On Deadly Ground

Images courtesy: Staff Sgt. Ryan Crane

During every step American warriors take through Afghanistan's rugged post-9/11 battlefields, the ground beneath their boots is inundated with the unknown.

Instead of fighting our superior troops head on, most of America's enemies bury bombs underground or even under piles of trash. These crude, deadly improvised explosive devices target Americans and Afghans alike, and have killed countless people, including innocent children.

August 2011 was the deadliest month of the entire war in Afghanistan for U.S. troops. As you know from reading this blog, the impact of each service member's death is staggering; from grieving husbands, wives, children, siblings, and friends at home to devastated brothers and sisters in arms still serving overseas. As these good people cope with the sharp knife of their loved ones' short lives, we cannot say enough prayers for those shouldering the heaviest price of war.

Despite an August of unprecedented pain for our military in Afghanistan, our troops still serving there are not dead men walking. They are driven, determined men and women who feel each and every ultimate sacrifice deep inside their heroic hearts. There is no bottle to store the time they have spent away from their families, nor is there is a pill to cure what our military has endured every single day since terrorists attacked our homeland on September 11, 2001.

Al Qaeda and the Taliban are terrorist organizations full of faceless cowards. Their foot soldiers wear no uniforms and fight for no cause other than to brainwash, murder, and terrorize. Therefore, when an explosive ordnance disposal technician tells me that he or she disabled an improvised explosive device planted near an Afghan school, I view that as a great victory for our military, America, and the world.
It is impossible to measure how many future Afghan leaders have been saved by our military, which at the same time, hunts terrorists with relentless force and unmatched skill.

As I type this post on board a commercial jet, my sadness is mixed with pride. Nothing can ever prepare you for looking into the eyes of a mother who has lost a son or daughter, and I know I will eventually speak with some military moms who will never forget the tragic month of August 2011.

At the same time, I am enormously grateful to live in a country where despite a decade of tragedy, our troops and military families are still ready and willing to fight. No human being is perfect, but in my view, many of our men and women in uniform do things that define the word.

To those who have served and are serving: thank you for keeping my family safe. It is impossible to repay you for your selfless commitment to freedom and the flag.

To those who have lost a love one: thank you for your unparalleled strength. While you never wanted the Gold Star your family has earned, it symbolizes what we all wish on while gazing into the night skies as children. Your hero is our hero, and a grateful nation stands ready to help your family in a time of unimaginable trial.

Right now -- at this very second -- U.S. troops are walking, running, and driving through the mountains, deserts, roads, and dirt paths of Afghanistan. God, please bless the ground beneath them.

The World Didn't Stop

Image courtesy: Cpl. Michele Watson

What bothers me most about the American media, which I was a part of for eight years, is its inability to focus on more than one big story at a time. While warning the public about Hurricane Irene was important, ratings-hungry news executives decided to force-feed Americans with Category 5-level coverage of a Category 1-level storm.

As I frequently conveyed to my superiors at CNN and elsewhere, the war our military has been fighting for almost ten years does not pause for events at home. While every death as a result of Hurricane Irene is tragic and our hearts break for the victims and their families, U.S. troops continue to die in Afghanistan, during what could end up as the deadliest month of the entire war for our armed forces. Doesn't that merit everyday attention at the national level?

The following soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan over the past week during combat operations. They are true American heroes who deserve our full attention and respect.

Spc. Douglas Green, 23, Sterling, Virginia
Spc. Michael Roberts, 23, Watauga, Texas
Pfc. Brandon Mullins, 21, Owensboro, Kentucky
Pfc. Jesse Dietrich, 20, Venus, Texas
1st Lt. Timothy Steele, 25, Duxbury, Massachusetts
Sgt. Andrew Tobin, 24, Jacksonville, Illinois

Many 21st century news executives think it's acceptable to pick and choose when to cover a war. Their troubling course is both morally incorrect and journalistically unethical.

After 30 U.S. troops died in a horrific helicopter crash on August 6, the media gave the war in Afghanistan by far the most attention it's received during any week-long period during the last five years, other than the days following Osama bin Laden's death. Since the crash became an "old story," a tired label that I heard endlessly from executive producers over the years, the war in Afghanistan has returned to the abyss.

Our troops in Afghanistan, many of whom would be completely cut off from the outside world on remote forward operating bases were it not for technological advances and USO centers, are still sweating, bleeding, and dying for our values, including freedom of the press. Any attempt to claim, as news executives often do, that there's not enough time to report on these sacrifices amid hurricanes, royal weddings, sensational trials, or celebrity fluff is nothing but a gust of hot air.

Sgt. Green, Spc. Roberts, Pfc. Mullins, Pfc. Dietrich, 1st Lt. Steele, and Sgt. Tobin all made the ultimate sacrifice this week so our world could be a better place. As their families suffer the incomprehensible pain of war, they deserve better from the media, as do all of our troops, veterans, and military families.

Despite what you saw on TV, the world didn't stop for a Category 1 hurricane. While our nation's deepest sympathies are with Irene's victims, most Americans aren't grieving for their fellow countrymen lost half a world away in Afghanistan during a comparable time period. That's because nobody told them that these brave soldiers had been killed.

"If the network doesn't cover it, then it must not be important. So why worry about it, right?"

That quote, sarcastically uttered by the TV reporter character played so memorably by Albert Brooks in the 1987 film "Broadcast News," still resonates.

These stories are all important. And after years of failing to consistently cover a war, we should all be worried about the media.


