The big picture

Image courtesy: Senior Airman Julianne Showalter

Various media outlets report that July is now the deadliest month of the nearly nine-year war in Afghanistan for American forces. NATO announced the deaths of three more coalition troops in the south on Friday, which The Associated Press reports are American casualties. National media outlets, including NBC News, are also reporting on an apparent riot in Kabul after a tragic automobile accident involving a U.S. Embassy vehicle. The large NBC headline said "Kabul rioters burn SUVs, yell 'Death To America.'"

Losing fine volunteer warriors in combat and coping with unintentional deaths of Afghan civilians are enormously painful for members of the United States military. Our thoughts and prayers go out not only to loved ones of our fallen heroes, but to innocent Afghan civilians caught in the crossfire as a result of the Taliban harboring al Qaeda terrorists who ordered attacks on the United States. America did not choose this war, yet has spent every day since September 11, 2001 fighting to win.

While July was probably the most difficult month in Afghanistan since the October 7, 2001, invasion, the national media did not spend the last 30 days painting an accurate picture of events on the ground. While spotlighting the leak of thousands of classified documents that endangered the lives of American troops and Afghan civilians, a New York Times news article editorialized that the public is growing "increasingly skeptical" of the conflict in Afghanistan, which the writers also claimed "until recently was a second class war." While consistent media coverage of Afghanistan or Iraq has been rare in recent years, July's story selection was almost entirely negative.

Press coverage of WikiLeaks focused mostly on civilian deaths allegedly caused by the United States from 2004 to 2010, even as a prominent journalist who has risked her life to cover the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq pushed back. Amid the national media's outcry, CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent Lara Logan correctly noted that "according to the documents, 195 Afghan civilians have been killed. But also according to the documents, 2,000 Afghan civilians have been killed by the Taliban, which is more than 10 times the number said to be killed by U.S. and NATO forces. And very little is being made of that."

Very little is also being made of the efforts of five brave airmen to save 40 people before the tragic crash of their HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter. During the month of July, American citizens also didn't hear much about badly injured 101st Airborne medic Pfc. John Pardue, who knelt over his brother in arms, Pfc. David Jefferson, to perform CPR after an IED attack. Cable news focused on Lindsay Lohan as 150 Marines and sailors from the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division returned home after completing their mission in Afghanistan. The story of baseball star Spc. Christopher Moon, who chose serving his country over a high-profile athletic scholarship, is not well-known outside Arizona. Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Eastman disabled dozens of bombs that could have killed fellow troops and Afghan civilians. And not enough people have heard about the heroic actions of Cpl. Joe Wrightsman, who dove into a raging river to try to save a drowning Afghan soldier.

If you relied on national newspapers, network news, and cable channels for Afghanistan coverage in July, you might think the war effort is an unmitigated disaster, with U.S. troops indiscriminately killing civilians and failing to accomplish goals set by their commander-in-chief. While I am not on the ground in Afghanistan, I am confident that the national media's portrayal is irresponsible and incomplete. Despite the loss of more than 60 American heroes in July, the United States military is doing incredible work in Afghanistan. As Gen. David Petraeus wrote to the troops earlier this month, there is no comparison between our brave men and women in uniform and terrorists who use civilians as pawns to advance a brutal ideology.

"This effort is a contest of wills. Our enemies will do all that they can do to shake our confidence and the confidence of the Afghan people. In turn, we must continue to demonstrate our resolve to the enemy. We will do so through our relentless pursuit of the Taliban and others who mean Afghanistan harm, through our compassion for the Afghan people, and through our example and the values that we live."

The United States is at war and August will be another challenging month for our troops. It's time for American journalists to show some patriotism and become part of the solution. As thousands of American volunteer warriors risk everything in foreign lands, there is no valid reason why their extraordinary accomplishments should languish in the shadows.

Missing sailor found dead

Image courtesy: Chief Petty Officer Julian Carroll

Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove, listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown since disappearing with a shipmate on July 23, was found dead on Wednesday by coalition forces, according to the Pentagon.

The news release said Petty Officer 3rd Class Newlove, 25, died from wounds sustained in Logar province on Friday. The body of Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin McNeley, 30, was recovered on Sunday. Officials said he died from injuries suffered in the same incident.

While reports conflicted as this sad story unfolded, the ending is dreadful for the Newlove and McNeley families. While the exact circumstances of the sailors' deaths remain unclear, we pray for their loved ones and thank the service members who worked tirelessly to recover their remains. This is also a difficult evening for the United States Navy, which continues to investigate both deaths.

The Unknown Soldiers will continue to follow this tragic saga in the days and weeks ahead.

Touching lives

Images courtesy: 1st Marine Logistics Group Public Affairs

Sunday at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan, several weeping Marines reached out to the inverted rifle symbolizing the sacrifice of Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Eastman. While accepting that their friend was gone, many longed to shake his hand one last time and say thanks. The bravery Gunnery Sgt. Eastman displayed on the battlefield as an explosive ordnance disposal technician saved the lives of many fellow Marines.

Born in Moose Pass, Alaska, Eastman joined the Marines after graduating high school in 2000. The nation went to war shortly after his enlistment, leading to combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite having one of the world's most dangerous jobs, disarming bombs with the 1st EOD Company, 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), all indications are that Eastman embraced his duty.

"He worked hard for the opportunity to sacrifice his life in order to save many lives," an obituary said. "He gave up the pursuit of wealth, the leisure and comforts of American life, the blessings of family life, and the freedom to pursue his own selfish ambitions, so that he could serve us!"

While deployed to Afghanistan, the Marine undoubtedly missed his wife and four-year-old daughter, who live in California, as well as his mother in Alaska. According to the Pentagon, Eastman was killed on July 18 in Helmand province while supporting combat operations. Family members said "Chris passed away while attempting to disarm an IED that was detonated by insurgents while he was working on it."

As fellow Marines mourned at Camp Leatherneck, police, firefighters, and citizens lined the streets of Murietta, California, where Eastman and his wife had recently purchased a home. According to The Press-Enterprise, the city saluted the fallen Marine on Wednesday as flags flew at half-staff, on orders of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Reporter Sarah Burge covered Eastman's memorial.

"His service was a blessing to the Marine Corps and our nation, and with a heavy heart we extend our condolences to his friends, family and fellow Marines," said 2nd Lt. Rebecca Burgess, a public affairs officer with the Marines.

Many U.S. service members, as well as Afghan and Iraqi civilians, are alive because Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Eastman disabled improvised explosive devices that could have killed them. His grieving widow will soon welcome the couple's second daughter into the world, who will add to the fallen Marine's 28-year legacy of preserving and defending life. Her dad died so those around him, including people he never met, could live.

Air Force mourns tragic accident

Image courtesy: Tech Sgt. Cohen Young

Four airmen are dead after a C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane crashed Wednesday evening at Alaska's Elmendorf Air Force Base.

KTUU-TV reports the crew, which included three members of the Alaska Air National Guard, was training for the Artic Thunder air show, which begins on Saturday. Col. John McMullen, the commander of the 3rd Wing, issued the following statement after the crash on his base.

