Account set up for local soldier

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — A bank account for Michael Brown has been established at Grants State Bank for those who may wish to donate to the Brown family to help with expenses as they travel back and forth to Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, visiting Michael who is in critical condition following being injured in Iraq.

Richard and Marilyn Brown, Michael's parents, flew out of Albuquerque on a commercial airline to San Antonio, Wednesday.

Michael Brown's brother and sister, James, 17, and Nicole, 15, a senior and a freshman at Grants High School respectively, will be staying with relatives during the next few weeks, said Sgt. James Spidle, a Grants police detective and long-time family friend of the Browns.

The injuries were sustained as a result of Michael Brown's Humvee being struck by a roadside bomb in Southern Baghdad on Saturday while he was on patrol.

Brown, 21, is a private first class in the U.S. Army's 10th Cavalry, 4th Infantry Division and a 2004 graduate of Grants High School.

Officers helping out
Brown's father is a New Mexico Motor Transportation Officer based at the Gallup port of entry and is low on vacation time, his supervisor Lt. Robert Baca said.

"A letter is being prepared to be faxed to all employees in the Department of Public Safety, including state police, asking if anyone would like to help Richard by donating some of their own vacation days so he can be with his son," Baca said.

The letter was to be sent following approval by the Motor Transportation Department commander, Lt. Col. Mark Rowley and Department of Public Safety cabinet secretary John Denko, both in Santa Fe, he said.

"This is the first family member of our department, statewide, that has been injured in Iraq," he said.

Marilyn Brown works at the Wal-Mart in Grants and Sal Avalos said she can take whatever time is needed for this situation.

While Wal-Mart does not allow employees to donate their vacation time to other employees in need, it does have an "Associates in Critical Need" program which helps with cash, he said.

"We can apply to that program and help her," he said.

Injuries
Michael Brown has first and second degree burns to between 25-30 percent of his body, including his throat.

"He (Michael) was to undergo surgery Wednesday, taking skin grafts from parts of his body that were not burned and placing them on his hands and thigh," Spidle said.

"He won't lose any fingers," he said. "And, his face does not need any grafts."

Spidle said Brown had damage to the inside of his throat and lungs as a result of the explosion.

Brown joined the Army following a year of college and graduated from basic training in September 2005.

He was assigned to Southern Iraq until June, when his unit was transferred to Baghdad to help patrol the city and region.

Tuesday night, Spidle and his wife Maxine, took $1,800 for traveling and living expenses to the family to help them during this crisis.

The money was raised by donations from former fellow police officers at the Grants Police Department, Cibola County Sheriff's Department, Grants-Cibola County School District Administration offices, the 13th Judicial District Attorney and clerk's offices, El Cafecito Mexican Restaurant, C&E Concrete and several other businesses, Spidle said.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: tiffin.independent@yahoo.com.