Leaving his mark

Image courtesy: U.S. Marines

While growing up in Wyoming, Lance Cpl. Jacob Ross would frequently bring his weapon into the peaceful wilderness to hunt with one of his best friends. Years later, he would carry his weapon with even greater purpose in the war-torn terrain of Afghanistan.

"When it came to being a Marine, he was all about doing the right thing, one of the most motivated guys I met about going to war. He wanted nothing more than to go fight for his country," [Lance Cpl. Logan] Curb said. "He's always got praise for being an excellent Marine, being a SAW gunner. One of the greatest SAW gunners in our platoon. His actions were so aggressive, and he's always in the right place at the right time, always gets effective fire. He was good at everything I've seen him do. He was a great guy. I loved him."

Lance Cpl. Curb told The Star-Tribune in Wyoming that he was shot during a March 24 firefight in Helmand province that also wounded two fellow Marines. While receiving medical care, he saw his buddy, Jacob, brought into the same facility with a serious gunshot wound to the head. Just two beds away from his friend and fellow Marine, Lance Cpl. Ross would succumb to his combat injury at the age of 19.

Reporter Pete Nickeas, who did a wonderful job telling the fallen Marine's story, also spoke to the aforementioned close friend who used to hunt, canoe, and fish with Ross. Miles Fortner said the Marine got married not long before he deployed overseas, and recounted one of his final conversations with his childhood pal.

"He said, 'You know, Miles, I want to let you know that getting married at 19 is one of the best things I did.' He has a super amazing wife, and a couple of the goals and accomplishments that he made was to be in the Marines, be a Marine, serve his country, and get married," Fortner said.

According to The Gillette News-Record, the Marine's flag-draped casket is returning to Wyoming today, where his widow and other relatives will receive the fallen hero in private. Officials in Campbell County are urging the community to line the streets for a procession from the local airport to honor the hometown hero.

Lance Cpl. Jacob Ross decided that using his gift for marksmanship in defense of his country was his best path in life. In doing so, he left a mark on the many people he touched around the world that will never fade.

Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder: Never forget

March 3, 2006, was a tragic day for Al Snyder. His son, who he calls "a hero and the the love of my life," was killed in a vehicle accident in Iraq's Al Anbar province. The death of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder came during a particularly violent period in the Iraq war, and was barely noticed by the national press. Sadly, it would take the reprehensible 'Westboro Baptist Church' group and an unfair court decision to finally get his son's name in the headlines.

The media has been widely reporting on a controversial ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ordered the Marine's father to pay $16,510.80 in court costs to Fred Phelps, whose group led a despicable protest at his son's funeral. The twisted logic of the 'Westboro Baptist Church' claims that U.S. troops are being punished by God for homosexuality's legality in America. Counter-protest groups like the excellent Patriot Guard Riders have been set up to protect grieving military families from the protest group's evil rhetoric, which includes anti-gay slurs and signs that read "thank God for IEDs."

The idea that Snyder, who initially won a lawsuit against Phelps but lost the case on appeal, would be forced to pay the 'Westboro Baptist Church' has rightfully caused a national firestorm. Fox News host Bill O'Reilly has volunteered to personally pay the court costs for Snyder, and donations to a legal defense fund are reportedly soaring. In keeping with this blog's mission, anyone who steps up to support military families earns the praise of this site, regardless of their political views.

Yet missing from most of the news coverage on FNC, CNN and other networks is the story of the fallen Marine himself. There is more to the life and service of Lance Cpl. Snyder than a picture briefly put up on the screen. This site believes his sacrifice is more important than the hate group that tried to capitalize on it.

Friends and family members say Snyder was a happy person who loved to have a good time. According to the Iraq War Heroes site, he enthusiastically volunteered for the Marine Corps and even went to boot camp while attending high school in Finksburg, Maryland. While trained as a combat engineer, Snyder asked to provide security for fellow Marines as a gunner in Iraq.

"He was asked why he volunteered for such a dangerous mission and he said "I'm a Marine. There was a position to be filled, and I filled it."

Tragically, the humvee overturned on that fateful early March day, killing the Marine who once told his family as a young boy that he was going to be "a machine gun guy." He would be saluted by many, including a man who often brandished machine guns as a world-famous action star.

“Marines like Lance Cpl. Snyder put their lives on the line daily to protect our country," California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said. "Maria and I wish to express our deepest sympathies to Matthew’s family. His loss is a painful reminder of the high cost paid for our freedom.”

Instead of a peaceful rest in eternity, Snyder's funeral was marred by the hateful rhetoric of 'Westboro Baptist Church' protests. There is absolutely no justification, including hiding behind a Constitution that American troops volunteer to protect, for disturbing the peace at a military funeral. It is not free speech, it is terrorizing an innocent family, as well as the U.S. military, during a time of grief. The Unknown Soldiers supports the Patriot Guard Riders, the Al Snyder Fund, and everyone who fights to get the unjust ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned in the U.S. Supreme Court.

All Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder and his family ever did was volunteer to sacrifice everything for our country. That is an important story in itself, and we can't afford to overlook it because of the disgraceful actions of extremists.

The wave of the future

Image courtesy: Senior Airman Kenny Holston

Back in February, The Unknown Soldiers relayed reports of a late-2010 offensive aimed at destroying Taliban elements in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. According to Voice Of America and other news sources, the crucial mission will begin in June, with the goal of removing terrorists from the city before Ramadan begins in August.

As the above photo of Spc. Dawn Davis shows, U.S. troops are already bringing supplies to Afghan civilians in advance of the battle. Spc. Davis, a truck gunner in the 782nd Alpha Company, also provided security for the area, while U.S. forces met with Afghan troops to continue planning the Kandahar offensive.

Like Operation Moshtarak, protecting civilians, who are often used as human shields by the Taliban and al Qaeda, will be a top priority while winning this important battle. But the similarities will also be unfortunate, as the risks to American troops during this planned combat wave are real and tragic. As this site tries to convey to its readers, casualties are not just statistics or names routinely listed deep within a newspaper. They are real people with extraordinary stories, who sacrifice everything so children like the ones pictured above can have a chance at better lives. Many U.S. troops are also parents, who hope in the back of their minds that their children will never be asked to volunteer for war.

This site sends its sincere best wishes and prayers to all U.S. troops in harm's way, while also projecting complete confidence that their hard work will lead us to victory in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Gracious living

Image courtesy: Rick Centanni Memorial Fund

Sgt. Maj. Robert Cottle was old enough to be Lance Cpl. Rick Centanni's father. At 45, Sgt. Maj. Cottle had already achieved more than many will in a lifetime. At 19, Lance Cpl. Centanni's promising life was just beginning to take shape.

Maybe that's why Cottle became close friends with Centanni, and perhaps even a battlefield father figure. Cottle had been in the Marines 27 years, and a member of the Los Angeles Police Department since 1990. Centanni, the son of a sergeant in the Santa Ana Police Department, recently joined the Marines out of high school. Both lived in Yorba Linda, California, and while Cottle would have likely resumed his job on the LAPD SWAT team upon his return, Centanni hoped to become a cop in his dad's department.

