State Investigates Possible Connection In Flu-Like Army Deaths

RALEIGH, N.C. — State health officials say they are looking into the deaths of three soldiers who developed flu-like symptoms after returning from overseas deployments.

Sgts. Clay Garton and Christopher Rogers, and Capt. Gilbert Munoz died after returning to North Carolina.

Garton was a flight medic at Fort Bragg who spent 16 months in Iraq and returned home in July. Then, he got sick and died the week after Christmas. A preliminary autopsy report says Garton's liver and spleen were swollen. His wife said doctors told her he died from infection.

Munoz was a special forces soldier based at Bragg who was deployed to the Middle East and died from a bacterial infection after returning.

Rogers, a reservist from Raleigh, went to Afghanistan and developed a 109-degree fever after returning home. He later died at the hospital.

WRAL has contacted several congressional offices, the Army Surgeon General's Office and the Army Medical Command. So far, there does not seem to be any formal military investigation under way.