"Our deepest sympathy and sincerest condolences go out to the family and friends of those airmen killed in this crash. Yesterday, we lost four members of our Arctic Warrior family and it's a loss felt across our entire joint installation. Right now, our immediate focus is on providing all possible support to the loved ones of our fallen aviators. We are also engaged in a deliberate investigative process."

Our thoughts are with the families of these fallen airmen.

'I couldn't leave him'

Image courtesy: Sgt. Brandon Owen

Warrant Officer John Hermann had only been in the Afghan village of Dahaneh for a few minutes in February 2008 when everything around him erupted. A rocket-propelled grenade struck a vehicle in his convoy, instantly transforming the medical relief mission of his Marine platoon into an intense combat situation. While their first instinct was to fight, Marines made sure to let women and children reach safe locations before returning fire.

"People were running to take cover so you had to be very mindful of what you were doing and where your targets were," said Hermann. "Once that happened, we identified where the insurgents appeared to be firing at us from, so we made the decision to dismount and assault through the ambush."

According to a stirring article written by Sgt. Dorian Gardner, Warrant Officer Hermann and Sgt. Kurt Zimmerman decided to charge ahead and eliminate terrorist machine gun fire threatening his unit. As they ran across a field, Sgt. Zimmerman was almost immediately shot in the leg, forcing him to dive behind a building. Despite suffering shrapnel wounds himself, Hermann pressed forward and killed both insurgents teaming up to fire on his fellow Marines. Channeling his training and experience from three previous combat deployments, he then ran back to his wounded comrade and dressed his leg wound.

Upon learning he would be awarded the Silver Star for his actions on the Helmand province battlefield, Hermann told Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer that he politely asked for the decoration to be delivered by mail, saying a ceremony "seems like too much." He was politely overruled by his superiors, who called Marines in Afghanistan to attention on July 15 to recognize his bravery.

"It’s important for the other Marines and sailors to see the kind of hero that we have amongst us," said Brig. Gen. Charles Hudson, commanding general of 1st Marine Logistics Group, from Zirconia, North Carolina. "This Marine is, in fact, a hero. He moved to the sound of the guns and exhibited bravery under fire, he saved a wounded Marine, and he also killed the enemy along the way."

When the 2008 battle concluded, at least 13 insurgents were dead and a village full of innocent civilians protected. Most importantly to Warrant Officer John Hermann, Sgt. Kurt Zimmerman was alive.

"I couldn’t leave him," said Hermann. "He would have done the same for me."

Joining forces

The Unknown Soldiers is honored to announce an official partnership with Vets For Freedom, the largest Iraq and Afghanistan veterans organization in the United States. VFF's mission is to educate the American public about the importance of winning the war on terrorism. Gaining the unique perspective of men and women who risked their lives in both combat zones will be an invaluable resource not only for this website, but for the American public.

"Vets for Freedom is thrilled to partner with Tom Sileo and The Unknown Soldiers blog," Capt. Pete Hegseth, executive director of Vets For Freedom, said in a written statement. "Tom is a top-notch journalist who keeps the focus on the warfighter, telling the stories of service and sacrifice that the mainstream media often ignores. We look forward to amplifying his message, thereby honoring and supporting the troops and their mission."

The Unknown Soldiers will remain active in this web domain and continue to spotlight the bravery and heroism of American troops, veterans, and military families. However, as part of a content sharing agreement, you will also be able to find blog posts on the organization's website starting early next week. Donations to Vets For Freedom are greatly appreciated.

As this exciting new chapter unfolds, the cause remains the same. As I wrote on the day I left CNN, this site exists to spotlight stories of sacrifice from Afghanistan and Iraq that are too often missing from national media coverage. With America still fighting a war thrust upon us on September 11, 2001, the extraordinary accomplishments of our men and women in uniform deserve a more prominent place in our society. With the help of Vets For Freedom, I have never been more optimistic about the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Please keep American troops and their families in your thoughts and prayers.

Dangerous hours

Moments ago, the Pentagon announced the identities of both U.S. service members involved in Friday's tragic incident in Afghanistan's Logar province. A confrontation with the enemy left one sailor dead and another missing.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin McNeley, 30, of Wheatridge, Colorado, was killed in the July 23 attack. According to the Pentagon, coalition forces recovered his remains on Sunday after an exhaustive search. He was assigned to Assault Craft Unit One in San Diego, California.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove, 25, of Renton, Washington, is listed as Whereabouts Unknown. Defense Department officials said search and recovery efforts are continuing at this hour. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead also issued the following statement.

"The deepest sympathy of the entire Navy is with the family and friends of Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin McNeley, who died from wounds sustained in Logar Province, Afghanistan, Friday. We appreciate all the coalition forces have done to bring our shipmate home, and we know they continue to do everything they can in the search for Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove, who remains missing. I remain extremely proud of the thousands of US Navy Sailors serving on the ground in Afghanistan today, and the tens of thousands who have deployed to Afghanistan during the past nine years."

May God comfort the McNeley family during this time of grief, and may He lend strength to Petty Officer 3rd Class Newlove and his loved ones during these uncertain, dangerous hours.

Home sweet home

Image courtesy: Lee Craker

Wednesday will be a special day at New York's Fort Drum, where many members of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division will return home from their fourth deployment to Iraq. The brigade had been in Baghdad since October.

According to The Post-Standard, Vice President Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, will be on hand to personally thank the soldiers for their service. Regardless of our varying political opinions, the Bidens know how it feels to have a loved one deployed overseas. Their son, Capt. Beau Biden, served in Iraq from September 2008 to September 2009, with a brief return to the United States to see his father sworn in as vice president. His dad reciprocated with a July 4, 2009, visit to Iraq, and returned again this past Independence Day for a visit with troops that is pictured above.

It is difficult to comprehend the burdens that multiple deployments cause for our nation's military families. Many of the returning volunteer warriors from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team will not only be embracing their loved ones, but thanking them for taking care of the kids and paying the bills during another difficult year. Troops will also remember fellow service members who didn't make it home, like 20-year-old Spc. Brushaun Anderson, who died in a non-combat related incident on New Year's Day.

The combat mission in Iraq will formally end on August 31. The debts we owe to the men and women who served there cannot be paid off in our lifetimes.

Among us

Image courtesy: Cpl. Ned Johnson

We see them in airports, often headed for destinations around the world. They stand in line with us at restaurants and movie theaters, or pass by on the jogging trail. Of course, U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are not supermen and wonderwomen incapable of feeling pain. Many miss home, and all are affected by the unique emotions of war.

Losing a friend and fellow service member on the battlefield is difficult for a civilian like me to imagine. Saturday in Afghanistan, two units felt that extraordinary pain when five U.S. troops were killed in two incidents. The 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, lost four volunteer warriors when an improvised explosive device planted by terrorists detonated in Qalat. The fifth fallen hero listed was serving in Helmand province with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Staff Sgt. Conrad Mora, 24, San Diego, California
Sgt. Daniel Lim, 23, Cypress, California
Spc. Joseph Bauer, 27, Cincinnati, Ohio
Spc. Andrew Hand, 25, Enterprise, Alabama
Lance Cpl. Frederik Vazquez, 20, Melrose Park, Illinois

Instead of filling airports, theaters, diners, and parks in the coming days, five families will grieve alongside hundreds of mourners in different cities around the country. If you live near any of these locations, check local newspapers for information about public processions and memorial services for your hometown heroes. As I discovered in April, joining together to personally honor a fallen warrior is an essential American experience.

