ritchie to Afghanistan, Coppernoll said.

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Soldier Wife said on Friday, Dec 23 at 10:33 PM

How dare you say this man is a Chicken. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT THESE MEN GO THROUGH! Alaska Soldiers deploy almost every other year for a year at least with wainwright being famous up till the prior deployment for 15 and 18 month deployments. Alaska Soldiers get sent to some of the most God Forsaken place in that sh*t hole. Spend 1 week there you idiot having rocket propelled grenades fired at you fob hitting your buddy;s can and pick up and pull out his and others body parts and then call this man a chicken better yet come home missing half your face or leg and a good bit of your sanity. These guys need help help that they are not getting. That boy and his mother need support not BS ignorant comments.

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andrew wilkinson said on Monday, Nov 21 at 5:16 PM

see i went to school and church with devon! i grew up with him and i know he is not one to joke around about these kind of things!!! i hope the military will wake up get off of thier hight horse and help him! its the least they could do!!!

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Tj said on Sunday, Nov 20 at 11:28 PM

You never been to war yet you judge this young man! Go do what we have done then you can talk!

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THESE MEN NEED HELP AND SYMPATHY said on Sunday, Nov 20 at 3:01 PM

People who critize them, have never seen a battle field,lived day to day not knowing if your going to get blown to H---!I know they don't want to come back with mental issues, but you can't be in a war zone for a year, seeing the carnige and misery of people, your biddies, then come back to the good ole USA and just forget the past year of pure HE--! Give them all a break! It could be YOUR husband, son,family member. God bless them all, give them strength and peace and healing.REMEMBER they are sacrifice for allAmericans.

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Hire Soldiers said on Sunday, Nov 20 at 2:49 PM

Sounds to me like a family member needs to find the kid a job BEFORE he returns the 1st time!!! When you do that - they can work while on leave and get an insentive to not " lose it" understanding the anxiety that eats away at the kids going out. Most are worried about money before they go back to duty. So other employers need to get your Sh*t together and pre-hire Soldiers. I got a list of about 500 now so when work comes up the phone calls start and I told most to find other work in the meantime and most have. Sounds to me like the kid didn't want to see war, blood, guts??? VA is lazy azzes for not having intense vets for this kind of deployment. Save alot of grief but they are more busy whining about DoD funding then they care about the soldiers.

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john 155 said on Sunday, Nov 20 at 11:12 AM

someone offer this guy a job that he is well suited for.

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Nicki said on Thursday, Nov 17 at 11:07 PM

Thats really sad. Funny how the person who writes that he's a chicken s___t puts anonymous in the name box. I'm alittle bit on the fence about the sad part is that he clearly was not getting the help before and it had to come to this for him to get treatment. Ignoring our veterans is a huge problem and one thats only getting worse everyday and that is terrible. I don't think this guy is a bad guy at all.

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