Note: The image shown above, taken by Cpl. Michele Watson, shows an August 19 training exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California.

Guarding the Unknown

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

Even during a Category 1 hurricane, the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery is guarded by a brave American soldier.

The caption for the above photo, which was taken on Saturday and released by the U.S. Army's 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), notes that since April 6, 1948, Tomb Sentinels have stood guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns for "every second of every day." Unknown soldiers from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War rest beneath the sacred spot.

While we hope and pray for everyone's safety during Hurricane Irene, even as the national media sensationalizes the story, I have a feeling that the soldiers guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns will be just fine. After all, they know that at this very moment, their brothers and sisters in arms are risking their lives for our freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Like al Qaeda and the Taliban, Hurricane Irene is no match for the United States military.

Driving Over Bombs

File image courtesy: Sgt. Michael Armstrong

It's easy to complain about heavy traffic congestion that clogs roadways around so many American cities. The next time you're about to pound on the steering wheel, however, be thankful that part of your job doesn't involve driving over bombs.

From to 2006 to 2007, Sgt. Jacob Probst was driving a "Husky" mine detection vehicle around an incredibly dangerous part of Iraq.

"That was just absolutely amazing," Sgt. Probst told The Unknown Soldiers. "We got to see Anbar province, Iraq, go from literally the worst place in the world to being the light for Iraq."

When the Army reservist arrived in western Iraq, the war had reached an absolutely critical phase. Terrorists in Anbar Province were threatening to change the course of the entire bloody conflict, as al Qaeda wantonly murdered troops and civilians throughout the region.

On Sept. 1, 2008, the U.S. military formally transferred Anbar Province to the Iraqi government, which would have been unthinkable just two years earlier. While violence in Iraq did not end with the handover and the conflict continues to this day, Probst, who is too humble to take any credit, knows he and his fellow troops helped change the course of history.

"It all started shifting while we were there," the soldier said.

When asked what Iraq was like when his deployment started, Probst, speaking by phone from Wisconsin's Fort McCoy, let out a sigh so deep it was louder than the machine gun fire from training in the background. "Iraq 2006," he said in jest, before a serious pause.

"My job, specifically, was to drive over a bomb," Probst continued. "You're driving about two or three miles an hour on the side of a road or on a road, and I have a metal detector mounted on my vehicle, basically right underneath me."

With a naked eye, Probst tried to spot improvised explosive devices, the leading killer of American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the same time, under intense pressure, he would listen for a buzzing sound from his vehicle's metal detector.

"Then you basically stop, back up, and pinpoint exactly where you got the hit on the metal detector and spray paint the bomb," he said.

After explosive ordnance disposal technicians eventually blew up the terrorist-planted device, either on-site or in a secure location, Probst would go back to his base with an incredible feeling.

"If you found even one, that's at least three Marines' lives saved, because we worked with the Marines almost exclusively over there," he said. "But then also, you always kind of forget that the Iraqis — they got hit with IEDs almost all the time too."

A native of Watertown, Wis., Probst joined the Army Reserve after high school — when the United States was in the midst of two wars. The soldier admits that despite knowing the risks, he wasn't exactly sure what was coming next.

"I wanted to go to school, but I felt like I could serve my country," Probst said. "I didn't know exactly where that would lead me."

Today, with memories of a year driving over bombs, Probst is enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he is pursuing a degree in high school special education. I spoke to Probst in the middle of the Army's "Best Warrior Competition," which pits soldiers against one another in everything from academics and athletics to being able to perform under the pressure of battle or without sleep.

Sgt. Jacob Probst still enjoys the challenges of the military and says he feels very fortunate to be home safely, pursuing his dreams with a wife of three years.

"I'd love to have some kids," he said with an audible smile.

In a difficult economy, those of us who have jobs to go to each morning are lucky. But before we grumble about choking traffic and high gas prices, we should also feel fortunate that we don't have to worry about bombs being buried beneath the road.

The valiant men and women of the U.S. military, serving with honor in Afghanistan and Iraq at this very moment, make life at home a lot less complicated.

COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM

Image courtesy: Spc. True Thao

Eye on the Storm

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Brittany Jones

Below are links to some excellent Hurricane Irene-related resources being offered by the United States Navy:

Irene

As millions of Americans are affected by this dangerous storm, please remember to also keep our brave men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, some of whom are worrying about family members in Irene's path, in your thoughts and prayers.

Regarding Heroes

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford

Volunteering to put on a uniform and fight for your country is a heroic act. Even in a time when the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq rarely lead national newscasts, an overwhelming majority of Americans recognize the enormous sacrifices being made by our men and women in uniform and their families.

Polls like this December Gallup survey consistently show that the military is one of America's most revered, trusted professions. Despite manufactured, media-driven controversies like the Haditha "massacre" and an endless front page trumpeting of civilian casualties, the American public has evidently made up its own mind about our military's dignity and honor.

The same poll showed that TV reporters, who flock to cover royal weddings and sensational trials while often ignoring America's post-9/11 struggle against terrorism, are some of our country's lowest-regarded professionals. According to Gallup, 76 percent had an average or very low opinion of the honesty and ethical standards of TV reporters, while just 26 percent felt that way about the military.

William Deresiewicz is not a TV reporter. According to The New York Times, he is "an essayist and critic, and author of 'Solitude and Leadership,' an address delivered at West Point in 2009 and widely taught in the armed forces." While I have nothing against this writer personally, a column he wrote in the newspaper's Sunday Review should be widely taught as an example of the widening disconnect between pundits and patriots.

