Australian Military Personnel of the Iraq War: Andrew Nikolic, Ash Power, Ben Roberts-Smith, Geoff Brown (Raaf Officer), Jacob Kovco, Jim Molan, John

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 24. Chapters: Andrew Nikolic, Ash Power, Ben Roberts-Smith, Geoff Brown (RAAF officer), Jacob Kovco, Jim Molan, John Cantwell (general), John Quaife, Mark Binskin, Mark Donaldson, Mark Evans (general), Mark Kelly (general), Martin Wallace (soldier), Mel Hupfeld, Mick Mumford, Mike Hindmarsh, Mike Kelly (Australian politician), Paul Papalia, Peter Tinley. Excerpt: Jacob (Jake) Bruce Kovco (25 September 1980, Melbourne - 21 April 2006, Baghdad) was a Private (PTE) in the Australian Army who died while deployed in Iraq, fatally wounded by a single shot to the head from his own Browning 9mm sidearm. PTE Kovco was the first Australian soldier to die while deployed to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). A military inquiry found that Kovco accidentally shot himself while mishandling his pistol, a conclusion which was disputed by his family. On 2 April 2008, a further Coronial inquest returned a similar verdict, finding that Kovco's death was "irresponsibly self-inflicted," and that when he pulled the trigger on his weapon he "disregarded the possible consequences of danger." Pte Kovco grew up in Briagolong and completed the Victoria Certificate of Education at Maffra Secondary College in 1998. Prior to enlisting in the army, Kovco worked in a knackery processing dead livestock. He was a keen mountain bike rider and also raced motorcycles. He was married to Shelley and they had 2 children, Tyrie and Alana Kovco enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in March 2002 and was posted to the School of Infantry, Singleton, in May 2002. After completing his Initial Employment Training as a rifleman, he served in the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), Australia's airborne battalion (the only other Royal Australian Infantry Corps Regiment cleared for airborne operations is the Second Commando Regiment, Formally the...