Just moments ago, I watched several national media pundits debate whether we are 'losing' the war in Afghanistan. Had I been in the studio, I would have asked each panelist to recall how they felt on September 12, 2001. As an awakened, grieving nation yearning for justice after 24 hours of horror, we pledged to win this war, no matter how long it took. Fortunately, we still see citizens honoring that solemn vow, even though some were in elementary school when America was attacked. The men and women of the United States military will never give up.

Note: The above video is not posted as a product endorsement. The commercial aired only once, during the first post-9/11 Super Bowl on February 3, 2002.

Putting out fire

Image courtesy: Facebook

After serving as a volunteer firefighter in high school, it was impossible for 1st Lt. Robert Bennedsen to stand by as the world burned. The educated resident of Washington's relatively isolated Vashon Island joined the Army ROTC while attending Seattle University, later graduating with a business degree and training that further enabled him to help others. 1st Lt. Bennedsen brought those skills overseas to Germany, and eventually the battlefields of Afghanistan.

"I think he enjoyed his job way too much and I remember him bothering Sgt. Schreck about going to Ranger School all the time," Dave Evans wrote on Facebook. "The best quality about him is that he always put his soldiers first and treated them as the same way he would like to be treated."

It's hard to know exactly what happened during a chaotic Sunday in Qalat, Afghanistan. According to an account from the soldier's aunt in The News Tribune, troops in the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment were hit by a roadside bomb planted by terrorists on July 18. Danny Serna's article said Bonnie Bennedsen was told her nephew jumped in and out of an ambulance to assist wounded soldiers when he stepped on another improvised explosive device. In just a few tragic moments, a volunteer firefighter who had transformed into a volunteer warrior was lost.

"You were truly like a brother to me. I still cannot believe that you are gone bud," Travis Wantz posted on Facebook. "It will not be the same without you when we come home."

Bennedsen leaves behind his parents and a sister, who live in Washington state. The former high school football star will be saluted by family, friends, soldiers, and firefighters on Sunday at his high school in Vashon. The soldier was also remembered by fellow troops at a service in Germany last week.

There was a special place inside many hearts for 1st Lt. Robert Bennedsen. As Joanne Aldworth Green explained, his warm, genuine personality even touched people he barely knew.

"My husband had the pleasure of meeting with you on the way to your destination overseas, sharing a few meals with you and some card games. A new friend he found, taken too soon. Although he may have not known you long, he is still deeply saddened by your loss. One of our heroes on earth is now our hero in Heaven."

Putting lives in danger

Image courtesy: Lance Cpl. Dwight Henderson

On September 11, 2001, 19 hijackers, trained and financed by Taliban-harbored terrorists in Afghanistan, launched a series of coordinated attacks that killed almost 3,000 people in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. On October 7, 2001, President George W. Bush ordered the U.S. military to topple the Taliban regime and destroy al Qaeda inside the country where the attacks on America were planned.

On July 25, 2010, with Taliban remnants still threatening Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden still ordering attacks around the world, American troops are fighting valiantly to accomplish a mission now set by President Barack Obama. On this same date, an organization called WikiLeaks put the lives of our brave men and women in danger, as well as the civilians they are ordered to protect. Even in the aftermath of a recent smear attempt against U.S. troops in Iraq that was quickly exposed as a humiliating failure by various experts, the group is putting thousands of classified military documents about the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan on the internet. According to the organization itself, journalists inside several newsrooms around the globe were given an 'exclusive' first look.

The Obama administration quickly and correctly condemned the release of the documents. Speaking to The New York Times, national security advisor Gen. James Jones blasted "the disclosure of classified information by individuals and organizations which could put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk, and threaten our national security." I am sure any former Bush administration official would issue a nearly identical statement, as responsible, patriotic Americans put their country and the people defending it above being a Republican or Democrat.

The agenda-driven activist behind WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, made this disgusting remark to CNN.

"This material doesn't just reveal occasional abuse by the U.S. military," he said. "Of course it has U.S. military reporting on all sort of abuses by the Taliban. ... So it does describe the abuses by both sides in this war and that's how people can understand what's really going on and if they choose to support it or not."

The CNN article brands WikiLeaks as a "whistle-blower website," even after its founder equated the U.S. military with terrorists who behead troops, contractors, journalists, and innocent civilians. Doesn't that make Assange a radical activist leveling serious accusations against the men and women of the United States military? While many agenda-driven journalists in the mainstream media would say avoiding such labels is a sign of "balance," I call it flat-out dishonesty. Perhaps correspondent Atika Shubert, the article's author, thought Assange's channeling of Joseph Stalin, which she published, would provide better perspective for her readers.

The New York Times, which increased anti-American sentiment in the Middle East with endless front-page coverage of the Haditha 'massacre' that has since been discredited, repeatedly editorializes in an article posted Sunday about WikiLeaks. Despite acknowledging that the documents are "clearly an incomplete record of the war" in the article's 19th paragraph, the six different Times reporters who teamed up opine in earlier passages that the documents provide "an unvarnished, ground-level picture of the war" and somehow prove that "the Taliban are stronger than at any time since 2001."

The journalists also claim that Afghanistan "until recently was a second-class war, with money, troops and attention lavished on Iraq while soldiers and Marines lamented that the Afghans they were training were not being paid." I would love to see those six Times reporters call the war in Afghanistan "second-class" in front of the men and women who volunteered to fight it. While there are certainly valid concerns about our troops getting necessary equipment and protective gear, the high standards and exceptional performance of the U.S. military are second to none. While these reporters are entitled to their opinions, there was an era when personal views were strictly banned from hard news articles, especially during wartime.

Since The Unknown Soldiers launched in December, readers have been presented hundreds of stories of battlefield heroism that have been missing from the national narrative. Time and again, the mainstream media in the United States has chosen to obsess about celebrity or political bickering instead of battlefield heroism, usually only pausing to notice the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq during times of extreme controversy. Even as a Navy sailor remains missing on the battlefield and dozens of American families mourn their fallen heroes, another media-driven firestorm is erupting. As shouting matches over these classified documents fill the airwares, last week's incredible attempt by Cpl. Joe Wrightsman to save a drowning Afghan soldier will remain mostly invisible.

Instead of noting that WikiLeaks is as a discredited organization that despises the United States military, the leaking of these classified documents is already being treated as a 21st century version of the Pentagon papers. Yet what Assange and many U.S. journalists fail to understand is that America overwhelmingly reveres its military, and refuses to give the benefit of the doubt to our enemies. Fair-minded Americans also recognize that civilians are tragically killed in even the most righteous conflicts, and that secrets must occasionally be kept from the public during wartime. A vast majority will also understand that these documents will make finishing our post-9/11 mission more difficult for our troops, embolden the enemy, and lead to an increase in anti-American propaganda. That means every American is less safe than the moment he or she woke up this morning.