"There is no question that our troops are courageous and selfless," Deresiewicz writes. "They expose themselves to inconceivable dangers under conditions of enormous hardship and fight because they want to keep the country safe."

No problem so far. The rest of the column is a different story.

"The greater the sacrifice that has fallen on one small group of people, the members of the military and their families, the more we have gone from supporting our troops to putting them on a pedestal," Deresiewicz opines. "In the Second World War, everybody fought. Soldiers were not remote figures to most of us; they were us.

"Now, instead of sharing the burden, we sentimentalize it," he continues. "It’s a lot easier to idealize the people who are fighting than it is to send your kid to join them. This is also a form of service, I suppose: lip service."

First, no American parent can "send" their "kid" to war. The men and women who join today's military do so voluntarily and selflessly.

Second, I read the World War II comparison to my grandfather, who served in the conflict, as we sat in the hospital with my sick grandmother, who he met in Germany. As expected, he scoffed at the notion that troops serving in World War II were not lauded for their efforts and treated as heroes. In fact, posters like this one were everywhere, he said, rightfully depicting American troops as the world's greatest hope.

According to Deresiewicz, there is something wrong with saying "support our troops," which he laughably claims became prevalent during the Iraq war. Perhaps, after nearly a decade, it's hard to remember Sept. 12, 2001, when Americans, realizing the incredible burden our men and women in uniform would face in the aftermath of the previous day's attack, began showering our military with encouragement and praise.

Finally, the most offensive part of this New York Times column, particularly since it was printed during one of the deadliest months of the entire war in Afghanistan, is this passage.

"As the West Point professor Elizabeth D. Samet recently noted, service members feel uneasy when strangers approach them to — as the well-meaning but oddly impersonal ritual goes — thank them for their service, thereby turning them into paradoxically anonymous celebrities," Deresiewicz writes. "It was wrong to demonize our service members in Vietnam; to canonize them now is wrong as well. Both distortions make us forget that what they are are human beings."

Navy Hospitalman Samantha Paulson's husband and fellow sailor, Hospital Corpsman Second Class Christopher Paulson, is currently deployed to Afghanistan, where he is caring for Marines on some of the world's most dangerous battlefields. In a recent e-mail to The Unknown Soldiers, HN Paulson explained the meaning of knowing that someone cares.

"Thank you for checking in on us," the selfless sailor and worried wife wrote on August 19. "It really does help with my morale to know that there are people supporting us out there."

This echoes the sentiments of countless troops and veterans who have told me that anything from a handshake in an airport to a care package while deployed does wonders for their spirits, especially while spending months apart from their families.

While thanking hundreds of troops for their service, most frequently at airports, I have never once received anything but a smile, nod, or polite reply. In fact, to my amazement, sometimes these men and women actually respond by thanking me, which of course is above and beyond anything I deserve.

What our troops deserve from Deresiewicz and The New York Times is either a clarification or an apology. Attempting to guilt-trip Americans out of saying "thank you," especially during one of the most painful months of an almost decade-long war, is counterproductive and shameful.

"Heroism is bravery and selflessness, but more than that, it is triumphant action, and in particular, morally unambiguous action," Deresiewicz opines. "In most of life — and certainly in public life — there is scarcely such a thing on either count."

I recently had the honor of speaking with Sgt. Dakota Meyer, who will soon become the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for heroism displayed in Afghanistan. Like our last two living recipients of the nation's highest military award, Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta and Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry, Sgt. Meyer was quick to note that the only reason he did something extraordinary is because he was given the opportunity to do so. All three of these men firmly believe that fellow troops in their platoons would have performed just as brilliantly if given the opportunity.

The most trusted men in America are no longer Pulitzer Prize winners. They're Medal of Honor recipients, and their word is good enough for me. Yet according to the author of this New York Times column, the willingness to call a man or woman in uniform a "hero" should make us all uncomfortable.

"Perhaps no word in public life of late has been more thoroughly debased by overuse," Deresiewicz wrote. "Soldiers are 'heroes', firefighters are 'heroes'; police officers are 'heroes' — all of them, not the special few who undoubtedly deserve the term."

The word "hero" will continue to appear with frequency on this blog. That's because men and women who leave their wives, husbands, and small children behind to spend many months in strange lands are heroes. Without their willingness to risk everything in a troubled time of terrorism and war, 9/11 annniversary ceremonies wouldn't be held in American cities and towns next month. Our homeland would be a battlefield.

The next time a volunteer warrior is in your midst, shake his or her hand. Tell our warriors how much you appreciate them and continue to display that "support our troops" magnet without fearing the wrath of The New York Times. Then, the next time you see a journalist, ask what happened to a profession that once put Old Glory ahead of the ratings kind.

The headline of William Deresiewicz's column is "An Empty Regard." The valiant actions of our nation's protectors, backed by the support of millions of grateful Americans, speak with clarity and distinction. Despite the incredulity of an ungrateful press, the regard for our heroes is full.

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Andrew Smith

SEAL's Best Friend

Image courtesy: Lisa Pembleton

August 2011 is already one of the deadliest months of the almost-decade long conflict in Afghanistan for our military. In cities and towns around our great country, we are seeing the staggering, lasting impact of a month at war that should never be forgotten.

