White House bereavement communications

Mrs. Myeshia Johnson at the casket of her husband Sgt. LaDavid Johnson at Miami International Airport

American military deaths cannot become the subject of political discourse. Donald Trump has now lowered the ethics bar by the mere suggestion that communications about military deaths were not appropriately responded to in the past. This degradation of our military, as though each death is a political nugget, is disgusting.

Moreover, the inept White House response to four tragic deaths caused by a gun battle in the African nation of Niger has created yet another avoidable communications problem.

Rather than respond to the four battle deaths in real time, with appropriately prepared bereavement messages, the situation was prolonged until media pressure brought attention to the issue. 

If Donald Trump had just responded to the four deaths in real time, this problem would never have become yet another glitch in White House communications.

Here are the names of the four Special Forces who were killed in Niger during a surprise attack: U.S. Army 3rd Special Forces Group based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina - Green Berets Staff Sergeant (SSG) Bryan Black and SSG Dustin Wright along with SSG Jeremiah Johnson were confirmed by the DoD as being killed in action on Wednesday after a large terrorist force from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS) ambushed the Green Beret team and its Nigerien counterparts in southwestern Niger. A fourth death was confirmed - Sgt. LaDavid Johnson.

Obviously, White House communications needs extensive training about how to communicate with the bereaved families who are mourning the military deaths of their loved ones.  

Here is an example of how to respond to the military families who have lost loved ones:

"My condolences to you and your grieving family as a result of the supreme sacrifice given by (name) to America. My heart is broken for you at his time of loss, and our nation mourns with you and your family at this sad time."

@realDonaldTrump needs a teleprompter when he is required to make timely bereavement calls.