Freedom of the press is guaranteed by the Constitution. Without the brave service of thousands of Americans in Afghanistan since the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and United Flight 93, the precious document itself might have been vaporized in a dirty bomb attack on the nation's capital. Al Qaeda wants to destroy the United States, so our military must destroy the terrorist organization first. We cannot forget why this war started, or how fortunate we are to have the finest volunteer warriors in the world defending our freedom. Even in the darkest of times, I remain confident that no radical group or unpatriotic news organization can break the will of the American people.

The missing

While information conflicts about Sunday's events in Afghanistan's Logar province, reports almost universally indicate that one of two missing American sailors is dead. The U.S. military has not yet confirmed this tragic detail.

Reuters reports that terrorists claim to be holding a wounded service member and the body of another, while a provincial official in Logar province said U.S. troops had already recovered the fallen hero's remains. The Taliban is notorious for lying and exaggerating about events on the ground.

The Logar official told Reuters that the abducted American is probably injured and in need of medical care. The U.S. military is reportedly distributing flyers offering a reward for information about the sailor's whereabouts.

The Taliban shows true cowardice on a daily basis by burying bombs, attacking civilian squares, and using innocent Afghans as human shields. While the U.S. military didn't need another reminder about our enemy's nature, events of this weekend should only increase the public's will to crush the group that harbored many of 9/11's perpetrators. Both sailors and their families remain in our thoughts, along with all the volunteer warriors serving overseas.

Reports: 2 U.S. troops abducted, 5 killed

Early Saturday morning, NATO's International Security Assistance Force released a statement announcing that two coalition servicemembers had gone missing south of Kabul. Officials said "the unit dispatched vehicles and rotary-winged assets to search for them and their vehicle, and the search is ongoing."

Saturday afternoon, CNN, citing Afghan security officials, reported that the missing troops are Americans abducted from Logar province. The Associated Press later reported that the missing troops are U.S. Navy personnel. As noted by NATO, both servicemembers did not return to their Kabul city compound after leaving Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, NATO also announced that five coalition troops were killed in two bombings in southern Afghanistan. According to a report in The Los Angeles Times, U.S. military officials said the fallen volunteer warriors are Americans.

As many of us unwind after a long week of work, let's make sure to keep our troops and their families in our hearts. As you visit with friends and neighbors over the weekend, tell them about Saturday's important developments in Afghanistan. While praying for the safety of our men and women in uniform, our nation must regain its focus. Osama bin Laden is at large, as the United States and its allies remain under a constant threat of terrorism. We must prevail.

The river

Image courtesy: USGS

Stretching over 700 miles, the Helmand River is the longest waterway in Afghanistan. From the Hindu Kush mountains all the way to Iran, the river serves as a lifeline for thousands of farmers. It also runs through the heart of one of the war on terror's most critical battlefields.

A Pentagon release said Cpl. Joe Wrightsman died on Sunday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province. According to Ed Friedrich's article in The Kitsap Sun, the Marine's unit was training Afghan soldiers when the group tried to cross the fierce river. Langford told the newspaper that after reaching the other side, her grandson noticed a trainee struggling in the water. When he dove back in to help his Afghan counterpart, both men tragically drowned.

Castra Praetoria provides another extraordinary detail. 'America's 1st Sgt.', the site author, served with Wrightsman in Iraq and even recommended his promotion to Corporal based on merit. According to the award-winning military blogger, Wrightsman had difficulty swimming in the past. Yet according to his sources, the brave Marine didn't think twice before jumping back into the Helmand River when he saw a man in need.

"From what I understand the entire Marine Expeditionary Force threw its efforts into recovering Cpl Wrightsman," the blogger posted on Castra Praetoria. "Every type of asset, aircraft, equipment, and personnel were employed. Taliban forces were beginning to move in from the north in an effort to capture the Cpl Wrightsman's body before the Marines. They were thwarted after two days when both bodies were recovered by the Americans."

Wrightsman grew up wanting to be a Marine and joined the military in the spring of 2005. After completing two deployments to Iraq, The Kitsap Sun reports that he enthusiastically embraced the chance to serve in Afghanistan with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. His loved ones reportedly tried to talk him out of a third deployment.

"He said he wanted to be there for his country, and he was a Marine to his heart," [grandmother Buffy] Langford said. "He’s one young man who got to live his dreams."

As a journalist who spent eight years inside various newsrooms, I often analyze the national media's coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq on this blog. Almost every day, heroism on the battlefield takes a back seat to the follies of celebrities like Lindsay Lohan or Mel Gibson. In recent years, Afghanistan and Iraq are usually granted substantial airtime only amid major controversies or reports of civilian casualties.

I believe the selfless actions of this 23-year-old Marine belong on front pages all around the homefront. More Americans need to know that men and women they've never met are still putting their lives on the line for Afghans and Iraqis every single day, while also capturing and killing terrorists with plans to attack innocent civilians around the world. Wrightsman's bravery embodies not only our virtuous post-9/11 mission in Afghanistan, but all that makes the United States military the finest fighting force in the world.

Wrightsman also leaves behind his mother, who lives in Jonesboro, Louisiana, and many other family members around the country. Marines like the aforementioned military blogger are also mourning the loss of their brother in arms. Cpl. Joe Wrightsman didn't just earn eight decorations during his military career. He won the respect of the men and women he served alongside.

"Fortunately, America still breeds men with a bias for action who don't dwell on what they can't do," America's 1st Sgt. wrote. "I imagine Cpl Wrightsman thought to himself: 'I can't let this guy down!' Then he heedlessly went after a man who wasn't a fellow Marine or even an American."

Note: Image of Cpl. Joe Wrightsman (right) is used with permission from Castra Praetoria.

The mission persists

NATO's International Security Assistance Force confirms that two allied troops were killed in a southern Afghanistan helicopter crash. Voice Of America reports that the Taliban is claiming it shot down the chopper. Of course, terrorists have made many false claims about past crashes of coalition aircraft. The helicopter went down in Helmand province, not far from Lashkar Gah.

Elsewhere, NATO announced the capture of two Taliban-affiliated terrorists in Kandahar City on Wednesday night. Officials said a Taliban logistics officer and an enemy facilitator were captured in a Lay Bala Karz compound without a single shot being fired. A weapons cache was seized by coalition forces, and no civilians were injured or killed.

Despite the daily progress of U.S.-led troops, losses on the battlefield continue to be painful. The Pentagon released the identities of nine fallen Americans over the last 48 hours.

Cpl. Julio Vargas, 23, Sylmar, California
Cpl. Joe Wrightsman, 23, Jonesboro, Louisiana
Sgt. Justin Allen, 23, Coal Grove, Ohio
Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Eastman, 28, Moose Pass, Alaska
1st Lt. Robert Bennedsen, 25, Vashon, Washington
Sgt. Anibal Santiago, 37, Belvidere, Illinois
Sgt. Jesse Tilton, 23, Decatur, Illinois
Cpl. Paul Miller, 22, Traverse City, Michigan
Staff Sgt. Brian Piercy, 27, Clovis, California

May God bless these valiant volunteer warriors and their families.