The stirring photograph shown above was taken by Lisa Pembleton, the cousin of Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) J.T. Tumilson. The 35-year-old Navy SEAL was one of 30 Americans killed in the tragic August 6 helicopter crash in Afghanistan's Zabul province.

As the fallen hero was laid to rest on August 19 in Rockford, Iowa, his beloved dog, Hawkeye, guarded its proud owner's flag-draped casket. According to The Des Moines Register, more than 1,500 mourners attended the ceremony to honor a man who worked tirelessly to realize his dream of protecting others.

"J.T. was going to be a Navy SEAL come hell or high water," Scott Nichols was quoted by the paper as saying at his dear friend's funeral.

This evening, with our nation engaged in a violent struggle against terrorism almost ten years after the 9/11 attacks, our thoughts and prayers are with the Tumilson family. That includes Hawkeye, who will dearly miss his best friend.

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole," wildlife expert Roger Caras once wrote. While our nation will never be whole again after losing so many fine Americans, it could not be free without brave men and women willing to pay the ultimate price for peace.

Image courtesy: U.S. Navy

Stand By Them

Image courtesy: Pfc. Sean Dennison

During a deadly, tragic summer in Afghanistan, where we stand on the war politically is irrelevant. All that matters is standing beside our troops and their families as they shoulder the heaviest burdens of America's longest war.

Cpl. Zachary Mills, 22, is an ordnance technician with Marine Attack Squadron 513, stationed in Kandahar. His job is to arm Harriers, the groundbreaking military jets capable of lifting off vertically without forward speed.

It was 6:30 a.m. Kandahar time when Cpl. Mills spoke via satellite phone to The Unknown Soldiers, and the temperature outside a hangar where the Marine usually works was already creeping toward 100 degrees. When asked how he copes with doing a difficult job amid unrelenting heat similar to conditions inside a furnace, he shrugged off the question.

"I just drink a lot of water, I guess," the Orlando, Fla., native told The Unknown Soldiers. "I'm normally stationed out in Yuma (Az.), so this is not bad at all."

Mills was fully aware of the risks involved when he joined the military in January 2008. More than three and a half years later, he is deployed to one of the world's most dangerous regions. As the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq both continue, the proud Marine said he has no regrets about his decision to enlist.

"I basically wanted to better myself," Mills explained, "and I thought the military would be the right way to serve your country. I think that's a very important thing, especially during these times."

With this summer shaping up to be the deadliest of the entire Afghanistan conflict, which has lasted almost a decade, Mills said spirits in the war zone are in fact very high.

"Morale is good," he said. "Once you get (Marines) in gear, it motivates them to work hard."

Capt. Pete Hegseth is an Army National Guardsman currently deployed to Kabul, where he is an instructor at a counterinsurgency training center. The soldier, who has also deployed to Iraq, said he becomes exasperated when media pundits inside air-conditioned newsrooms suggest that because of increased risk, the military is tired or unwilling to fight.

"This 'talk' is a complete misnomer," Capt. Hegseth said in an email from Afghanistan to The Unknown Soldiers. "Troops are here because they want to be here, and we believe in what we're doing."

Hegseth, 31, knows first-hand about the strains of multiple deployments. Coupled with the visible and invisible wounds of war, these issues are very serious concerns for U.S. troops, veterans and military families. But according to Hegseth, challenges should not be mistaken for weariness.

"We're not 'tired,'" Hegseth, the former executive director of Vets for Freedom, an organization committed to victory in Afghanistan and Iraq, wrote. "We're savvy, committed, war-tested, and more experienced than ever. America's military today is the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen, and the only way we will 'break' our military is if we don't give it the resources it needs to fight and support it needs to win."

Hegseth's steadfast belief in America's post-9/11 mission in Afghanistan doesn't mean this summer has been easy.

"Yes, it's tough," the soldier wrote. "And yes, it's hard to be away from family."

Before Hegseth's latest combat deployment, the soldier and his wife welcomed their first child, a son who is now 13 months old. Hegseth said he misses his little boy tremendously and worries about his wife, who must spend a year raising their child on her own.

Yet because of his soul mate's support and strength, as well as the opportunity to see his son via Skype, Hegseth remembers what he is fighting for.

"I'm able to talk to her regularly and see my little son grow up," Hegseth wrote. "He sees me on the computer, lunges for the screen, and says 'Dada.'

"It melts my heart and reminds me why I'm doing this," the soldier continued. "(It's) for them and for the simple joys that all Americans cherish."

At this hour, as more flag-draped caskets come home from the battlefield, our brave men and women in uniform are standing guard around the world. No matter how difficult, we must set aside our differences and stand by them, even from half a world away.

COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM

Image courtesy: Hegseth family

Our Very Best

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Matthew Smith

When Master Sgt. Christopher Banks received the Bronze Star with Valor in Afghanistan on Saturday, August 13, he wasn't happy or content. During what should have been one of the proudest moments of his career, the airman refused to think about himself.

"I keep thinking of the spouses and children that lost their loved ones April 27," Master Sgt. Banks told Capt. Jamie Humphries. "I think about that day a lot and would trade the Bronze Star in a heartbeat to have those nine courageous Americans back so they could see their families again."

The nine fallen heroes the airman speaks of were eight fellow airmen and a retired Army lieutenant colonel working as a civilian contractor. They were gunned down in a senseless act of mass murder at a Kabul airport.

As a ground medic with the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Banks was accustomed to teaching CPR to Afghans training on the base, as this photo shows. Yet when bullets began to fly and chaos set in on April 27, Banks ran toward the violence instead of away from it.

