Soldier's accidental death darkens ceremony

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The Cleveland-based 252nd Military Police Company of the Tennessee Army National Guard persevered through a 10-month combat tour in Iraq without a single casualty.

The night before a ceremony to honor its service, the unit lost its first soldier.

Family members said Spc. Joshua Meeks accidentally shot himself in the head while cleaning a new 9mm pistol at his Whitwell home late Saturday night.

"He was dead instantly," said Spc. Mark Michaels, Meeks' brother-in-law, who saw the accident. He said he and other members of the unit were staying with Meeks on the eve of the ceremony.

Meeks returned in July from his first combat deployment. He married Michaels' sister, Kimberly, in August.

"He loved the Army more than anything in the world," Michaels said. "He was so proud to serve his country."

Sgt. Caleb Martin, medic for Meeks' platoon, said he didn't want to believe the news when another soldier called him Sunday morning.

"I thought they were kidding me," he said. "We all figured, 'It's Meeks, he probably wrecked his motorcycle,'" he said. "It's just a shock."

Martin said he'd known Meeks since he joined the unit before their deployment.

"I've never met another guy like this," Martin said. "He's the perfect soldier, never complained."

Martin said Meeks could brighten everyone's mood on long, demanding patrols, always cracking a joke, ready to do anything for a smile.

Marion County Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnett said his deputies got the call from the Cherri Circle Road home at around 10:30 p.m. CST. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the county medical examiner also responded. Based on eyewitness interviews the death has been ruled accidental, Burnett said.

"He was cleaning the gun at a table and evidently didn't know there was still one in the chamber," the sheriff said.

Burnett said Meeks worked as a part-time corrections officer for the Bledsoe County Jail.

Michaels said he and Meeks grew up together and joined the Guard at the same time.

Meeks served as the company guidon carrier, carrying the unit's flag for ceremonies. The duty is considered an honor.

The Sunday afternoon "Freedom Salute" ceremony at the Westwood Baptist Church in Cleveland had already been scheduled to present awards to the soldiers and some of their supporters. News of Meeks' death shocked and saddened many in the room.

"I got the call at about 1 a.m.," 1st Sgt. Michael Plemons. "I couldn't sleep, just thinking how would I tell everyone."

Plemons said Meeks was an excellent soldier. He served as a machine gunner on vehicle and foot patrols in Wasit Province, east of Baghdad, where the unit trained Iraqi police.

Michaels and another soldier accepted Meeks' awards his behalf during the ceremony. Each soldier was presented with a folded and encased flag, medallion, commemorative coin and pin to mark the unit's successful tour.

At the end of the ceremony Spc. Tabitha Higgins, who rode in the same armored truck as Meeks, presented a banner to Meeks' family.

"On behalf of the 252nd, because we lost someone special too," she said as the sanctuary fell silent.

On stage, she stood face-to-face with Kimberly Meeks. She folded the desert-camouflaged banner bearing a map of Iraq and service branch insignia, handed it to Meeks and hugged her.

In an interview later, Higgins called Joshua Meeks her best friend.

"He was always laughing," she said. "He always saw the brighter side of life."

She said she was at the house in the aftermath of the accident.

"I helped carry him to the hearse," she said, tears pouring.

Kimberly Meeks said funeral arrangements were incomplete Sunday.

Overcome with emotion, she said her husband was a sweet and loving man and deeply patriotic.

"He would do anything for his country," she said.

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