'He was Specialist Keenan Cooper'

Image courtesy: Senior Master Sgt. David Lipp

While eulogizing Spc. Keenan Cooper on Friday, Pastor Mike Adams made a remarkable observation. Speaking in front of about 700 mourners, including North Dakota's governor, Rev. Adams imparted wisdom to the audience.

"We want to make sure we keep these things in balance. He wasn’t a mythological figure. He was Specialist Keenan Cooper," Adams said. "We’re very proud of him."

By all accounts, Spc. Cooper thought of himself as a regular guy. Religion and patriotism were close to his heart, but being a soldier was his job. Inforum reporter Sherri Keaton, who covered the public memorial service in Wahpeton, noted another revealing quote by the pastor.

"This is not a political point of view," [Adams] said. "He was where he decided to be. Those are things that the family wants us to remember."

As "a man of his word and a man of few words," as an obituary noted, the 19-year-old soldier followed orders and did his duty. Cooper missed his beloved fiancee, April Travis, who was planning their fall wedding during his overseas deployment. He also longed for another round of 3D archery shooting in the wide open terrain of a family farm in Grand Forks. Yet the volunteer warrior kept his concerns private and focused on the 4th Squadron, 73rd Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division's mission in Afghanistan.

According to the Pentagon, the soldier's unit was attacked by terrorists on July 5 in Yakuta. Spc. Cooper was killed by the improvised explosive device, along with Spc. Jerod Osborne, 20, of Royse City, Texas. Shortly after news of the tragedy began to spread, North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven issued a statement, which included the below passage.

"On behalf of all North Dakotans, we offer our heartfelt gratitude for Keenan's distinguished service, and pledge never to forget his ultimate sacrifice for our state and our nation."

Even though Cooper was instinctively humble, his legacy of service has prompted fellow North Dakotans to speak out. The Bismarck Tribune editorial board is calling on the press and the public to pay more attention to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"It does not matter which side you are on, to stay the course or withdraw — the troops that serve in U.S. uniforms deserve your support. That may sound like a cliche or hackneyed in the long refrain of these and other wars, but it’s an essential truth of our nation."

As a moving letter from father David Cooper reminded fellow mourners, his son cannot be replaced, which adds to the community's grief. Instead of a wedding celebration on October 23, life in Wahpelton will probably be quiet for the fallen servicemember's fiancee, parents, and four younger siblings. Yet sounds of the soldier's gentle voice and memories of his smile, service, and faith will continue to fill their thoughts.

Spc. Keenan Cooper wasn't seeking notoriety on the battlefield, but that doesn't mean his name will be forgotten.

Note: In lieu of flowers, the April Travis Benefit Fund has been established to help with college expenses. Checks made out to April Travis Benefit can be mailed to Bank of the West, 501 Dakota Ave., Wahpeton, ND 58075. Image courtesy: Cooper family/The Wahpeton Daily News.

The biggest stage

Images courtesy: Facebook

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts

In his first year at the United States Military Academy, 1st Lt. Christopher Goeke recited that oft-quoted Shakespeare monologue to a West Point audience. In a Facebook post, fellow cadet Lang Kanai recalled the moment.

"Chris really was an exceptional guy. I still remember Jacques' soliloquy that he delivered so well when we put on As You Like It [the first] year, in addition to his great song writing and guitar playing."

The famous speech, while cynical and somewhat dark, is noteworthy for spelling out seven ages of manhood: infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, old age, and death. While more optimistic than the character he played, an examination of 1st Lt. Goeke's life shows that he closely followed William Shakespeare's blueprint. He had a busy childhood in Apple Valley, Minnesota, teaching Sunday School, playing intramural football, and learning the guitar. But his ultimate goal, which was always in mind as he methodically studied history and the Bible, was to serve his country in the military.

"You could tell in 2004 when he graduated that year that this was a kid who exhibited a type of not only excellence in the classroom, but also a form of quiet civility that people were really drawn to," added [school administrator Joe] Wycoff.

WCCO-TV, which spoke to Apple Valley High School officials, reports that the schoolboy had recently advanced to Shakespeare's next stages of life. The station's article said Goeke married a beautiful bride about 18 months ago after graduating sixth in his class at West Point. A deployment to Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina would come next.

According to the Department of Defense, 1st Lt. Goeke was killed one week ago in Kandahar. He died alongside Staff Sgt. Christopher Stout and Staff Sgt. Sheldon Tate when terrorists attacked an Afghan National Army facility with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire.

In addition to his wife, Goeke leaves behind his mother, father, and siblings, who grieve in private but publicly salute their loved one's passion for God and the American flag. James Shreve, who works in the Commandant of Cadets and counseled Goeke as a student, wrote on Facebook that the future soldier was "a remarkable young man that had the world in the palm of his hands."

"He did it right! God Bless you and your Family. Be Thou At Peace."

1st Lt. Christopher Goeke was well on his way to advancing to Shakespeare's fifth age: justice. He almost certainly would have returned from the battlefield with wisdom and an even bigger perspective on the world he volunteered to defend. From Apple Valley to Kandahar, family, friends, teachers, students, and soldiers are remembering a leader who seized the opportunity to act on the world's biggest stage. If only he had more than 23 years to complete his honorable journey.

Pressing forward

Image courtesy: Spc. Christian Palermo

While painful increases in Afghanistan war casualties have been difficult to bear, reports from the front Monday morning make clear that our military is aggressively pushing ahead in Kandahar. While the American public may not be fully engaged, our men and women in uniform are committed to nothing less than total victory.

Freelance journalist Conor Powell, who has embedded several times with U.S. troops, just appeared on Fox News with new video of a dramatic gun battle today in the city's Zhari district. Appearing at about 6 p.m. local time, Powell said the area, where wanted Taliban leader Mullah Omar once lived, is a hotbed for insurgents. To win the war in Afghanistan, terrorist elements in Zhari must be destroyed.

While the media's overall coverage of Afghanistan has been lackluster, brave journalists like Powell have my utmost respect for risking their lives to bring the story home. He will be appearing on Fox News throughout the day to discuss his crew's experience in the middle of today's violence. We pray that all American troops involved made it safely back to base after another tough day in the field.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, the Pentagon identified nine more U.S. servicemembers recently killed in action around Afghanistan. Hailing from Orefield, Pennsylvania all the way Napa, California, these young men all grew up to make their country enormously proud. Their selfless contributions to victory in the post-9/11 struggle against terrorism will never be taken for granted.

Sgt. Matthew Weikert, 29, Jacksonville, Illinois
Pvt. Brandon King, 23, Tallahassee, Florida
1st Lt. Christopher Goeke, 23, Apple Valley, Minnesota
Staff Sgt. Christopher Stout, 34, Worthville, Kentucky
Staff Sgt. Sheldon Tate, 27, Hinesville, Georgia
Spc. Chase Stanley, 21, Napa, California
Spc. Jesse Reed, 26, Orefield, Pennsylvania
Spc. Matthew Johnson, 21, Maplewood, Minnesota
Sgt. Zachary Fisher, 24, Ballwin, Missouri

To the Moon

Images courtesy: Facebook

Spc. Christopher Moon had a special gift. At first glance, one might think his ability to throw a baseball is being referenced. Yet Spc. Moon had another quality that very few young men possess with such authenticity: courage.