Shocking news began traveling through southern California late last week. Cottle and Centanni, who bridged a dramatic age gap for the sake of freedom and friendship, had been killed in Afghanistan's Helmand province. While a Pentagon release said only that the two Marines died while supporting combat operations with the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, The Orange County Register reports their vehicle was destroyed by a roadside bomb planted by terrorists.

Reporters Jessica Terrell and Greg Hardesty write that flags are flying at half-staff all week in Yorba Linda. The journalists also spoke with several friends, family members, and fellow Marines mourning the incomprehensible loss.

"It doesn't matter if you knew them," said Crystal Gates, a relative of Cottle's, "When someone who puts their life on the line for you is lost, you have to be devastated."

A fellow Marine credits Centanni for encouraging him and three others to serve their country.

"He convinced each and every one of us to join,” Lance Cpl. Joseph Patterson said. "We saw the way he was when he came out of boot camp, the sense of accomplishment and pride he had. We all wanted to serve our country together."

The Santa Ana Police Department has already helped set up a memorial fund to honor Centanni, who hoped to one day trade his fatigues for a police uniform. Officers in the Los Angeles Police Department are wearing black stripes on their badges in remembrance of Cottle, who is survived by a wife who serves in the Navy and their 9-month-old daughter. Additional honors for Cottle, the first active LAPD officer to die in the Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts, are being discussed.

"This deeply saddens me, especially since I've known RJ for over 20 years," said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck. "He is a fine man and a great example of the best LAPD has to offer. He will be missed."

The losses being suffered by the U.S. military in Afghanistan are excruciating. Suddenly being without Sgt. Maj. Robert Cottle, who risked his life for our nation every single day for more than two decades, at home and abroad, is a devastating blow. The young man who looked up to him, Lance Cpl. Rick Centanni, likely would have spent decades serving his southern California community after returning from the war zone. While despair is a natural reaction to a tragedy of this magnitude, we also must remember all the hard-fought victories our brave men and women have earned in Afghanistan. We honor fallen heroes by doing everything in our power to support their brothers and sisters still in harm's way.

Yorba Linda, where two families are still coming to grips with unimaginable pain, calls itself "the land of gracious living." Tonight, thanks to two exceptional patriots who proudly called the city home, that motto has become a battle cry.

A humble leader

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

As a five-star general and two-term president, Dwight D. Eisenhower knew how to lead. "Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it," Eisenhower once said.

Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Santos-Silva embodied that quote. According to The Leaf Chronicle, The 32-year-old Clarksville, Tennessee, native deployed twice to Iraq and once to Kosovo before leaving for Afghanistan in August 2009. Sgt 1st Class Santos-Silva's extensive combat experience, which included two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart, made him a respected leader in his unit.

"He cared deeply about his Paratroopers and they cared deeply about him," [1st Lt. Matthew] Jarmon said. "His men routinely looked to him for leadership guidance, which he readily gave."

The people who cared deepest about Santos-Silva, his wife, son, and parents, are grieving an enormous loss at this hour. According to the Pentagon, the team leader was killed in combat on March 22 in Afghanistan's Kandahar province. The military said his Humvee was hit by an improvised explosive device planted by terrorists.

A memorial service is being held this evening in Tennessee to honor the valiant soldier, who repeatedly put his life on the line wherever his country needed him to deploy. While his death is a tragic loss to our nation, it is fitting that Santos-Silva will be buried alongside some of America's greatest leaders at Arlington National Cemetery. Like the fellow heroes resting in Section 60, Sgt. 1st Class Carlos Santos-Silva deserves to spend eternity on hallowed ground.

Commander-in-chief surprises troops in Afghanistan

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Corey Beal

This site tries to avoid politics, as beltway bickering distracts from real sacrifices being made by extraordinary Americans every day on the battlefield. Yet a president visiting the men and women he's asked to fight should not be viewed through a partisan lens. It's an act that goes beyond symbolism, because it gives our uniformed heroes a boost in morale. Most importantly, it reminds them that despite all the divisions at home, we remain united in support of our military.

According to CNN, President Obama landed in Kabul at about 7:30 p.m. local time, or 11 a.m. eastern. He met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai before speaking to U.S. forces at Bagram Air Base. Like President Bush's surprise Thanksgiving visit to Iraq in 2003, the trip was unannounced and cloaked in high security.

Despite the media's ratings-driven reluctance to continue covering Iraq and Afghanistan with a consistent sense of urgency, there is no decision a president can make that is more important than sending our brothers and sisters to war. Regardless of whether we agree with the orders given by President Obama or his predecessor, the commander-in-chief and the citizens he governs must stay engaged with these conflicts. Of course, we also have a duty to thank the men and women who carry out the president's mission with selfless bravery and dignity.

America is at war. Today, because of the unexpected nature of this presidential visit, our country gets a much-needed reminder.

In the perilous fight, a bright star

Images courtesy: Facebook

Lance Cpl. Justin Wilson loved his country and absolutely adored the American flag. On multiple occasions, a family friend who spoke to WPBF-TV heard Lance Cpl. Wilson talk about how much the stars and stripes meant to him in life, and even death.

"He said if he ever came home in a box that he would want thousands of people to know that he had died for his country," friend Cindy Capwell said on Thursday.

So, Capwell and Wilson's family members gave him just that, lining the street where he once lived with American flags.

"He wanted flags and flags," Capwell said. "He just always said, 'If I come home dead, I want flags.'"

According to the Pentagon, Wilson was killed in combat on Monday in Afghanistan's Helmand province. TCPalm has an excellent profile of the brave Marine from Palm City, Florida, which includes an interview with his grieving father. Reporter Will Greenlee asked Lance Wilson about his final conversation with his son, which occurred on the Marine's 24th birthday.

"He was a little afraid. I could hear it in his voice," the 53-year-old Wilson said. "He didn’t want to talk about what was going on there. He wanted to talk about his wife, the family. He wanted to know what was going at home."

According to the article, Wilson married "the girl of his dreams," Hannah, on October 30, 2009, in North Carolina. With just 57 days left in his combat tour, the newlyweds were planning a larger ceremony in Florida, so more friends and family members could celebrate with them after the Marine returned. While in Afghanistan, Wilson told his new bride and other loved ones stories of handing out candy to children and helping rebuild a local school. Wilson's family is asking that in lieu flowers, donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, a fantastic organization.

Lance Cpl. Justin Wilson had a loving wife and bright future to look forward to after his tour of duty. Yet knowing the risks, the young man volunteered to defend the flag he loved so dearly. I am about to check on my flag and make sure it is flying proudly in honor of this Marine, who proved that America is still the home of the brave.

Boots on the ground

Image courtesy: The Phoenix

When students at Swarthmore College hit the books at McCabe Library, they are greeted with a powerful reminder of fellow Pennsylvanians who answered their country's call to service. Nineteen pairs of fallen heroes' boots, which also contain personal items and family notes, now sit in the quiet library.

