The Yellow Ribbon Center in Batavia was closed off to the public for several hours on April 1 while military personnel spoke to Keith and Carolyn Maupin.
Maupin's remains found Search for missing soldier ends after four long years
BROWN NEWS SERVICE
BATAVIA - Finally, there is news for the family of missing soldier Matt Maupin. For years area residents have been praying for his safe return after he went missing from an Army convoy in Iraq.
The news, however, was not good.
The four-year long search for the Clermont County native has ended. Keith and Carolyn Maupin were informed that their son's remains were located March 20, just northwest of Baghdad.
Maupin's fuel convoy was ambushed near the Baghdad National Airport. On April 16, 2004, Maupin appeared on a video tape that was aired on the Arabic-speaking television news channel Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera reported Maupin's death later that month, but Keith and Carolyn refused to give up hope. The two continued to search for their missing son and hoped to bring him home, and established the Yellow Ribbon Center in Batavia, dedicated to increasing awareness about Maupin's story.
Maupin's remains are currently being tested to find out when and how he died, and will be released back to Clermont County eventually. Keith and Carolyn Maupin had several meetings with military personnel, and are expected to release a statement soon. The Maupins were in a debriefing meeting with the military on Tuesday, April 1.
Despite the tragedy in their family, Keith and Carolyn Maupin have continued to keep up appearances, and are expected to be at the Children of Our Fallen Scholarship event on April 9, in Loveland. The scholarship was started in Matt Maupin's name in 2005. Diane Lawrence with the Troop Box Ministry in Georgetown feels that the Maupins have shown a lot of strength since Matt's remains were found on March 30.
"They've got their scholarship set up for April 9. That would be hard, especially since they don't think Matt will even be back in the county by then," Lawrence said.
Maupin has been promoted three times since his disappearance, from Private First Class to Specialist to Sergent, to Staff Sergent. He has been honored at numerous events and has a pavilion named after him in Bethel.
Representatives from the Yellow Ribbon Center in Batavia, as well as representatives from the United States Military, did not return phone calls Tuesday.
Maupin, 24, was a student at Glen Este High School in Union Township, Clermont County, with a grade point average of 3.5. He played football there and was also a rower for both Glen Este High School and Clermont High School Crew. He graduated in 2001 and enrolled in the University of Cincinnati Aerospace Engineering Program, using a scholarship that he had received from winning a writing competition. In 2002 he joined the United States Army Reserve and was stationed with the 705th Transportation Company based in Dayton, Ohio.
Maupin began basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., and continued on to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for training as a Motor Transport Operator. By the time he had completed training in spring 2003, the 705th Transportation Company had deployed to Iraq, and Maupin was assigned to the 643rd Area Support Group out of Whitehall, Ohio.
While fulfilling his monthly obligations as a reservist, Maupin worked at a Sam's Club warehouse store and continued courses at the University of Cincinnati. In November 2003, Maupin was transferred to the recently mobilized 724th Transportation Company based out of Bartonville, Ill. Maupin and the 724th TC arrived in Kuwait on Feb. 20, 2004 and on March 5, 2004 proceeded to Logistics Support Area Anaconda, Iraq, with the 7th Transportation Battalion, 172nd Corps Support Group, 13th Corps Support Command, to begin missions delivering fuel to various coalition installations.
Maupin's parents have been very active in garnering support for the troops overseas. They have attended many support rallies, not only in Brown County, but other surrounding areas.
Matt was originally assigned to the 705th Transportation Company out of Dayton, OH. In December of 2003 he was assigned to the 724th Transportation company out of Bartonville, IL. He deployed with the 724th TC not the 705th TC. My husband was with him in the 724th. Erika