Some might say that from a personal standpoint, Moon had almost nothing to gain by joining the military. After being named the 2006 Southern Arizona Player Of The Year, he accepted an athletic scholarship to the University of Arizona. As the Wildcats were enjoying a number one national pre-season ranking in 2008, the future star hung up his cleats before ever toeing the rubber at the college level. Moon told his manager that he was leaving the baseball diamond for a much more important field of battle.

"Like Pat Tillman before him, Chris had a calling to serve our country in the military," The Tucson Citizen's Andy Morales wrote in a moving blog post. "He didn’t have to. He wanted to."

The Arizona Daily Star reports that Moon finished Army training at the top of his class. He then deployed to Afghanistan with the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. As Carol Ann Alaimo and Ryan Finley's article explains, Moon's competitive spirit endeared him to teammates as they worked toward a common goal that far exceeded being on top at the end of nine innings.

"He was a guy who wanted to get out there and get after it," [Tucson High coach Oscar] Romero said. "What better place to play the game of life and get after it for your country than the Army?"

According to the Pentagon, the soldier suffered devastating wounds from a terrorist-planted improvised explosive device on July 6 in Arghandab, Afghanistan. After the emergency amputations of the gifted athlete's legs, Moon succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. He was 20 years old.

"It is with deep regret that we must inform you all that Chris, as strong as he was, has passed on," a group of friends wrote on a Facebook page dedicated to Spc. Moon. "We continue to ask for you support not only for Chris but for the Moon family in such a difficult time. Our prayers and sympathy go out to his family, friends and loved one. Rest peacefully kid, you'll always be Tucson's hero."

On January 15, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt mailed his famous "green light letter" to baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. The president had been asked his opinion about how America's struggle for freedom overseas would impact its national pastime.

"Baseball provides a recreation which does not last over two hours or two hours and a half, and which can be got for very little cost. And, incidentally, I hope that night games can be extended because it gives an opportunity to the day shift to see a game occasionally.

As to the players themselves, I know you agree with me that the individual players who are active military or naval age should go, without question, into the services."

Despite living in a 21st century media culture which reserves an hour of national airtime for LeBron James to announce which multimillion dollar contract he will accept, Moon had a 20th century mindset similar to President Roosevelt's. Sport is recreation, while defending the United States from evil and tyranny is real. It's a message the fallen soldier's grieving high school coach gave his players just before a July 14 game on the same diamond Moon once dominated.

"While the normally stoic Oscar Romero, who broke down talking to the boys – not young men – my son Joseph Serrano included, listened intently and learned about how much is really sacrificed so that they could play a game last night," Nathan Serrano wrote.

We will never know how high Spc. Christopher Moon could have climbed as a ballplayer. Yet to fully understand his legacy, the righteousness of the path he chose must be recognized. He protected others, while also staying true to himself. Instead of being remembered solely for athletic stardom, the Bronze Star this volunteer warrior earned on the battlefield will shine brighter than a most valuable player trophy ever could.

Note: Please consider joining the Facebook group "Wristbands to support our soldier Chris J. Moon." All proceeds from wristband purchases will be given to the Moon family in an effort to provide financial and emotional support.

'He sacrificed a lot before he ever sacrificed his life'

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

Many of the volunteer warriors you read about on The Unknown Soldiers surprise their families and friends when they join the military. Yet when Staff Sgt. Jesse Ainsworth enlisted in the Army after high school, many thought it was a perfect fit.

"I guarantee he liked doing what he was doing in the Army. That's the kind of guy he was," said Brandon Sheffield, who had known Ainsworth since elementary school.

An article in The Houston Chronicle, written by reporter and Iraq war veteran Mike Glenn, said Staff Sgt. Ainsworth's first two combat tours were in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Dayton, Texas, soldier served as a team leader for a personal security detachment in C Troop, 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York.

When Ainsworth recently learned he'd be deploying to Afghanistan, he wasn't worried about himself. He was deeply concerned about his newborn daughter, as well as leaving his wife to care for their child at Fort Drum.

"He sacrificed a lot before he ever sacrificed his life," [sister Rebecca] Smith said. "I can't imagine having to do that."

According to the Pentagon, Ainsworth was killed on Saturday when terrorists attacked his unit in Walakan, Afghanistan. A lover of the outdoors and especially fishing, the 24-year-old team leader had been busy building a water reservoir to help the Afghan people. Tributes began pouring in on Facebook shortly after his death, which came on the same day as fellow Fort Drum soldier Sgt. Donald Edgerton.

"Ainsworth was on my crew in '06, and was a friend," Brandon Dickson wrote. "God bless his family and all the Ghost Squadron. Ainsworth will never be forgotten."

The fallen soldier's sister-in-law, Laura Garcia, relayed her family's appreciation for all the moving tributes.

"Thanks for all the love and support for the Ainsworth family," Garcia wrote. "I would like to let the Edgerton family know that our prayers are with them as well."

While Ainsworth and Edgerton lived in Texas and North Carolina, respectively, the state of New York made sure to honor the fallen heroes from Fort Drum. While announcing that flags would be lowered to half staff in their honor, Gov. David Paterson issued this statement:

"I join with all New Yorkers in expressing our sympathy to the family, friends and fellow soldiers of Staff Sergeant Jesse Ainsworth and Sergeant Donald Edgerton," Governor Paterson said. "While not native New Yorkers, we consider all those who serve at Fort Drum to be part of our New York family and we will honor their service to our nation and never forget their sacrifice."

It is not a cliche to say this soldier gave everything for his kids, including a three-year-old daughter who lives with her mother in Texas. While the two little girls the soldier left behind will grow up without a father in the audience at ballet dances and school plays, loved ones will almost certainly explain that their dad is watching from a different place. For the safety and security of his children, Staff Sgt. Jesse Ainsworth offered his life.

Note: A savings account, in trust of Margaret Hutchins and Rebecca Smith, has been set up at First Liberty National Bank, 109 East Hwy 90, Dayton, Texas 77535. Memorial contributions will be set aside for the fallen soldier's two daughters.

Hope amid pain

Image courtesy: Cpl. Ned Johnson

Over the past 48 hours, the Pentagon has identified 14 U.S. troops recently killed in Afghanistan. The fallen servicemembers, who hailed from eleven different states, leave behind grieving families and friends across the nation, as well as fellow troops stationed around the world.