Swarthmore's independent campus newspaper, The Phoenix, reports on the new exhibit, called "Eyes Wide Open." While the memorial was accompanied by a lecture that was political in nature, the exhibit itself is intended to be non-partisan. While telling the important stories of fallen soldiers like Sgt. Jennifer Hartman, who was killed near a Baghdad electrical station with two fellow troops in 2006, it also includes a pair of boots from Nicholas Berg. The American contractor was abducted and later murdered by al Qaeda in Iraq in 2004. A despicable video released by the terrorist group showed the West Chester, Pennsylvania native's decapitation. Lily Goodspeed explains why organizers believe including the memorial to Berg is important.

Though [American Friends Service Committee Program Director Scilla] Wahrhaftig noted that Nick Berg was a military contractor, not a soldier, she said, "He was a contractor in a different sense. He didn’t go for the money; he went to help the Iraqi people."

Wahrhaftig said that she hopes the exhibit will also remind Pennsylvanians about the importance of support groups for returning soldiers.

"It’s really tragic because when the National Guard comes back, they have no support,” she said. “I heard a story from a girl who saw her best friends killed in battle, and then returned to her hometown and her friends were talking about American Idol. She said 'How could we even start to connect again?'"

Of course, there is support available for returning National Guard troops, but there is no doubt that the system can be improved.

Wahrhaftig correctly states that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have mostly faded from American consciousness, with the celebrity-driven national media shouldering a significant portion of the blame. Yet moving memorials, like this humble tribute at Swarthmore, are a good first step in reminding our young people that many of their brothers and sisters are still fighting in foreign lands. Whether or not they agree with the cause, every American has a duty to notice.

The importance of victory

U.S. troops are in Afghanistan because Osama bin Laden and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed planned the 9/11 attacks in that country and were harbored by the Taliban. Today, as another threatening audio message from the world's most wanted fugitive is released, we are reminded of victory's importance.

The propaganda tape from bin Laden, who is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan or Pakistan, said America will pay if Mohammed is executed for crimes against humanity.

"Your master in the White House is following his predecessor in many important issues, like escalating the war in Afghanistan and unfairly treating our prisoners, led by the hero jihadi Khalid Sheikh Mohammed," the terrorist leader said.

Bin Laden also said that al Qaeda will execute any American prisoner it captures if the 9/11 mastermind is put to death. While this is of tremendous concern to military families, especially loved ones of missing Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl , the truth is that this threat is nothing new. Mohammed is believed to have personally carried out the brutal murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, proving once again that al Qaeda will butcher innocent civilians to advance its ideology of hate.

America and the world continues to wait for the day Osama bin Laden is captured or killed. The national media should be consistently focusing on that goal and the enormous sacrifices being made to attain it, instead of the marital troubles of Sandra Bullock or Tiger Woods.

An American dream

Image courtesy: U.S. Navy

Navy SEALs are some of the toughest people you will ever meet. While reading about the vigorous training they endure in Marcus Luttrell's bestselling book Lone Survivor, I couldn't help but wonder if SEALs are forced to sacrifice their humanity in order to survive under such intense conditions. The story of Chief Special Warfare Operator Adam Brown reminds me why I was wrong.

Chief Special Warfare Operator Brown answered his nation's call after the 9/11 attacks. After serving in the Navy since 1998, he became a SEAL in April 2001. Brown deployed to war zones several times, and was awarded the bronze star and purple heart for his extraordinary efforts. But according to WTKR-TV, he was also a loving husband and father, making his death even more tragic.

According to the Pentagon, the decorated combat veteran was killed in action at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan on Thursday. According to the WTKR article, Brown is the first SEAL to die in Afghanistan since Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Harris was killed on August 30, 2008.

In the video embedded below, one of Brown's old friends in Hot Springs, Arkansas, speaks of the elite warrior's human touch.

"Adam had the biggest heart in the smallest body, that you would ever see. His heart stood outside of himself. He was all heart," [David] Pranter said.

The closing paragraph of the aforementioned Lone Survivor offers an important glimpse into the mind of a Navy SEAL who bears the scars of America's post-9/11 struggle against terrorism. After an unimaginably painful ordeal in Afghanistan that will remain with him all his life, Marcus Luttrell wrote:

"But I did live my dream, and then some, and I guess I'll be asked many times whether it had all been worth it in the end. And my answer will always be the same one I gave so often on my first day.

'Affirmative, sir.' Because I came through it, and I have my memories, and I wouldn't have traded any of it, not for the whole world. I'm a United States Navy SEAL."

Chief Special Warfare Operator Adam Brown also lived his dream, and ultimately died for it. Because of his sacrifice, we are free to pursue ours.

 

Hungry heart

I have not been to Hungry Horse, Montana, but after looking at pictures for most of the morning, it seems like one of America's most peaceful places. The big sky mountain peaks are complimented by sun-glistened lakes, making the area a dream for someone who loves the great outdoors. Perhaps that's why Pvt. Nick Cook wasn't intimidated by the rugged terrain of Afghanistan, and had already made the decision to go back if his country needed him.

The Missoulian reports that Pvt. Cook indeed loved to be outside, where he snowboarded, biked, jumped out of planes, and played football and baseball. He particularly loved snowboarding, getting his start on nearby Whitefish Mountain. Cook would later tackle the Alps while stationed in Italy, and was planning a snowboarding trip to Alaska during some upcoming leave from Afghanistan.

Tragically, the 19-year-old would not be able to make that trip with his friends. According to the Pentagon, Cook was killed on March 7 in Afghanistan's Konar province, when terrorists attacked his unit with small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Cook was buried with full military honors on Saturday in Columbia Falls, Montana.

Reporter Vince Devilin writes that Cook had been primarily raised by his grandparents, Chuck and Kathy Taylor, since age three. The soldier is also survived by his mother, father, brother, and two sisters. Cook's grandma told the newspaper about why the young man decided on a life of service.

Cook chose Army Airborne, Taylor said, because an aunt, Beth Mueller of Lake Charles, La., had also served as a "sky soldier."

"Nick loved his aunt," Taylor said. "Whatever his auntie did, he listened to her."

Cook didn't talk much about Afghanistan with his grandparents.

"He told us it reminded him a lot of home, because of the mountains," Taylor said. "But that's almost all he told me about it. He didn't say much about what was going on. Of course, he was only there a couple of months."

Afghanistan's Konar province is filled with majestic peaks. Hopefully, in the soldier's final moments, Pvt. Nick Cook got one last glimpse at a mountain and thought of home. Hungry Horse will never be the same without the patriotic daredevil snowboarding down its hills, and neither will the United States of America.

'Strong as an ox'

Images courtesy: MySpace

Working at a Pizza Hut in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Spc. Robert Rieckhoff had a different career in mind. After getting his first taste of the military as a reservist, the young man decided serving his country was his life's true calling.

According to the Department of Defense, Spc. Rieckhoff, 26, was killed on Thursday in Baghdad, when terrorists attacked his tower with a rocket-propelled grenade. He had been looking forward to returning home from Iraq this summer, and had even bought a car online that he couldn't wait to test drive.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that 'Bubba,' as his family nicknamed him as a boy, had insisted on a righteous path in life.

"He wanted people to be proud of him," said his mother, Barbara Garwood. "His friends were getting in trouble. He didn't want that."

The soldier's grieving mother continued:

"I couldn't ask for a better son," Barbara Garwood said. "He listened."