"No military medic ever wants to hear the words, 'medic' or 'corpsman up,'" Banks said. "I feel I did what any other airman in the same situation would have done and did my best to help my fallen comrades."

Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, Brig. Gen. David Allvin, and other senior military leaders who attended the August 13 ceremony said Banks repeatedly risked his life to treat wounded airmen and get several victims out of harm's way and into a hospital.

While Banks was the only service member to receive the Bronze Star, Brig. Gen. Allvin saluted all the U.S. troops who responded to the attack, including five who were presented Joint Service Commendation Medals.

"Through their courageous actions, they put an exclamation point on the value of our calling in the profession of arms and the loyalty and trust it demands," said Allvin.

A few days ago, I spoke with the father of an American soldier who witnessed a horrific act of mass murder on a base in Iraq during his deployment. While his son was not wounded in the attack, what he saw that day left him with deep invisible wounds that have taken years to fully confront.

As Banks and other airmen who saw nine comrades gunned down go about their jobs and daily lives, everyone around them must stand ready to help in the aftermath of a such a painful, unforgettable day. As Banks articulated, no medal can ever erase a tragedy that took so many fine Americans away from their families.

Outside of the tragic August 6 helicopter crash, which the national media was obligated to report on due to its staggering death toll, the heroism of our troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq long ago took a back seat to celebrity fluff, political wrangling, and ratings-driven circuses like the royal wedding and Casey Anthony trial. Even as some look elsewhere, heroes like Master Sgt. Christopher Banks quietly do their jobs in faraway lands, asking for nothing in return.

At the dawn of another weekend at war, during one of the deadliest months of the entire war in Afghanistan, let's think about our men and women in uniform stationed there and in Iraq. Let's remember that despite great economic pain at home, times would be far more difficult if hundreds of thousands of selfless Americans had not volunteered to defend our nation from terrorism since 9/11.

Finally, let's pray for the families of every man or woman who has made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom during almost a decade of non-stop war. To them, we owe our very best.

Image courtesy: Senior Airman Cynthia Spalding

Dust in the Wind

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. David Salinitri

Minnesota, Michigan, Texas, and Oklahoma aren't the sites of upcoming presidential primaries. The states are the latest to be struck by war's vicious hammer during one of the deadliest months of the entire Afghanistan conflict, which has lasted almost ten years.

The five American soldiers listed below died in Afghanistan between Friday and Sunday.

Sgt. Matthew Harmon, 29, Bagley, Minnesota
Spc. Joseph VanDreumel, 32, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Master Sgt. Charles Price III, 40, Milam, Texas
1st Lt. Damon Leehan, 30, Edmond, Oklahoma
2nd Lt. Joe Cunningham, 27, Kingston, Oklahoma

Families of the fallen, including 55 who have lost a loved one in Afghanistan this month, are in our thoughts and prayers during this dark, tragic hour.

Human life is precious. The commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John R. Allen, demonstrated America's belief in that core value when he visited with families of civilians who were accidentally killed during combat operations in the Nejrab District of Kapisa Province on July 26.

Gen. Allen apologized to the Afghan families, while promising that U.S. forces will do whatever it takes to reduce civilian casualties -- a tragic, unavoidable reality of war -- in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.

The fact that a top American general would visit a remote village inside a war zone to personally deliver such an apology makes me proud to be American. While the national media often puts civilian casualties in Afghanistan or Iraq on the front pages, what differentiates Americans from terrorists is that our warfighters, while trained to kill the enemy, actually value human life.

As the Taliban and al Qaeda continue burying bombs near schools and civilian squares, many of our nation's combat veterans, who have confronted this evil on the battlefield, suffer from the invisible wounds of the carnage they have witnessed. As the Army's latest suicide report tragically revealed, seeing innocent people killed and maimed on the battlefield is deeply affecting our troops, veterans, and their families.

"Every suicide represents a tragic loss to our Army and the nation," Gen. Peter Chiarelli, vice chief of staff of the Army, said. "While the high number of potential suicides in July is discouraging, we are confident our efforts aimed at increasing individuals’ resiliency, while reducing incidence of at-risk and high-risk behavior across the force, are having a positive impact."

If you or someone you know is having trouble, don't wait. Several military spouses have told me that Army OneSource is a great resource to seek confidential counseling. The Air Force, Navy, Marines, and National Guard also have excellent programs set up to help you cope with war's invisible wounds, which are absolutely nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. As warriors, you have earned our lasting respect.

Right now in Afghanistan and Iraq, thousands of unselfish, gallant men and women in uniform are risking their lives for our freedom. While most will emerge from the conflicts unscathed, some will be wounded, some will suffer invisible wounds, and some will make the ultimate sacrifice. All will remain in the hearts of a grateful nation, as a new generation of American heroes continues to distinguish itself as one of history's greatest.

Image courtesy: Pfc. Nathan Goodall


Note: This post was updated at 1:44 p.m. EDT to reflect new casualty information released by the Department of Defense.

If I Die Young

When researching the life of Cpl. Loren Buffalo, 20, I discovered a song called "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry, which the soldier posted on his Facebook page shortly before his March 9 death. In "American Buffalo," this blog quoted the song's haunting chorus:

The sharp knife of a short life
We'll, I've had, just enough time

While in Dover, Delaware, with the USO last week to help families of the 30 U.S. troops killed in a devastating August 6 helicopter crash in Afghanistan, I nearly broke down in a restaurant when "If I Die Young" began playing on its speakers. Not only did I think of Cpl. Buffalo, his loved ones, and the 30 families mourning in Dover, but also of a Gold Star mother who once told me that since losing her son in Afghanistan, every day has felt like a knife turning inside her stomach.