Spc. Christopher Moon, 20, Tucson, Arizona
Staff Sgt. Shaun Mittler, 32, Austin, Texas
Spc. Edwin Wood, 18, Omaha, Nebraska
Staff Sgt. Christopher Cabacoy, 30, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Pfc. Nathaniel Garvin, 20, Radcliff, Kentucky
Spc. Carlos Negron, 40, Fort Myers, Florida
Pfc. Anthony Simmons, 25, Tallahassee, Florida
Staff Sgt. Jesse Ainsworth, 25, Dayton, Texas
Sgt. Donald Edgerton, 33, Murphy, North Carolina
Sgt. Robert Crow, 42, Kansas City, Missouri
Spc. Joseph Dimock, 21, Wildwood, Illinois
Staff Sgt. Christopher Antonik, 29, Crystal Lake, Illinois
Lance Cpl. Daniel Raney, 21, Pleasant View, Tennessee
Lance Cpl. Tyler Roads, 20, Burney, California

Wednesday morning, officials with NATO's International Security Assistance Force confirmed to various news outlets that eight more U.S. troops were killed on Wednesday in multiple attacks in southern Afghanistan. As we near the midway point of July, we know it will be another painful month for many military families.

While casualty statistics are published, many daily triumphs by coalition forces are unknown. Marines, sailors, soldiers, and airmen are taking enormous risks every single day in Afghanistan and Iraq. As terrorists are killed or captured, schools rebuilt, and innocent civilians protected, there is still reason for hope. If you believe in protecting the United States from another devastating terrorist attack and ridding the world of widespread Islamic extremism, victory is our only choice. There is no group of people working harder to accomplish that mission than the men and women of our military.

'I love my men'

Images courtesy: U.S. Army/Facebook

Sgt. Donald Rocky Edgerton had just moved to the mountains of western North Carolina when he made a life-changing decision. At age 28, he would join the military, knowing that a deployment to Iraq was probably on the horizon. He was right. Yet after returning from the war zone, his sense of duty was even stronger. If called to deploy again, especially to the country where Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants planned terrorist attacks on America, he would jump at the opportunity.

"Ever since Sept. 11 he felt like he was out of place," [father] Don Edgerton said.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports that Sgt. Edgerton found his true calling after becoming a soldier. His mother told reporter Nanci Bompey that her son felt a deep sense of responsibility for the safety of fellow troops in the 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York. Leaving them was not an option.

"He said 'no, mom. I love my men'," Patsy Edgerton said Monday night. "I'm staying with them. I have to take care of them.'"

According to the Pentagon, the decorated 33-year-old senior sniper was one of six U.S. servicemembers lost on Saturday in Afghanistan. Officials said he was killed when an improvised explosive device planted by terrorists detonated in Char Dara.

Edgerton loved white water rafting and deep sea fishing, both staples of life in Murphy, North Carolina. When he wasn't outside, he could occasionally be found having a Bud Light and watching his favorite sport, football, which he played in high school. Appropriately, on his Facebook page, the volunteer warrior listed the true story of Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, 'We Were Soldiers,' as one of his favorite films.

While everyone wishes Saturday's tragedy could have been avoided, the decision Edgerton made five years earlier while selling granite in North Carolina probably saved the life of at least one fellow soldier. In death, he shielded his brothers in arms from danger. In life, Sgt. Donald Rocky Edgerton was a motivated, patriotic individual who would do anything to protect his friends.

'We got the job done'

Image courtesy: U.S. Marines

Lt. Col. Cal Worth, left, had the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division ready for action when President Obama ordered the Afghanistan troop surge in December 2009. After joining the military in 1991 and later serving as executive officer during an Iraq war deployment, the battalion commander prepared for perhaps his most difficult assignment. His Marines would be among the first to attack entrenched Taliban fighters in Marja, Afghanistan, as part of Operation Moshtarak.

Early Monday morning, after seven months of sacrifice and hard work, Lt. Col. Worth's battalion began returning to North Carolina's Camp Lejeune. News 14 Carolina reports that about 150 Marines and sailors were overjoyed as they were greeted by the warm embraces of loved ones.

"I can't describe the feeling," Lance Cpl. Jonathan Aguirre said. "It's the most amazing feeling I have ever felt in my entire life. It feels surreal to me."

As the local cable news channel notes, ten battalion servicemembers were killed during the deployment. One brave Marine killed in action was Cpl. Jonathan Porto, who was profiled in March by The Unknown Soldiers. His widow, Rachel Porto, has since become a leading advocate for Gold Star Families and won a 2010 MilBlog Award for her moving website, A Little Pink In A World Of Camo. I was at the award ceremony when an acceptance letter from Mrs. Porto was read, which deeply moved the audience.

Maj. Heath Henderson spoke with pride about his unit's accomplishments in Afghanistan, while also recognizing how the realities of war deeply affected his fellow Marines.

"It's always tough for a unit to lose brothers, and we lost some good Marines and sailors," Maj. Henderson told News 14. "They're professionals and they just drive on and get the job done."

For those of us who haven't served in combat zones, it's hard to understand the mixed emotions of reuniting with your family while also missing friends who didn't make it home. What's not difficult to grasp is how much we owe these returning volunteer warriors and their fallen comrades. We can start by simply saying thank you.

Unbreakable tenacity

Image courtesy: Senior Airman Julianne Showalter

By any measure, it has been a painful start to the weekend in Afghanistan, where Saturday is not a day off work for U.S. forces. NATO's International Security Assistance Force announced that six American troops have died around the country. Two were killed in roadside bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan, while four were killed in three separate Saturday assaults on the eastern front.

Each of these six fallen heroes have unique personal stories and loved ones whom will miss them dearly. Despite these awful losses, which add to the pain of the deadliest summer of the war in Afghanistan, thousands of brave Americans will go out on more missions around the war-torn terrain and fight with valor in the coming days. As we enjoy weekend activities on the homefront, let's keep our troops in the forefront of our minds, and remind others of the consequential events happening far from our shores.

While the identities of the troops killed in action on Saturday will not be revealed until families of the fallen have been notified, the Pentagon has announced the passing of seven more U.S. soldiers who recently died from injuries suffered in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Andrew Creighton, 23, Laurel, Delaware
Pfc. Jacob Dennis, 22, Powder Springs, Georgia
Spc. Keenan Cooper, 19, Wahpeton, North Dakota
Spc. Jerod Osborne, 20, Royse City, Texas
Staff Sgt. Marc Arizmendez, 30, Anaheim, California
Spc. Roger Lee, 26, Monterey, California
Pfc. Michael Pridham, 19, Louisville, Kentucky

As always, The Unknown Soldiers will bring you as many stories as possible about these fallen heroes in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, we must compliment the steadfastness being shown by our troops on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq with resolve here at home. We are all in this post-9/11 struggle against terrorism together.

Camaraderie and tragedy

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

Pfc. David Jefferson, left, and Pfc. John Pardue were friends, former roommates, and brothers in arms. The 101st Airborne Division medics deployed to Afghanistan in May as part of the 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. The two buddies spent six weeks helping the wounded near the front lines, until a battlefield tragedy forced one to care for the other.

The Augusta Chronicle has a harrowing account of the July 2 events in Kandahar. According to Chuck Pardue, an independent state senate candidate in the Augusta, Georgia, area, an improvised explosive device detonated near his son and Pfc. Jefferson while they were on foot patrol. Despite a badly injured leg and the possiblity that terrorists would follow the IED attack with small arms fire, Pfc. Pardue knelt over his friend and frantically performed CPR. Despite his best efforts, Jefferson died from his devastating injuries.