Reporter Bill Glauber writes that Rieckhoff leaves behind two children, four sisters, and two brothers. The fallen soldier's uncle, Bruce Anderson, is also deeply saddened by the loss of his nephew.

"He was strong as an ox," said Anderson, his uncle. "He shouldn't be dead. He should be around."

Tributes are pouring in on Rieckhoff's MySpace page, including this one from a cousin.

"Why now? You were just here, I just saw you two months ago. Your kids will miss you dearly, but we will make sure they are taken care of. [I'll] light a candle for you tonight, you are my hero! You were very brave... and I'm very proud of you! I'll see you in heaven cuz, rest in peace."

Maybe we can all light a candle tonight for Robert Rieckhoff, as well as every American serving in harm's way.

'It doesn't feel real yet'

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Mike Alberts

One month ago in northern Iraq, an OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter crashed near Mosul. Two accomplished pilots, Capt. Marcus Alford and Chief Warrant Officer Billie Grinder, were lost in a tragedy that shook many in Tennessee, where the 1/230th Air Cavalry Squadron of the state's National Guard is based.

While the fallen soldiers still loom large in the minds of many fellow troops, the military community finally has something to smile about today. The Knoxville News reports that hundreds of soldiers from the unit are arriving home in Tennessee after a year at war.

Among the returning soldiers was Capt. Jake May, who was welcomed home by his wife, Angie, and his two sons, Eli, 10, and 7-year-old Thomas - along with more than 70 family members and friends wearing red and white "Welcome Home Jake" T-shirts.

"It doesn't feel real yet," said May, an instructor pilot and platoon leader, as he was surrounded by the crowd within a crowd of supporters on the tarmac. "I had no idea (they would all be here.)"

According to the article, the 600 men and women bravely serving in the squadron flew almost 30,000 hours in Iraq. Alford and Grinder's deaths were the only casualties suffered by the unit, but as Maj. Gen. Max Haston said in February, we cannot forget their sacrifice.

"Words cannot express my extreme sorrow at the loss of these outstanding soldiers, and my heartfelt sympathy goes out to the families and friends of these valiant warriors. Tennessee has lost two brave volunteers who truly believed in what they were doing to ensure a free Iraq. We are still a nation at war and we must continue to keep our soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in our daily thoughts and prayers."

The making of a miracle

Images courtesy: Facebook

Gunnery Sgt. Robert Gilbert II spent the morning of his 28th birthday in a Bethesda, Maryland, hospital bed. While some might label being critically wounded by a sniper's bullet as incredibly bad luck, a stirring chronology of the Marine's final days, shared by his loved ones, may lead to a different conclusion. A series of miracles, coupled with Gunnery Sgt. Gilbert's amazing strength, ensured that the American hero would survive until his final birthday, surrounded by his family, friends, and fellow Marines.

According to the Pentagon, Gilbert was seriously wounded on March 8 in Afghanistan's Badghis province. The Richfield, Ohio, native was supporting combat operations with the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. A family friend told The Akron Beacon Journal that the terrorist's bullet did severe damage to the right side of his skull, yet the Marine fought hard and made it back to American soil alive. As reporter Katie Byard explains, it wasn't the first time that "Gunny," as he was affectionately nicknamed, defied the odds.

About two weeks earlier, Gilbert survived another shooting when his Kevlar vest stopped the bullet.

Gilbert, who joined the Marines when he was 18, was on his fifth tour of duty in the Middle East and his second tour in Afghanistan.

On March 10, Bob Gilbert flew to Germany, where his son was stabilized after being transferred from Afghanistan.

The Marine's father then helped escort his critically wounded son to Bethesda on a military plane. Through an enormously difficult ordeal that few of us can imagine, the Richfield police officer decided to share his emotions with the world on Facebook. The result is a tribute group appropriately named "GySgt Robert Gilbert- A miracle in the making," which is nothing short of a national treasure. If you visit the page, you will not be able to stop reading the powerful posts of support, which includes this stunning account from the Marine's father from inside the hospital room. After painful soul-searching, neurosurgeons and the Gilbert family had decided to remove the Marine from a respirator so his organs could be donated.

"Sunday morning came fast and we were ready to uphold the wishes of my youngest child. The Recon Marines escorted GySgt Robert to the OR to complete his final battle in this mortal life. Ruth Ann and I held my sons head, Chief (medic) was holding his left arm, Doc was standing Guard for the fallen Gunny and the Chaplin invited the Lord Jesus to join us. GySgt Robert was removed from the ventilator, but his strong muscular heart and powerful lungs prevailed and supported life. GySgt Robert was returned to the ICU, having defeated modern medicine in battle."

While doctors warned the family that the overall outlook was still dire, the Marine's incredible survival on Sunday was a miracle. He continued fighting until the very end, which came on Tuesday night. After spending most of his 28th birthday with his father, Gunnery Sgt. Robert Gilbert II would spend the rest of the night with his mother, who passed away after a battle with cancer.

While every post in the Facebook group is moving, Amanda Gilbert-Hodgson summed up the tragic ordeal in a particularly effective way.

"Sometimes miracles aren't what we want them to be---sometimes they are more subtle than that. When we become better people because of our loss and our heartbreak, when we are so inspired by the bravery and sacrifice of one so young and we proceed to live our lives in a new way, we become the miracle."

It is also a miracle that America had Gunnery Sgt. Robert Gilbert II for 28 years, to defend its honor and defeat its enemies abroad.

Man at work

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

Spc. Steven Bishop was a hard worker. Whether processing scrap metal in Roanoke, Virginia, or helping build roads and schools in Tal Afar, Iraq, Spc. Bishop quietly did his job, remaining calm even the under intense war zone pressure.

According to the Pentagon, Bishop died Saturday in Tikrit while supporting combat operations. The Roanoke Times reports that the soldier became ill while serving and succumbed to the unspecified medical condition. A fellow soldier spoke with reporter Jorge Valencia about Bishop.

"He stayed even-keeled all the time," his supervisor, Sgt. 1st Class Chris Kern, said over the phone. "He was very mature, and that's the kind of person you wanted. He was not very excitable."

Bishop, 29, played high school football in Floyd County, not far from the campus of college football powerhouse Virginia Tech. An acquaintance said he enjoyed hanging out at local restaurants with friends and listening to country music. In addition to his metal work, he spent some time as a volunteer firefighter. As a soldier half a world away in Iraq, he would again answer the call to put his life on the line for others.

Bishop's Army job was demanding and difficult. According to the article, the 422nd Civil Affairs Battalion, 352nd Civil Affairs Command, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command works 12 to 18 hours a day, six days a week on dozens of rebuilding projects in Iraq. By all accounts, Bishop never complained about his challenging workload, and in fact told his friends that he enjoyed it.

While the American media has moved on from closely covering day-to-day events on the ground in Iraq, it's clear that many U.S. troops are still working very hard in the war-torn country. For Spc. Steven Bishop, helping the people of Iraq was his duty, and he didn't ask for anything in return.

'There is nowhere that I would rather be'

Images courtesy: Facebook

On Veterans Day 2008, Sgt. 1st Class Glen Jacob Whetten sat down to write a few words on his blog.