Since Friday, six more American casualties of the war in Afghanistan have been announced by the Pentagon. The first five soldiers listed below died together in an August 11 improvised explosive device attack by terrorists in Kandahar province. The sixth name listed belongs to a Navy hospital corpsman who was tragically killed in Helmand province on the same day.

Sgt. Edward Frank II, 26, Yonkers, New York
Spc. Jameel Freeman, 26, Baltimore, Maryland
Spc. Patrick Lay II, 21, Fletcher, North Carolina
Spc. Jordan Morris, 23, Stillwater, Oklahoma
Pfc. Rueben Lopez, 27, Williams, California
Hospitalman Riley Gallinger-Long, 19, Cornelius, Oregon

With August 2011 shaping up to be one of the deadliest months of a nearly decade-long war, too many mothers are dealing with the loss of a young son or daughter.

Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you and she stands under my colors
Oh and life ain't always what you think it ought to be
No ain't even gray but she buries her baby

"If I Die Young" isn't just the name of a song. It's a question our brave troops serving in combat zones must ask themselves each morning when they wake up, as well as each night when they lie down to try to get a few hours of sleep.

In several instances, twentysomething husbands and wives have told me that before they left for their deployments, they sat down with their spouses to discuss funeral arrangements. For people who have barely had the chance to enjoy life, these conversations are unthinkable, yet essential during a time of great danger.

For the brave troops who didn't return home alive from Iraq or Afghanistan, their families still see their smiles and hear their voices, even if they can't do so in person. The time they had together was precious, but too brief.

The sharp knife of a short life
We'll, I've had, just enough time

The ages of the last six American heroes to die in Afghanistan range from 19 to 27. Their lives were far too short. But even in their fleeting moments on earth, they had just enough time to save the lives of others. They are heroes.

Funny when you're dead how people start listening, The Band Perry song says near its conclusion. After almost ten years of constant war, the challenge still facing our nation is clear. Instead of waiting until after a man or woman in uniform is dead to laud their achievements, let's pay attention every single day, and honor their sacrifices by the way we live.

If I die young, I will do so with the greatest appreciation for the men and women who protected me and my family while I was alive. To live in the United States of America is a blessing that none of us should ever take for granted.

Hard Knocks

File image courtesy: Cpl. Jad Sleiman

When news reached the United States on August 6 that 30 American troops had been killed in a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan's Wardak province, my first thought was not about politics or wartime strategy. It was about the 30 American families who would receive knocks on their doors from military messengers in the tragic days to follow.

While writing this weekly column and running the Unknown Soldiers blog, I have had the honor and privilege of speaking with family members who bravely recounted the moment that every military family dreads.

"I don't know that there's anything that can mentally prepare you," said Patrick Callahan, who lost his son, Marine Sgt. Sean Callahan, 23, in Afghanistan on Apr. 23. "You can't be. When they notified us, I was cooking some dinner for my daughter, who was having some friends over."

The messengers who delicately deliver this earth-shattering news do a job that almost nobody wants. Yet during every interview I've conducted with families of the fallen, grieving parents and spouses have expressed nothing but compassion for the men and women in uniform who told them that their hero was killed overseas.

"The casualty assistance officers who came to the house were extremely good and extremely nice," Callahan said. "We're still interacting with one of them and will be for months."

Lona Parten lost her oldest son, Army 1st Lt. Tyler Parten, 24, in Afghanistan on Sept. 10, 2009. Sitting across from the grieving mother at a Birmingham, Ala., restaurant, I could see the moment that changed her life while looking into her tearful eyes. The knock on the door still haunts the military mom, especially with a possible combat deployment on the horizon for her youngest son.

"How will I sleep?" she asked. "How will I deal with the phone ringing or knocks at the door?"

Donna Walker didn't know that her son, Army Spc. Jameson Lindskog, 23, was out on his first-ever combat mission until there was a knock on the door of her California home. But after not hearing from her son for two weeks, she sensed that he might be in danger shortly before his Mar. 29 death in Afghanistan.

"I knew something was going on," Walker told me. "But it was a complete shock, because it was the first time he was ever out."

Dante Acosta's son, Spc. Rudy Acosta, 19, was murdered in Afghanistan on March 19 when a terrorist infiltrated an American base and opened fire on U.S. troops. The knock on his family's door brought total shock and confusion into their home.

"It's the most gut-wrenching thing you could possibly go through," he said. "My wife — one minute she's fine, the next she's in tears."

On Sept. 21, 2010, Erin Looney's big brother, Lt. Brendan Looney, 29, boarded a helicopter with three fellow Navy SEALs and five soldiers. After it crashed, killing all nine U.S. troops, Erin was notified at work by her boss, a close family friend who had just spoken to her mother.

When Erin arrived home in a daze of grief, she found a houseful of grieving family members and friends, who provided plenty of love and support.

"I hugged my mom," she said. "People were just coming in all day and night."

While respecting the privacy of the families who lost a loved one in the tragic August 6 helicopter crash, we should emulate the relatives and friends of the Looney family. By putting aside our divisions and uniting behind our troops, we can help fill 30 grieving households with that same kind of love and support.

