VMA-211 CO killed in attack at Camp Leatherneck.

Thanks Lou G for the info.  I completely missed this.

via UT San Diego.

Lt. Col. Chris "Otis" Raible, commanding officer of the Yuma jet squadron whose Harrier fleet was decimated Friday at Camp Bastion, was among two Marines killed when insurgents infiltrated the main NATO strategic base in southwestern Afghanistan, Marine and family sources confirmed.

Raible, 40, died during an unprecedented breach on the sprawling base in Helmand province that also resulted in the destruction of six AV-8B Harriers and significant damage to two more jets from the unit he commanded, Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 211.

Maj. Gen. Gregg Sturdevant, commanding general of the Marine air element in Afghanistan, said "Despite this tragedy, our Marines, sailors and civilians remain focused on the protection of our force and execution of our mission. I ask that you please keep the families of the fallen in your thoughts and prayers."

In addition to the two deaths, nine other coalition personnel were wounded in the brazen overnight assault on Camp Bastion, according to details released Saturday by NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. The injuries do not appear to be life-threatening.

Three refueling stations were also destroyed and six aircraft hangars were damaged during the attack on both fixed wing and rotor craft, coalition officials said. With each of the six Harrier jets destroyed costing at least $24 million, damages in the attack amount to well over $144 million.

The names and units of the dead have not been formally released by the Defense Department.

Raible's Arizona-based squadron, nicknamed “the Avengers,” is the only Marine Harrier unit serving in Afghanistan. The squadron is part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing headquartered in San Diego at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

After deploying to Afghanistan in April, VMA-211 relocated its fleet of AV-8B Harrier jump jets from Kandahar Airfield to the British-run airfield at Camp Bastion this summer, because of the drawdown and consolidation of Marine forces.

Raible flew the first jet to the base in Helmand province on July 1.

God Bless.

I wonder if he was targeted.  If he was then not only have our Afghan "allies" been penetrated but they should be considered no longer reliable and joint training missions should be halted.

NOTE:
Talking to my buddy again, but if this was a planned decapitation attack then this war has just gone to a new level.  PSD (personal security details) just became alot more important and will now have to extend to even on base duty.