"As I sit here today in my uniform while on brigade staff duty, I ask myself if there is anywhere I would rather be on this holiday, I mean sure I could be at one of my buds houses gearing up for a barbeque, or maybe just chilling at my house playing with my dogs and watching a couple of movies, or playing the [XBox] 360 killing some terrorists who are trying to lay siege to Las Vegas. But as I walk around the Ranger Hall of Fame and walk through the hallways where it is dead silent aside from my own footsteps, I see photos and read archives of battles past, where 'we were outnumbered' or 'given up for dead.' And I stand quiet and in awe with what some of these old timers have been through."

Sgt. 1st Class Whetten, 31, was determined to be a part of his generation's call to service. He enlisted almost immediately after high school, and was later among the first U.S. boots on the ground in Iraq during the 2003 invasion. After his deployment, he was training fellow soldiers at Georgia's Fort Benning, where he wrote the above blog post, before volunteering to serve in Afghanistan.

According to the Pentagon, Whetten was killed on Friday, near Kandahar, when his vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device planted by terrorists. The American hero's brother, Jed, describes the moment he learned the painful news.

"Yesterday I got a call that I never wanted to get. My mother called to let me know that an Army chaplain and two Officers arrived with news of my brother's death. Words do no justice to the anguish and pain that I felt and still feel."

The Arizona Republic spoke to the soldier's mother, Amy, who gave the newspaper some courageous words during a tremendously difficult time.

She said a friend told her that Jake's death was the worst thing that could have happened, but Amy Whetten disagrees. She said the worst thing is when people waste their lives doing bad things. Her son perished fighting for his country.

"I'm hurt, but I'm at peace," she said. "It's heartbreaking and it's very sad, but it's not the worst thing."

Whetten, described by loved ones as a friendly man who took a particular interest in helping children, leaves behind an 11-year-old daughter, three siblings, mother, and fiancee. He will be honored by family and friends at a memorial service in Phoenix, and by fellow troops at Afghanistan's Camp Blackhorse.

Every article, blog post, or Facebook tribute to Whetten mentions his love and absolute committment to his country. Yet it seems most appropriate to return to the soldier's own words for an accurate glimpse at his intrinsic dedication to service. After telling the story of a World War II hero, the soldier wrote:

"Now that is just one story that these walls whisper to me as I walk down these halls conducting my safety checks. That is what makes me proud to be an American, proud to be a soldier, an Airborne Ranger. That is what makes me proud to be a veteran. There is nowhere that I would rather be!"

When America was attacked on September 11, 2001, Sgt. 1st Class Glen Jacob Whetten stood ready to defend her. His words, backed by his actions, show us a man who helped keep our nation proud, safe, and strong. Our deepest condolences go out to everyone who knew this humble patriot, including the young nephew pictured below with his beloved Uncle Jake.

A farewell to bayonets

Image courtesy: Myles Cullen

Watch almost any real footage or fictionalized portrayal of basic training, and you will see recruits repeatedly practicing with bayonets. Soon, those drills will be phased out of the U.S. Army's basic training sessions, as the military continues its efforts to adapt to 21st century combat.

WTVF-TV in Nashville, Tennessee interviewed Maj. Gen. John Campbell about the changes, which mark the first overhaul of basic training in 30 years.



The Associated Press reports that advice from veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars was instrumental in pushing the Army to revamp its storied training program. The new basic training will place a greater emphasis in being quick and mobile, even while wearing body armor and carrying heavy weapons.

"We have to make the training relevant to the conditions on the modern battlefield," Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling said during a visit to Fort Jackson in January.

This sounds like a good start.

Hope and promise, left behind

Image courtesy: MySpace

Cpl. Jonathan Porto had a lot going for him. The Marine got married in April 2009, was promoted to corporal in December, and celebrated the birth of his first child in January. Just before his daughter entered the world, he deployed to Afghanistan to defend it.

According to the Defense Department, Cpl. Porto, 26, lost his life on Sunday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province. The Marine's job in Afghanistan was to fix small arms in the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan. The St. Petersburg Times reports that his flag-draped casket will arrive at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware early Tuesday afternoon.

The Tampa Tribune spoke to the fallen Marine's sister about what his sacrifice means to their large family.

"It's pretty haunting, it's pretty sad," [Sonya Porto] said from her home in Missouri.

"He's one of eight kids," she said. "We're grieving. We're really close."

While Cpl. Jonathan Porto's grieving wife and seven siblings will never be able to fully mend their broken hearts, the Marine's legacy lives on through his little girl. "A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future," a saying goes. While it is difficult for any child to grow up without a father, she will stand on a firm foundation, knowing her dad gave his life so she can grow up in a world not dominated by terrorism and war.

Bringing a friend home

Image courtesy: Houston Marine Moms

Lance Cpl. Bryce Ritzen met Lance Cpl. Garrett Gamble when they were both thinking about joining the Marines at age 17. From that day forward, they were friends who loved to compete against each other in sports. They also became fellow Marines, enlisting on the same day and deploying to Afghanistan just months apart.

On Wednesday, Lance Cpl. Ritzen will be at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to begin escorting his close friend's flag-draped casket home to Sugarland, Texas. According to the Pentagon, Lance Cpl. Gamble was killed in combat on Thursday in Afghanistan's Helmand province. The Houston Chronicle reports that Gamble's death has shocked the community, and especially his friend.

"I always felt Garrett was going to be fine," said Ritzen, who is on leave but will return to Afghanistan in a few months. "To lose him … I felt like I lost my entire family at once."

Reporter Paige Hewitt writes that Gamble was an avid sportsman who had a particular interest in hockey. He is survived by a mother, father, stepfather, and two younger brothers. The family is asking that instead of flowers, donations be made to Houston Marine Moms , which already has a beautiful tribute to the fallen Marine on its homepage.

To the family who loved him, he was the little bundle in blue brought home from the hospital, perfect in every way ... promises of little boy hugs and kisses and smiles in the years to come...the big brother that they could tease and torment (as only little brothers can), knowing all the while that he was their hero and who they loved.

On Saturday morning, many of us will be enjoying some time off at the end of another tough work week. At the same time, the silence of a Texas cemetery will be broken by a 21-gun salute in honor of a young man who felt compelled to serve his country in a time of war. As we relax this coming weekend, let's pause for a moment to think about Lance Cpl. Garrett Gamble's family in Texas. Let's also say thank you to Lance Cpl. Bryce Ritzen for his service, and for bringing his dear friend home.

'You kept us from falling apart'

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

On March 1, Spc. Ian Gelig was on the Tarnak River Bridge in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when a terrorist rammed a car filled with explosives into his convoy. The 25-year-old soldier was killed and the important bridge badly damaged.

In the two weeks since the attack, which the distracted American media mostly ignored, the full story of Spc. Gelig's sacrifice is coming together. The Canadian Press reports that the key bridge is being rebuilt, while author and former Green Beret Michael Yon is asking tough questions about the attack, so the American and Canadian militaries can learn from the incident. Most importantly, however, a portrait of a brave, dedicated soldier is emerging that cannot be overlooked.