As President Barack Obama sits down in the Oval Office to sign condolence letters for 30 grieving military families, a speech delivered more than 25 years ago in the same office seems to fit this sad moment. On the solemn evening of January 26, 1986, President Ronald Reagan spoke about the seven courageous astronauts who died in the tragic explosion of Space Shuttle Challenger.

"We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them — this morning — as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye, and 'slipped the surly bonds of Earth' to 'touch the face of God.'"

COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM

Soldiering On

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Ryan Crane

As America continues to mourn the tragic loss of 30 U.S. troops on Saturday, August 6, it is important to remember that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have not paused, even for one of the worst tragedies for our military since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Our deployed heroes are still working hard and risking their lives -- every single day.

Since the helicopter crash, at least ten U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan, including five on Thursday, who reportedly lost their lives when a roadside bomb exploded in the south. The following five American warriors killed earlier in the week have been identified by the Department of Defense.

Sgt. Daniel Patron, 26, Canton, Ohio
Sgt. Adan Gonzales Jr., 28, Bakersfield, California
Sgt. Joshua Robinson, 29, Omaha, Nebraska
Sgt. Alessandro Plutino, 28, Pitman, New Jersey
Cpl. Nicholas Ott, 23, Manchester, New Jersey

Along with the 30 brave sailors, airmen, and soldiers identified by the Pentagon this week, these soldiers and Marines sacrificed everything for the cause of freedom. This weekend, their brothers and sisters in arms continue the fight, during what has become one of the most difficult months of the entire Afghanistan conflict, which began in October 2001.

Our military is full of selfless patriots who volunteer to do some of the world's most difficult jobs. We pray for their safety, especially during this uncertain, dangerous time.

Image courtesy: Cpl. Adam Leyendecker

Not Just Names

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Joseph Swafford

Moments ago, the Department of Defense released the names of the 30 American heroes killed on August 6 in the Wardak province, Afghanistan, helicopter crash.

While the list of these names appears below, every patriotic American knows that this is not simply a collection of names. The list represents life; not only because these heroes fully dedicated themselves to their country, but because they saved countless lives during their stellar military careers.

We will never forget them.

Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas Kelsall, 32, Shreveport, Louisiana

Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis Langlais, 44, Santa Barbara, California

Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas Ratzlaff, 34, Green Forest, Arkansas

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig Vickers, 36, Kokomo, Hawaii

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian Bill, 31, Stamford, Connecticut

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John Faas, 31, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin Houston, 35, West Hyannisport, Massachusetts

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew Mason, 37, Kansas City, Missouri

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen Mills, 35, Fort Worth, Texas

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas Null, 30, Washington, West Virginia

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert Reeves, 32, Shreveport, Louisiana

Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath Robinson, 34, Detroit, Michigan

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik Benson, 28, Angwin, California

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist) Christopher Campbell, 36, Jacksonville, North Carolina

Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared Day, 28, Taylorsville, Utah

Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, 26, South Sioux City, Nebraska

Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael Strange, 25, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon Tumilson, 35, Rockford, Iowa

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron Vaughn, 30, Stuart, Florida

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason Workman, 32, Blanding, Utah

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse Pittman, 27, Ukiah, California

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas Spehar, 24, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Chief Warrant Officer David Carter, 47, Centennial, Colorado

Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Nichols, 31, Hays, Kansas

Sgt. Patrick Hamburger, 30, Lincoln, Nebraska

Sgt. Alexander Bennett, 24, Tacoma, Washington

Spc. Spencer Duncan, 21, Olathe, Kansas

Tech. Sgt. John Brown, 33, Tallahassee, Florida

Staff Sgt. Andrew Harvell, 26, Long Beach, California

Tech. Sgt. Daniel Zerbe, 28, York, Pennsylvania

File image courtesy: Senior Chief Petty Officer Robert Fluegel

Justice

File image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Brian Lautenslager

August 6, 2011, will be remembered as a day that a stellar group of 30 American heroes was stolen from their families, and their country, by terrorists in Afghanistan. To the military, and especially the Navy SEAL community, losing so many friends in a single attack was a staggering blow, but also a dramatic call to arms.

Immediately after the mortally wounded Chinook helicopter was brought down in Wardak province, our military rallied to the crash site, recovering the dead and fighting the enemy. The heroism shown by U.S. forces since this tragedy has been truly breathtaking, and in my opinion, is a watershed moment of the entire war in Afghanistan.

On August 10, 2011, a grieving nation learned that a wanted Taliban facilitator operating in the same area the helicopter was shot down -- Mullah Mohibullah -- was killed in an F-16 airstrike.

But NATO also revealed that the airstrike brought justice to the terrorist who fired the rocket-propelled grenade that brought down the helicopter full of American heroes. Even amid the sad aftermath of a painful battlefield tragedy, our military has given the United States of America another great victory.

"We remember why we're here in the first place," Gen. John R. Allen, commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, said during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. "We know what is at stake."

As al Qaeda and Taliban learned the hard way on May 1, when Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, any terrorist who kills Americans will be held accountable for their murderous actions, no matter how long it atkes. As proven time and time again since the 9/11 attacks and throughout this nation's history, our men and women in uniform will go anywhere, even under the most difficult conditions, to protect us all.

"They face relentless pressure from coalition and, increasingly, Afghan forces," Gen. Allen said of the enemy.

While spending the last three days in Dover, Delaware, where all 30 American heroes returned home to their families in flag-draped caskets this week, I saw signs that valiant warriors like Gen. Allen aren't the only ones who understand our post-9/11 world.

