Williams Township soldier killed in Iraq War remembered 10 years later

U.S. Army Capt. Christopher Seifert was a proud Moravian College grad and father of a young son when he was killed by Hasan Akbar in Kuwait.

Command Sgt. Maj. Bart Womack remembers the chaos at his base in Kuwait. The grenade explosions and gunfire led him to believe Camp Pennsylvania was under attack.

Only later did Womack find out one of the U.S. Army’s own was responsible. Now Womack, of Columbus, Ohio, is memorializing the two soldiers killed 10 years ago in the assault by 41-year-old Hasan Akbar on his fellow United States troops.

The Kentucky New Era reported that Womack organized weekend ceremonies to mark the anniversary of the deaths of Army Capt. Christopher S. Seifert, who was a Williams Township native, and Air Force Maj. Gregory L. Stone on March 23, 2003. Fourteen other soldiers were injured.

Akbar is at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., after being convicted of the killings and sentenced to death.

Womack attended a ceremony on Saturday at Fort Campbell, Ky., where Seifert's unit, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), is based. Womack then flew to Pennsylvania to lay a wreath on Seifert’s grave at Durham Cemetery in Bucks County. A third ceremony will be held in Washington, D.C., at Stone’s grave.

“How could a person that’s supposed to have your back, someone that you’re supposed to trust, someone who’s taken the oath that you’ve taken to support and defend do this to you?” Womack asked.

“I’m hesitant to use the ‘S’ word for him in terms of him being a soldier, because I don’t think anyone that’s a soldier through and through would do something like that,” he said of Akbar.

Akbar was stationed with the 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, when he attacked his comrades.

Dedicated soldier

As the command sergeant major of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, at the time, Womack felt it was his responsibility to organize a memorial ceremony for his fallen comrades.

Womack said he organized the ceremonies in different parts of the country to allow as many people as possible the opportunity to pay their respects.

Womack said he didn’t spend much time with Stone, but he saw Seifert every day. Womack said Seifert was a dedicated soldier.

“You know, he took the ball and ran with it,” Womack said. “Needed very little guidance, if any.”

Womack added that Seifert was never without a smile on his face.

10th annual golf outing

After his death, Seifert’s friends from Moravian College started an annual golf outing in Seifert’s memory, and the event will have its 10th anniversary April 27.

Seifert was one of 18 founding fathers of Delta Tau Delta at Moravian, according to tournament director Todd James.

Though James didn’t know Seifert directly, an older brother at Delta Tau Delta brought up the idea of a fundraiser and James used his knowledge of the golf industry to get the event started.

The money all goes to Seifert's son, Benjamin, to provide him with a college scholarship. He was 4 months old when his father was laid to rest.

“We hit our goal every year and we’re well on our way to providing him with a full education when he does go to college,” James said.

Womack started a PayPal account for people to donate to a memorial fund. The money will be used to pay for the wreaths, he said, and any excess money would be donated to the Maj. Gregory L. Stone Memorial Scholarship.

“We are ... here to have a really simple remembrance ceremony for our comrades,” Womack said. “And we just want to let them know that they’re not forgotten 10 years later.”