According to The Contra Costa Times, Gelig, of Stevenson Ranch, California, joined the military in 2006. The Fayetteville Observer reports he deployed to Kuwait in 2007 and served there for over a year. Gelig was then transferred to the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, and left for Afghanistan in the summer of 2009. His loving parents and sisters are mourning his death, while his high school observed a moment of silence in the fallen hero's honor. Fellow soldiers who knew Gelig are lining up to praise him as a loyal friend and caring person. One quote in particular caught my eye:

"Gelig will always be with us," Pvt. Antonio Santos, a paratrooper from Alpha Company, said in [a Fort Bragg press] release. "From the day you arrived, you touched everyone's heart. You made us laugh, you made us smile, and you kept us from falling apart."

We all wish Spc. Ian Gelig did not die on that bridge. Yet had he not been there, more civilians may have died in the attack, and even more damage could have been done to the critical structure that coalition troops clearly need in order to prevail in the south. Pvt. Santos couldn't be more correct: this brave young man kept us from falling apart. And even in the wake of tough questions surrounding this tragic incident, we honor Spc. Ian Gelig's proud legacy by standing together.

Taliban 'message' targets women, children

Image courtesy: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Most Americans know the enemy we face in Afghanistan is brutal, cowardly, and hypocritical. That's not internet muscle-flexing or empty rhetoric, it's my strongly-held opinion, based on analyzing facts gathered by people on the ground and reading the Taliban's own words.

The latest Taliban atrocity was committed yesterday in Kandahar, where at least 35 people were killed in five terrorist attacks. According to CNN, six women and three children are among the 22 civilians killed in the bombings. At least 40 more innocent civilians, as well as 17 Afghan police officers, were wounded. According to the CNN article, Taliban 'spokesman' Qari Yousef Ahmadi claims the 'operation' was a message to Gen. Stanley McChrystal and planners of the coming U.S.-led assault on Taliban and al Qaeda elements in Kandahar.

The contradictions embedded deep inside the enemy's ideology are again apparent when confronted with their statements and actions. The Taliban and al Qaeda claim to be protectors of Muslim lands, yet intentionally murder and maim defenseless Afghans in public areas. Saturday's attacks were reportedly aimed at a bus station, prison, police station, and house. Of course, this is not the only case where the enemy has used civilians as pawns for their twisted goals: author and former Green Beret Michael Yon reports from the ground that a U.S. intelligence officer recently told him that "Taliban had stationed kids on the roofs of some of the compounds they were fighting from."

What 'message' did the Taliban send Gen. McChrystal and the men and women he commands on Saturday? The only one I can think of is "come stop us from murdering innocent people to advance our ideology." The human and financial toll of securing Kandahar will be high, especially for U.S. servicemembers and military families. The tragic nature of that fact is not something any of us take lightly.

After another reminder that the enemy remains committed to its murderous agenda, how can America walk away from a country that was the breeding ground for the terrorist attacks in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania? While well-intentioned patriots can have honest disagreements with each other on that question, this blog believes America's cause is just. We must prevail. We also must play close attention to the volunteer warriors making extraordinary sacrifices every single day in a faraway land.

Legendary astronauts salute their heroes

Jim Lovell is the definition of an American hero. He served in the Navy, retiring as a Captain, and became the first man to take four different flights to space. Lovell is most famous for piloting the Apollo 13 mission, and his legend grew even further when Tom Hanks portrayed him in Ron Howard's 1995 hit film.

The 81-year-old Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient has accomplished extraordinary things in his life. So when Lovell recently uttered these words while meeting our men and women serving overseas, it had real meaning.

"These are the real heroes these days, not us."

The Air Force Times reports that Lovell, Neil Armstrong, Gene Cernan, Steve Ritchie, and Robert Gilliland are on an eight-day tour of U.S. military bases around the world. Their first stop was Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where thousands of U.S. troops work or pass through each month. Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon and a former Navy pilot, spoke to troops and posed for pictures. Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon and also a former Navy pilot, talked about how the war of his time affected him while working as an astronaut.

"Vietnam was my war and I didn’t get to fight in it because all my buddies got their tails shot off, and I got my picture in the newspaper because I went to the moon," he said. "And that’s something that has always bothered me, and maybe that’s why I wanted to come over here so much."

Lovell also jumped at the chance to meet American troops and boost morale. While his NASA career is still celebrated in American culture, another important piece of his enduring legacy will soon be complete in Illinois. The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center is being constructed on VA grounds near the Navy's basic training facility. How fitting that some of today's heroes will receive care at a hospital named for a man that repeatedly put his life on the line for this country. And instead of only staying active with NASA affairs during his retirement, Lovell has made supporting the military one of his life's greatest causes.

Jim Lovell famously once told Houston that we have a problem. Many years later, America is facing a new challenge, and the retired captain has stepped up to be part of the solution.

Uncommon valor

Sgt. Jonathan Richardson and Pfc. Jason Kropat have distinct backgrounds, hailing from different parts of the country. Yet they also have a lot in common: they are both beloved sons, brothers, and American patriots who volunteered to serve their country in a time of war. Both men were stationed at Kentucky's Fort Campbell, before C Company, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd BCT deployed to Afghanistan in January.

According to the Pentagon, the soldiers were killed on Tuesday when terrorists attacked their unit with small arms and rocket-propelled grenadaes in Khowst province. Specific details about the tragic incident have not been released.

Sgt. Richardson, 24, is from Bald Knob, Arkansas. According to KATV-TV, the soldier is survived by his wife, parents, brother, and sister. He worked as a fire support specialist in Afghanistan.

Pfc. Kropat, 25, is from White Lake, New York, where flags are flying at half-staff in his honor. According to The Times-Herald Record, Kropat carefully considered his decision to join the military. He missed his three sisters, parents, and girlfriend while overseas, but had no regrets about serving his country.

Kropat lived most of his life in Smallwood with his three sisters — Kristina, 28, Kimberly, 23, and Courtney, 19. He grew up in Sullivan County and attended Monticello High School.

He loved the outdoors, Kristina Kropat said. Her brother loved to fish and there is a picture of him in the Times Herald-Record from 2008, when he caught a 22-inch trout.

"He really believed in what he was fighting for," Kimberly Kropat said. "He will be missed. He will be sorely missed."

A memorial service for the fallen soldiers is being held by fellow troops in Afghanistan. Tears will undoubtedly be seen falling on fatigues at the service, and the dozens of soldiers attending will never forget the names of their fallen brothers. Sgt. Jonathan Richardson and Pfc. Jason Kropat served for the men and women next to them, without reservation or regret. Their loved ones and fellow troops are in our thoughts.

Welcome home, Afghanistan heroes

Image courtesy: WGCL-TV

Ever since Lonnie Teal deployed to Afghanistan, his daughter carried around a doll with his picture covering its face. Finally, after a long year at war, the little girl can hug her real dad instead.

"She is tired of carrying her daddy doll around. Now, she has him in person," Kimberly Teal told The Cherokee Tribune.

The 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry of Georgia's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team returned home on Tuesday, and was greeted by hundreds of enthusiastic supporters in Canton, Georgia. While many friends and family members were in the crowd, the newspaper reports that others simply came out to support the troops. Reporter Ashley Fuller also interviewed a soldier about his experiences in Afghanistan.