According to Susan McCord's article, Pardue stayed in Afghanistan long enough to honor his ex-roommate at a memorial service. He is now flying back to the United States for surgery.

"I feel better now because he's coming home, at least for awhile," [the wounded soldier's father] said.

WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, where Pfc. Jefferson lived, spoke to his father, James Lyles, a Vietnam veteran. While conveying the overwhelming nature of the pain his family is experiencing, Lyles is praising the military for its handling of his son's death.

"I want to give them high marks from the time I was notified to the time I got to Dover," James said. "The team the Army has put together has been nothing but fantastic."

Jefferson's mother, who recently succumbed to cancer, also served in the U.S. Army. While following in the footsteps of his parents, the decorated soldier had hoped to attend medical school after returning from his deployment to Afghanistan. Jefferson also leaves behind his wife, two-year-old son, and many more loved ones and fellow troops.

Pfc. John Pardue will never forget Pfc. David Jefferson or the day he tried to save his life. Hopefully, while recovering from his injuries, the volunteer warrior's pain will be eased by knowing his friend would have done the same for him.

'We all owe them a debt of gratitude'

Images courtesy: Fred Greaves/USO

Cpl. Richard Cecil was resting in his hospital bed at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany when a group of NFL football coaches gathered at his bedside. After breaking his leg in four places when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle in Afghanistan, Cpl. Cecil was glad to receive such a high-profile visit. Yet due to his selfless instincts, his fellow men and women on the battlefield were still on his mind.

"I appreciate you guys stopping by," he said. "But they’ll really appreciate it even more downrange (in the active war theater). It’ll be a real taste of home for them."

The Cincinnati Bengals website has a nice profile of the second annual USO Coaches Tour. Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress, Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox, and Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis took part in this year's trip to Germany and the Persian Gulf. David Krichavsky's article said Lewis, pictured above with Cpl. Cecil, was particularly moved by the strong will displayed by wounded warriors.

"The attitudes of the guys, to want to get back out there with their brothers, is absolutely remarkable," the Bengals coach said.

A USO blog article about the trip, which includes more photos, has a good quote from Childress, the proud father of a volunteer warrior.

"Since my son has enlisted in the Marine Corps I have learned a new appreciation for the freedoms we all enjoy and take for granted. Our armed forces are the most highly skilled, best-trained men and women in the world. Their character is on display on a daily basis because they’re an all-volunteer force. We all owe them a debt of gratitude and this trip is a small way of saying thank you," the Vikings coach said.

The NFL and the USO should both be applauded for this wonderful initiative. While announcers commonly refer to sports stars as "heroes" or "warriors," it is refreshing to see prominent football figures bringing home a real, often unpublicized perspective from overseas. I will not be surprised if each coach shares their war zone experiences with the players they are responsible for training and motivating. There are quite a few highly-paid athletes who could benefit from hearing the stories of America's true superstars.

The good journalist

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

Staff Sgt. James Hunter surprised his family when he joined the military straight out of high school in 2003. The invasion of Iraq was getting underway and America had only been fighting in Afghanistan for about two years, making it a particularly dangerous time to enlist in the Army. Seven years later, his dad is immensely proud.

"I spent a long time in the Army, and I never accomplished what he’s been able to. That’s good — you want your kids to be better," Tom [Hunter] said.

The Winchester Sun reports that after attending basic training at South Carolina's Fort Jackson, the well-liked Ohio teen who loved college basketball headed to Maryland's Fort Meade for photography training. With a sister in the Navy and a brother in the Marines, Staff Sgt. Hunter believed his journalistic talents could help bring the real story home to a country that has grown increasingly distrustful of the mainstream media.

"It’s a pretty extensive school he attended," his father said. "He had an interest in it (photography) and he enjoyed it."

Rachel Parsons' article said the 9/11 terrorist attacks were also a central driving force behind Hunter's decision to serve. After completing two deployments to Iraq, he found himself in the country where al Qaeda planned the assaults on New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Afghanistan is also where Hunter's 25-year journey, which began in Ohio and often passed through Kentucky, would end in tragedy.

According to the Pentagon, Staff Sgt. Hunter was killed on June 18 in Kandahar by an improvised explosive device planted by terrorists. Military officials said he is the first U.S. Army journalist to be killed in combat since September 11, 2001. He is also one of the 15 members of the Fort Campbell-based 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to be killed in Afghanistan in June. In addition to his father and siblings, he leaves behind his mother and fiancee, who works at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

An archive of the soldier's photos taken in Iraq can be found on DVIDS, a fantastic site that links the military to the media. By looking at Hunter's photographs, like the one below that he took of an unnamed soldier patrolling Baghdad's streets in August 2008, it is obvious that he was interested in the interactions between U.S. troops and civilians. You will not find spin or political statements in his pictures, which he risked his life to capture. Instead, you will see truthful portraits of sacrifice during extraordinary times. While Staff Sgt. James Hunter was a warrior carrying a weapon, his camera served as a permanent link between Iraqis, Afghans, and Americans.

"I want people to know he was out there trying to get the news," Tom [Hunter] said.

He couldn't have done a better job.

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. James Hunter

Dangerous July

Image courtesy: Lt. Col. Mohammad Jalal Naim

After the deadliest month of the war in Afghanistan for U.S. and coalition troops, violence continues to be heavy on the ground. NATO's International Security Assistance Force is confirming six more allied casualties, including five Americans, around Afghanistan. At least 14 NATO troops have been killed so far in July, after more than 100 died in June.

While the tragic loss of so many fine Americans is incredibly difficult to bear, there are many positive stories from the front that are generally not covered by the mainstream press. In the various newsrooms I worked in, military press releases were usually dismissed as "propaganda," while reports of civilian casualties, with Taliban or Iraqi insurgents exaggerating or fabricating statistics, were often taken quite seriously. The vast majority of journalists I've met at major networks and wire services are antiwar. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but when reporters and producers generally don't distinguish between the U.S. military and terrorists who intentionally murder women and children, it's a problem.

This ISAF story is a good example of why coalition forces are the good guys. Over the weekend, troops found and disabled an improvised explosive device in a soccer field where Afghan children often play. According to ISAF, an anonymous tip was provided to Afghan and NATO security officers.

"It's hard not to believe this was an attempt to target local children or Afghan families who play on this soccer field," said a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A) team sergeant involved in the response.

For the next year, or whatever length of time combat operations continue in Afghanistan, this war will be bloody and difficult. Yet as fair-minded Americans, we know our troops are completely dedicated to destroying al Qaeda and the Taliban, while doing everything in their power to minimize civilian casualties. Terrorists will continue planting IED's in markets, strapping bombs to innocent civilians, kidnapping and beheading contractors, and using children as human shields. To realize the importance of victory, we must be honest about the enemy we are fighting. The idea of evil once again dominating the country where the 9/11 attacks were planned is morally abhorrent and strategically unacceptable.