US Military Contractor, James McLaughlin

US Private Military Contractor, James McLaughlin, aged 55, was killed on Wednesday 27th April 2011 along with eight U.S military personnel by an Afghan Air Force pilot.

The shooting occurred during a morning meeting between American and Afghan officers. Nine Americans were killed and five Afghan soldiers were wounded.

The incident happened in a compound at Kabul airport which was widely covered in the world press.

Mr. McLaughlin, a retired US Army Lieutenant-Colonel with 25 years service, began working for L-3 MPRI in Afghanistan in 2008 training helicopter pilots.

U.S Military Contractor, Paul Almryde

US Military contractor, Paul Almryde, aged 46 was killed in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan on 16th April 2011. A Taliban suicide bomber dressed as an Afghan soldier infiltrated a joint US-Afghan Army base.

Mr. Almryde was working for military contractor MPRI in Afghanistan as part of the Afghan National Army Corps support battalion. He was working as a mechanic teaching Afghan troops how to repair vehicles.

He had served in the military for 21 years, with 12 years of active service in the Army and 9 years in the National Guard, before retiring in 2010 as a Master Sergeant. He joined MPRI in May 2010 and was planning to sign another year-long contract with MPRI.

The attack also claimed the lives of five American soldiers of the 101st Airborne, and four Afghan soldiers.