Specialist Travis Ray of Canton said Afghanistan was a challenging place to serve.

"The weather is rough at times. It can go from 135 or 136 degrees during the day to minus 20 degrees at night. It is a really weird place for weather," he said.

He said he and his fellow troops enjoyed working with Afghan people.

"They catch on. You just have to give them a little while, but they catch on," he said.

Ray said the troops were surprised to see the reception waiting for them.

"It is an honor to see that many people that took time out of their day just to waive at us," he said.

This blog salutes these soldiers, as well as the city of Canton, Georgia, for a job well done. WGCL-TV has video of the troops returning home.

Two Marines, one city

On March 1, Lance Cpl. Carlos Aragon was killed in combat in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Word of the tragedy quickly spread to Orem, Utah, where the fallen Marine grew up. When the news reached Kim Olsen, the mother of a Marine in Afghanistan who once lived in Orem, she became even more nervous about her son's safety. The worried mom would soon receive devastating news: Lance Cpl. Nigel Olsen had been killed the same war zone, just three days later.

Aragon and Olsen weren't just two Marines who happened to be from the same city. They were classmates at Mountain View High School who graduated one year apart. After joining the Marines, they both ended up in Charlie Company of the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, serving in the most dangerous province of Afghanistan. Finally, separated only by a few days, their families greeted their flag-draped caskets at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for the long, solemn journey back to Utah.

According to the Deseret News, Lance Cpl. Aragon, 19, was born in Mexico before his family moved to Orem when he was five years old. He loved his family and had many interests, including cars, music, and skateboarding. Bishop Robert Gardner described the Marine's selfless nature to reporter Marc Haddock.

"He was a quiet, humble young man. He didn't need any fame. He didn't need any glory. He didn't like to speak in front of people," Gardner said.

Gardner mentioned an incident where Aragon was helping a friend who had suffered a fender-bender tape the damaged hood down so the car could be driven to a mechanic.

"But he did more than that. He made sure the car looked as good as it could, then with the duct tape he put a big smiley face on the front of the car," Gardner said. "What a wonderful way to turn a negative experience into something his friend would remember for the rest of his life."

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Lance Cpl. Olsen, 21, had a striking presence, but also a calm and focused demeanor.

"He was very unassuming," said family friend Mark Bracken. "He was fun to be with, but he didn't say much. When you'd ask him a question, you would get a very short response. It wasn't rude or anything, just always to the point."

"He was so, so quiet," remembered Karen Taylor, a neighbor who volunteered to sew the patches onto Olsen's uniforms. "His mom always said it was because she was quiet and his dad was a quiet person too."

Orem, which is known as "Family City USA," is living up to its nickname, even in the midst of tragedy. Its grieving high school of 1,450 students decided to go on with a planned theater performance, "God's Favorite," last night. One actor who took the stage was Aaron Larsen, a friend of Lance Cpl. Nigel Olsen. Reporter Matthew LaPlante spoke to students and teachers about the meaning of the religious-themed play.

"It's about how you deal with adversity and how it could split a family apart," said drama teacher Nathan Criman. "It could -- but it doesn't."

They walked through the same halls as students, and patrolled the same villages as Marines. Tonight, Carlos Aragon and Nigel Olsen are together again in a better place, as heroes who will never be forgotten.

It happens every day

Image courtesy: Petty Officer 3rd Class Robbie Stirrup

Just after dropping off my mother-in-law at the airport this afternoon, I saw something very powerful in the corner of my eye as I pulled away from the terminal. It was an American soldier embracing a woman much older than him, possibly his mother, as he left for his flight. Where was he headed? Iraq? Afghanistan? Germany? Japan? A base inside the United States? While I wouldn't dare intrude on such an emotional, personal moment, I wish I could have asked.

I've written before about airports, and how seeing so many men and women in uniform walking around terminals is just about the only thing that makes waiting for a flight a positive experience. But today, seeing the soldier forced leave a loved one behind changed my view slightly. It's tough to look at two people with tightly intertwined lives, and ask yourself why they have to be apart.

Imagine being separated from your spouse, child, sibling, or best friend for a year or more, especially if you weren't sure you'd ever see their smiling face again. The emotions a servicemember must go through, especially while walking through airports just moments after saying goodbye, must be tremendously difficult as he or she prepares to fly into an unknown land.

Every single day since September 11, 2001, these moments have been occurring in airports, train stations, and bus depots across America. These gentle, sometimes uncertain farewells should remind us that every single volunteer in our armed forces is sacrificing precious time with the people they love most. While doing so, they protect our freedom to spend our lives with those we care about.

For this, we owe.

'He was my best friend'

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

Last week, Spc. Alan Dikcis made a very important decision in his life. Even though he had been serving in Afghanistan since August, he decided to re-enlist, which the soldier undoubtedly knew could result in another combat tour. Tragically, Spc. Dikcis, 21, would not be able to continue serving his country. According to the Pentagon, he was killed on Friday in Kandahar when an improvised explosive device hit his vehicle.

For the Dikcis family in upstate New York, this is not their first encounter with the horrors of war. The Buffalo News reports that Alan's older brother, Stanley Dikcis, was badly wounded by a roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan when he served in the war zone. The Afghanistan veteran admits he is having a very hard time dealing with the shocking news.

“My brother was so dedicated to the Army,” said Dikcis, 23, who served in the 101st Airborne Division before his medical retirement. “He was my best friend, and he looked up to me so much. I’m still numb, trying to hold it all together. I’ve seen a lot of death.”

The grieving brother continued:

“[Alan] joined the Army because of me. He was so proud of me,” said Stanley, wiping tears from his eyes, sitting in the Gate Coffee Shop on Lockport Road with some of his brother’s friends, just a short distance from his family’s home.

It is critical that family, friends, and the Niagara Falls community come together to help Stanley during this time of unbearable pain, which they surely will. While this important story is a stark reminder of the dangers our troops face in Afghanistan, it is also a wake-up call to continue strengthening the national network of support for wounded veterans.

The fallen soldier's stepmother, Gricela Dikcis, told WIVB-TV that Al, as friends and family call him, was a very happy young man who was fascinated with motors. His job in Afghanistan was to repair damaged vehicles, which is among the Army's most dangerous assignments. Terrorists often stake out U.S. vehicles that have been previously attacked, hoping for an ambush opportunity when reinforcements arrive to survey the damage.

Despite the risks involved with his first tour, Spc. Alan Dikcis volunteered to do it all over again. The United States of America and Afghanistan would have ultimately been better places if he had gotten the chance to continue making a difference in people's lives. The Dikcis family has our unconditional support, sympathy, and attention during this tragic time.

Victory: 'The Hurt Locker' wins Best Picture

When 'The Hurt Locker' was released in the United States on June 26, 2009, few noticed. A war fatigued media and general public mostly ignored the film, except for a few glowing reviews by film critics paid to see every movie, and an excellent segment by my former employer, CNN.com. Tonight, the movie completed its stunning journey to cinematic immortality, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture.

