Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

Soldier's funeral Sunday

Public visiting hours Saturday at funeral home in Waterville

By Scott Monroe smonroe@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

WATERVILLE -- The remains of U.S. Army Spc. Wade A. Slack, who grew up in Waterville and was killed a week ago in Afghanistan, will arrive in Maine on Friday, a military spokesman said Wednesday.

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Wade A. Slack

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Arrangements for U.S. Army Spc. Wade A. Slack:
• Saturday, Veilleux Funeral Home, Waterville,
public visiting hours 2-4 p.m., 7-9 p.m.
• Sunday, Blessed Hope Church on Pleasant Street, Waterville, funeral at 2 p.m.
• Tuesday, Lewis Cemetery, Oakland, private graveside services.

In addition, public visiting hours at a local funeral home have been set for Saturday afternoon and evening; a funeral is scheduled for Sunday afternoon; and private graveside services will be Tuesday.

Slack, 21, died of wounds sustained May 6 in Jaghatu, Afghanistan, after insurgents attacked his unit using "indirect fire," according to the U.S. Department of Defense. Slack, who specialized in disarming explosives, was assigned to the 707th Ordnance Company, 3rd Ordnance Battalion, of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

His father, Alan Slack of Waterville, has said that his son had just disarmed an improvised explosive device and was waiting to be flown back to base when a shell exploded and the fragments struck him. A family obituary published this week said the attack involved enemy mortar fire.

Slack was medevacked and died either at the medical facility or en route to it, according to a spokeswoman for the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul.

Slack's remains were flown on Saturday to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where family members gathered for a military ceremony.

On Wednesday, Shanon Cotta, spokesman for the Maine Army National Guard, said that Slack's remains will be flown to Maine on Friday, but he didn't yet know where or at what time.

Further, Cotta said public visiting hours are scheduled Saturday at the Veilleux Funeral Home on Elm Street in Waterville from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. On Sunday, a funeral is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at Blessed Hope Church on Pleasant Street in Waterville, Cotta said.

Slack will be buried on Tuesday at Lewis Cemetery in Oakland, Cotta said. It will be a private service with full military honors, according to an obituary.

Slack is the son of mother Mary Slack of Waterville, and father Alan Slack and stepmother Rose Slack of Waterville. He has eight siblings.

He graduated from Waterville Senior High School in 2007 and worked on and off as a cook at The Last Unicorn restaurant in Waterville from 2005 to 2007.

Alan Slack, a veterinarian at the New England Animal Hospital in Waterville, said that his son "had been oriented for military service since 14." In interviews, friends and family members described Slack as a smart, caring and cheerful person.

According to the Department of Defense, Slack enlisted in the Army Sept. 1, 2006, in Portland and on July 11, 2007, he reported to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for basic training. He completed training for disarming explosives at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

On Sept. 16, 2008, he reported to then-Fort Lewis, Wash., where he was assigned to the 707th Ordnance Company, according to the Department of Defense.

His deployment to Afghanistan -- he had been there for about 10 months -- was his first deployment.

The Department of Defense said Slack's awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge.

Scott Monroe -- 861-9253

smonroe@centralmaine.com