Army Reserve Captain Russell Gilbert Seager - Wisconsin Military Casualty Compilation - Afghanistan / Iraq

16 December 2013

Army Reserve Captain Russell Gilbert Seager - Wisconsin Military Casualty Compilation - Afghanistan / Iraq

Army Reserve Captain Russell Gilbert Seager, 51, of Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, died on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at Fort Hood, Texas.  He was killed during an ambush on a group of military personnel by a fellow service member. Captain Seager was assigned to the 467th Medical Company, based out of Madison, Wisconsin. He was one of 300 soldiers who were lined up to get shots,  vaccinations, and eye-testing at the Soldier Readiness Center at Fort Hood when the attack occurred. The soldiers were processing upon return from overseas, or were preparing to be sent overseas. A disgruntled U.S. Army psychiatrist killed 13 people and injured more than 30 others before he was apprehended.  

The Web site findagrave.com indicates Russel Seager was born on March 15, 1958 Wisconsin. Seager was a nurse practitioner who had joined the Army at 47 years old. He was also an instructor at Bryant and Stratton College. Russell Seager's degrees included a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Masters of Science in Nursing from Marquette University College of Nursing. Seager took special interest in working with soldiers who were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He also loved playing tennis as well as his teaching. Captain Russell Seager was scheduled to go to Afghanistan in December and had gone to Fort Hood for training. 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel described Russel Seager as a "quiet helper". Seager was one of two soldiers from Wisconsin killed during the Fort Hood attack. He was licensed as a registered nurse and an advanced practice nurse prescriber. Seager worked at Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and, he was a primary caregiver who provided mental health services to patients. Th Journal Sentinel went on to say that Seager had taught classes at Bryant & Stratton College in Milwaukee since 2005. He was  pursuing a doctorate in education. The Journal Sentinel went on to quote a profile of Seager put together by WUWM-FM.  Seager led a mental health team at the VA and served a wide age-range of military patients from anywhere in their 20s to their 90s.  Neighbors remember Seager and his wife as keeping pretty much to themselves except for an occasional walk around the neighborhood. He sometimes wore his uniform when going to the corner to pickup mail. The profile quoted by the Journal Sentinel also says Seager had a doctorate in alternative medicine. He was part of a combat stress control unit, which was assigned to watch for warning signs among soldiers on the front lines. These warning signs might include: Things such as anger; insubordination; signs of depression; and personality changes. 

 The Journal Times out of the Racine, Wisconsin, area notes that Russel Seager was known as "Rusty" to his family. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He met his wife Cynthia who also worked in the nursing field. A former administrator at Ridgewood Care Center said Seager was gifted in the skills of working with mentally ill patients. Before arriving in Texas, Captain Seager had spent time in California and Kansas training for his deployment overseas. While at Bryant & Stratton College, Seager taught the medical assisting and nursing programs. Seager was pursuing a doctorate of education and it was assumed he would return to teaching after his tour of duty. Russel Seager is remembered as a good student himself and was always on the Dean's list and, he was a life-long learner. At Cardinal Stritch University, he received two bachelor's degrees in the 1980s. He later served as an adjunct professor of nursing at Cardinal Stritch. 

A subsiquent Journal Times article went on to list all of Russell Seager's degrees, certifications, studies, and teaching as: 1983 Bachelor of Science, Cardinal Stritch University; 1986 Bachelor of Arts (cum laude), Cardinal Stritch University; 1991 Bachelor of Science in nursing (magna cum laude), Marquette University; 1996 Master of Science in nursing (summa cum laude), Marquette University; 1998 advanced graduate coursework, Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology; 2000 post-graduate studies in gerontological nursing, Marquette University; 2007 Doctor of Medicine in alternative medicines, Open International University in Calcutta, India; Certifications include registered nurse, adult nurse practitioner, professional counselor, and psychiatric mental health nurse; and, he served as a faculty member at Bryant & Stratton College, Concordia University, Marquette University and Cardinal Stritch University.

An article in the Washington Post quoted Russell's uncle Larry Seager as saying in regards to his nephew's love of education, "I don't think he missed a year of school since he was 18, ....He just had to keep learning."

A tribute found on WUWM.com quotes a colleague as saying, "Dr. Seager was the kind of man who went above and beyond his teaching role. Students saw him as a father figure, someone who cared about them, someone who challenged them, someone who gave them positive reinforcement and told them for the first time that they could accomplish something." He was also remembered for his tests always being on bright colored paper to give his students, "a happy spirit." His tests were remembered as difficult but his presentation set students with a good attitude. 

A FaceBook page dedicated to Russell Seager said he was in the Primary Care Mental Health Integration Program. He was remembered as "someone you could always call on, ...He would stop everything to make time to see you. You couldn't put a price tag on what Russell gave to us. He'd go that extra mile for you."  He was also remembered as a great listener. He joined the VA Medical Center in 2008 and was a member of the US Army 330th Medical Brigade. He was greatly respected by his fellow employees. 

 A Chicago Tribune story quoted family as saying, "Rusty would never brag about anything, but you could just tell (that he was proud) in the way he talked. He wasn't a guy who tried to pat himself on the back, ...Growing up in Racine, Seager was always an excellent student and enjoyed the thrill he received from learning, ...Every chance he got, he went to school. ... He said, 'I'll never be too old to go to school because there's always something to learn." 

At the time of his death, Army Reserve Captain Russell Seager was survived by his by his wife Cindy; son Joe; his father; sister Barb Prudhomme; brother-in-law, Dennis Prudhomme; and, uncle Larry Seager.

 Army Reserve Captain Russell Seager was laid to rest at Pine Edin Cemetery in Wonewoc, Juneau County, Wisconsin, near Mauston, where his mother is buried.

Information for this short biography about Army Reserve Captain Russell Gilbert Seager was pieced together from the following sources: findagrave.com, "Capt Russell Gilbert Seager," November 6, 2009; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Slain Mount Pleasant soldier called a 'quiet helper'," November 6, 2009; journaltimes.com, "The life of Russell Seager," November 09, 2009; journaltimes.com, "Russell Seager, a lifetime learner," November 09, 2009; articles.washingtonpost.com, "Russell Seager joined the Army Reserve about four years ago," November 06, 2009; preview.wuwm.com, "Tribute to a Fallen Soldier," November 11, 2009; facebook.com, "Russell Seager"; articles.chicagotribune.com, "Homewood soldier was 1st target at Fort Hood," November 09, 2009; Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs "Fallen Heroes Page"; and, CNN.com "War Casualties Page.

Note: This “Wisconsin Military Casualties Afghanistan Iraq Compilation” Daily Dadio blog Category is under construction. Go to the Cooldadiomedia Web site and the Wisconsin War Casualties Page for a list of names noted by date of death. 
[ If readers know of other military service persons with Wisconsin connections that are not on the Web site comprehensive list of fatal casualties, or notice errors, please email Bob Keith at keithrg13@cooldadiomedia.com ]