Maung P. Htaik, originally from Burma, has become the first US Marine killed in Afghanistan in 2011. 

The 20-year-old soldier, known to his friends as Sam, died while on deployment in Helmund Province on January 1.

Maung Htaik lived with his parents in Hagerstown, Maryland, and graduated from Smithsburg High School in 2008. 

He was born in Rangoon on July 12, 1990, one of the most turbulent years in Burma’s history, which saw the regime ignore the electoral victory of Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD party.  His family moved to the US when Maung Htaik was in his early teenage years.

Maung Htaik was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force based in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  He joined the Marines in April and had been promoted to lance corporal. Last July, Maung Htaik and his unit were sent to Afghanistan as part of the US troop surge designed to defeat the Taliban.

At his funeral, held on January 8, his mother, Flory Shwe, and his father, Hla Shwe, received a Purple Heart medal from the US military.  The award is given to any member of the US Armed Forces who has been wounded or killed in the field.  Also in attendance at the funeral was Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley.

A friend of Maung Htaik, Joesph Naing, delivered the eulogy at the ceremony, which also included a speech by his older brother, Dan Yar, and a performance by a Burmese choir.

Maung Htaik will be buried at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., on January 18.

The Burma Army’s Northeastern Region Command,with its headquarters Lashio, Northern Shan State, have been breaking up units under its command for the newly installed military command in Southern Shan State, according to sources close to local junta.

“60 men from each infantry battalion were picked up to move out to the new command,” a source in Lashio said. The new command reportedly requires 1,500 officers and men.

The selection started a week ago in Lashio and Hsenwi, where the Military Operations Command (MOC) #16 is based.

“Those chosen were reported to be unhappy because they don’t want to go. They think going there is like going to their doom,” the source said.

Earlier this month, there were reports the Burma Army had installed a new military command that would oversee areas between Taunggyi and Kengtung from its Kholam headquarters in Shan State South’s Kunhing township commanded by Brig-Gen Mya Tun Oo.

A number of border watchers commented the Burma Army’s new move is to cut communications between armed groups that have been transformed into Border Guard Force (BGF) and those that had refused to. Its other objective is also to prepare for a major operation against non-BGFs after the new government has been formed.

According to some sources, some soldiers had already applied to retire from the military service in order to avoid going to the new command.

A border watcher on the Sino-Burma border commented, “There may likely be another recruitment drive if the number of troops is less than their [the junta] quota. What with the ongoing desertions, all Burma Army units must be understrength.”

Sun Tzu, ancient Chinese military expert admonishes: “Should you strengthen your van, you will weaken your rear; should you strengthen your rear, you will weaken your van; should you strengthen your left, you will weaken your right; should you strengthen your right, you will weaken your left. If you send reinforcements everywhere, you will be weakened everywhere.”

The Burmese army has since 2009 been recruiting and also beefing up local militias to reinforce its campaign against armed groups who did not join its BGFs program.