Fort Stewart soldier found dead with her family was ‘the best NCO I could ask for’
"I really wish you know how much you meant to all of your soldiers."
A soldier found dead Thursday along with her family in their home on Fort Stewart was “a mentor, a mom” and “the best NCO I could ever ask for,” according to a soldier who worked with her on the base.
Staff Sgt. Meiziaha T. Cooper and her husband, Desmond Cooper, were pronounced dead after being found in their home just after 5 p.m. on Wednesday along with their 4 and 9-year-old children, Fort Stewart officials said in a statement. Army authorities had gone to the soldier’s on-base home after Cooper’s unit requested a welfare check. The Army did not identify Cooper’s unit but said she was a culinary specialist.
Cooper had been in the Army since 2012, the Army said.
Another soldier, Michaela Greene, who worked with Cooper at Fort Stewart, wrote a heartfelt message on Facebook about Cooper’s impact on her own Army career.
“You showed up for us when you didn’t have to, you made sure you helped us with any goals and accomplishments that we wanted to pursue in the military, you were there for us when it came to our personal problems,” wrote Greene, who told Task & Purpose she was stationed with Cooper at Fort Stewart. In her message, Greene said she is now deployed to Korea with several others who knew Cooper, and Cooper’s mentorship was on their minds when they learned of her death. “When we come back from this deployment we had so much that we wanted to share with you. They have your soldiers out here tired but we couldn’t wait to laugh with you about it. You’ve made a HUGE impact on us.”
“We’re hurting over here deeply. I love you SSG Cooper and I really wish you knew how much you meant to all of your soldiers.”
The Army said Cooper’s awards included four Army Commendation Medals and six Army Achievement Medals.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Staff Sgt. Cooper’s family, friends, and teammates during this very difficult and tragic time,” said 3rd Infantry Division Deputy Commander of Operations Col. Jeremy S. Wilson. “Our community has been shaken by this unspeakable tragedy and out of respect to the family, we ask for privacy to grieve this loss.”
Fort Stewart officials described the Cooper’s deaths as “domestic in nature,” but did not say if the home is considered a crime scene. An Army spokesman told Task & Purpose that the Army Criminal Investigation Division was investigating the scene.
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