As I have written before, war is not a movie. I have not had the honor of serving in the U.S. military, but I am almost certain that statement is correct. Some in the Armed Forces have mocked 'The Hurt Locker' for factual inaccuracies and dramatic liberties, and I will certainly not argue with a factually-based point made by a man or woman who has put their life on the line for our nation. Yet I will repeat what I told my wife after I first saw the film back in July: I felt like I spent two hours in Iraq while watching it. Even though the movie is fictional, I came away with an even greater respect for what U.S. troops go through in Iraq and Afghanistan on a daily basis.

To me, the key scene in Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar-winning film (please do not continue reading if you haven't seen it) is when the fictional Sgt. 1st Class William James, played by Jeremy Renner, is shown making an almost impossible transition from Iraq's war-torn streets to a boring grocery store aisle. Regardless of any other scene in the movie, I hope the many people who will see it simply because it won the Academy Award take a moment to think about the adjustments our veterans have to make after coming home from wars they volunteered to fight.

'The Hurt Locker' is a non-partisan film. President George W. Bush, Sen. John Kerry, and the 2004 election are never mentioned in the film, which takes place in the heat of their campaign battle over war policy. And I don't think it's politically motivated to point out that a movie about the Iraq war won an improbable Oscar on the same day that Iraqis went to the polls in what many considered an unlikely exercise in democracy a few years ago, during the darkest days of the costly conflict. While U.S. troops in Iraq are still in danger and we cannot celebrate until they all come home, tonight is a night for us to be proud of the military. To all of you who serve so us ordinary Americans can sit at home and watch Hollywood congratulate itself at this time each year: Thank you. It doesn't take a gold statue for most Americans to realize that you are second to none.

Election day

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Kelly Longbine

History is being made today in Iraq, where millions of citizens are voting in an election that will help choose a leader after U.S. forces leave the country. Thanks to the sacrifices of coalition troops, a country that was once terrorized by a murderous dictator is tasting freedom.

Sadly, insurgents have unleashed violent reprisals across the country this weekend. According to a Fox News report, mortar attacks killed at least 31 people across Iraq just as the polls opened. Once again, terrorists are proving they will target civilians in an effort to advance their crumbling ideology.

Over 4,300 American troops have died during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the debate continues over whether the war was worth our precious blood and treasure. But regardless of how one feels about the conflict, the accomplishments of our men and women in uniform are clear and undeniable. They brilliantly performed a task many thought impossible during the darkest days of the war, and Iraq finally has a chance to be free.

'A natural leader'

Images courtesy: Facebook

Lance Cpl. Eric Ward was a funny guy. While proud, strong, and dedicated to his duty, a profile in The Seattle Times shows the Marine believed there was always time for some good-natured humor.

"He was always the person to make you laugh no matter what happened,” said Trey Hoover, 19, a fellow Marine who was Ward’s roommate in Afghanistan. “No matter what happened, where we were at, even if we were sleeping in the field getting a torrential downpour rained on us, he’d always make it funny.”

Lance Cpl. Ward, a machine gunner from Redmond, Washington, died in combat on February 21 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, where Operation Moshtarak continues at this very moment. His grieving family is asking that donations be made in Ward's memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, a wonderful organization that I have proudly donated to in the past.

An outpouring of grief followed Ward's tragic death, from Washington state all the way to Minnesota, where Ward spent a significant amount of time as a child. Accounts by his mother and father show Ward was a gifted athlete who excelled on the baseball and football fields. Yet in the back of his mind, Ward always felt compelled to serve his country, like the three generations of his family before him.

Ward was not content with only serving his generation, however. From a young age, he showed a compassionate interest in children. At Mount Si High School in Snoqualmie, his dad said Ward would buy extra sets of school supplies to give to less fortunate kids. Half a world away in Afghanistan, Ward told his mom stories of giving pens and pencils to Afghan children.

"Eric loved life," mother Monica McNeal told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "He kind of lived life on the edge of the sandbox. He pushed the limit. He made people laugh."

"He was a natural leader," father Steven Ward told The Seattle Times. “He was proud to serve. He was proud for his family. He was strong."

Friends are also reaching out with poignant tributes to the fallen Marine on a Facebook group in his honor. Marissa Bean wrote:

"Your service has completely changed the way I look at my every day freedom. Thank you for opening my eyes to appreciate what [you] all are doing for us. May [you] be blessed for all eternity. You name will be remembered forever in a beautiful way Eric."

It is clear that Lance Cpl. Eric Ward, who went to war so the children he cared so much about wouldn't have to, will not be forgotten. At a theater he likely visited several times, a tribute to the fallen Marine shines brightly on the marquee. This is a name worth remembering.

Touching the sky

Images courtesy: Facebook

About three years ago, Lance Cpl. Adam Peak decided to aim high in life. He joined the Marines, but he wasn't alone in making the commitment. His brother, Sean Peak, joined the Marine Corps only one week apart. As WLWT-TV reports, they both served in Iraq, and had been in Afghanistan since October.

"Sean and Adam were legendary on base. They were the Peak brothers. … They didn't know them separately. They know them together," said Robyn Peak, Sean's wife and Adam's sister-in-law.

According to the Pentagon, Lance Cpl. Adam Peak was killed in combat on February 21 in Afghanistan's Helmand province. According to the WLWT article, the 25-year-old Marine stepped on an improvised explosive device planted by enemy forces.

Adam Peak's death shook family, friends, and fellow troops from Afghanistan all the way to northern Kentucky. On Saturday, hundreds in Florence lined the streets to honor the Marine as he came home in a flag-draped casket. Sean Peak returned from Afghanistan for the services, and stood at the local airport with his parents to salute his brother in arms.

Another fellow Marine who honored Peak didn't know Adam in life, but has been forever changed by the experience of his death. In a Facebook group filled with loving tributes to the fallen hero, Lance Cpl. Molly Hoffman writes about escorting him home from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

"This was my first escort assignment. My command was made aware of the need of an escort for a fallen Marine and I volunteered to do the honors. I cannot begin to thank everyone who gave support to his family [and] friends, and how much it means to Marines to see that we are not forgotten. Escorting LCpl Peak home was the most intense experience I think I will ever have. The love and pride I saw in all of your faces will stick with me forever and when I am asked I will let everyone know that Kentucky knows how to honor their fallen."

To learn more about the solemn and compassionate process of escorting a fallen Marine home, I strongly suggest watching the touching HBO film 'Taking Chance,' for which actor Kevin Bacon was awarded a Golden Globe. It tells the story of Lt. Col. Michael Strobl escorting the body of Lance Cpl. Chance Phelps, who was killed in Iraq in 2004, back to Wyoming.

Peak also served in Iraq, and a stirring reminder of that conflict could be found in the crowd on Saturday. According to Cincinnati.com, Keith Maupin, the father of Sgt. Matt Maupin, who gave his life in Iraq in 2008, came out to show his support for the fallen Marine's family.

Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius once wrote: "Short is the little time which remains to thee of life. Live as on a mountain." By all accounts, Lance Cpl. Adam Peak was proud of his service. Nobody forced him, or his brother, to join the Marines. Peak simply decided to live up to his last name.