Local businesses in Dover put up messages like "may God be with the families of the fallen" and "never forget." While signs like these were commonplace 9 years and 11 months ago, true patriotism and support of our troops has mostly faded from our daily national consciousness. The loss of 30 of our country's best and brightest on August 6 should remind us all that our men and women in uniform and their families deserve our constant support and appreciation.

Still, killing the terrorists responsible for murdering Navy SEALs and other brave service members will not bring our superheroes back to life.

"This does not ease our loss," Gen. Allen said. "But we must and we will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemy."

At this hour, the families of the 30 Americans killed in eastern Afghanistan's rugged mountains on Saturday are going through grief that very few of us can imagine. I hope news of our military bringing the killers of their loved ones to justice provides a small measure of comfort, if only for a few moments.

While the U.S. troops aboard the helicopter crash were heroes, their parents, spouses, and especially their children are too. They will always be in our thoughts and prayers.

Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States military has shown the world that terrorism will not stand. To live in a country defended by these warriors -- all of whom volunteered to protect us -- is an honor and a privilege.

"Ask not what your country can do for you," President John F. Kennedy, a World War II veteran, famously said. "Ask what you can do for your country."

When it comes to a post-9/11 generation of American protectors, there are no more questions to be answered. The men and women serving in today's military are among the greatest to ever put on a uniform. Because of them, justice still prevails, even in an uncertain world.

Strength from Above

Image courtesy: U.S. Air Force

To be an explosive ordnance disposal technician, one must possess uncommon physical and emotional strength. Think "The Hurt Locker" — with all the Hollywood stripped out.

With sweat dripping from their foreheads, U.S. troops disabling roadside bombs in Afghanistan and Iraq know that any given moment could be the end. Perhaps that's why Tech Sgt. Daniel Douville, 33, lived every day like it was his last.

While pictures of this brave airman show an imposing, muscular figure, a conversation with his wife of 14 years, LaShana Douville, left no doubt about the potency of his character. When asked how her family is coping with their hero's tragic death on June 26 in Afghanistan, LaShana was calm, composed, and strong.

"We're doing OK," she told The Unknown Soldiers. "We're taking things one day at a time."

After Tech Sgt. Douville's death, which the Pentagon said was the result of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device blew up on the border of the volatile Helmand Province's Nad'Ali District, the most pressing concern was the couple's three children, Jadelynn, 14, Ayjah-Danielle, 12, and Daniel Jr., 9.

"I asked (Jadelynn), 'How are you doing? Because you're really quiet,'" LaShana, 33, said. "She said she's being what she knows her dad would want her to be, and that's strong."

Mom is equally proud of their youngest daughter.

"My 12-year-old has really stepped up," LaShana explained. "She's realized how important this is and what happened."

As the only son of a larger-than-life figure, Daniel Jr. shared a special bond with his father. While praising their son's tenacity during a time of tragedy, LaShana spoke of an empty spot inside the boy's big heart.

"My 9-year-old understands, but he's having the most difficult time," she said. "He doesn't have Dad."

At his father's memorial ceremony, the Bronze Star Medal awarded to his dad was pinned on Daniel Jr.'s shirt, just above his heart. As always, Mom was by his side.

"I'm here," she said. "I'll be here to take care of him."

Even while disabling enemy bombs by day during his combat deployments, Douville would still manage to be a part of parent-teacher conferences by night.

"He would call in from Afghanistan to be on speakerphone," LaShana said. "From the beginning, he wanted to take care of me and our kids."

During what turned out to be their last conversation, Douville calmed his wife's nerves from half a world away. On a Saturday, he phoned to let her know he was safe after not being able to call during the previous days' grueling back-to-back missions.

"He hadn't really slept," LaShana recalled. "He mentioned a third mission but said he wouldn't be going."

On Sunday, he was killed.

"Obviously, he went on that third mission," she said.

Without the love and support of relatives, friends, and fellow airmen, times would be even tougher at the Douvilles' Fort Walton Beach, Fla., home. But during the most difficult weeks of her life, nothing has been more important to LaShana than her faith.

"That is exactly what has helped me through all of this," she said. "I found the strength I never knew I had."

LaShana said that as a humble warrior, her husband rarely spoke to her about his heroic accomplishments. After he was killed, she realized that in between those parent-teacher conferences, he was doing amazing things.

"He saved a lot of lives out there and put a lot of bad people away," LaShana said. "I've heard so many people say so many times that he was the best."

While being the best he could be on the battlefield was very important to Tech Sgt. Daniel Douville, nothing mattered more than his family.

"We talked about being parents," she said. "But we even talked about someday being grandparents."

Through all the family milestones still to come, LaShana said with absolute certainty that her husband, a man of deep faith, is watching over his wife and children.

"Not only was he my husband," she said. "He was my best friend. He was a good person."

LaShana Douville still feels her husband's strength from the heavens above.

"I'm OK," she said.

COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM

Image courtesy: LaShana Douville

Mission of Honor

Image courtesy: U.S. Air Force/Jason Minto

For a member of the United States military, no mission is more sacred than bring a fallen comrade home to his or her family.

Over the past 24 hours, countless troops have risked their lives to ensure that all 30 American heroes killed in Saturday's horrific helicopter crash in Afghanistan's Wardak province are recovered from the crash site and returned to their loved ones.

Unlike several national media outlets, this blog will not speculate on the extraordinarily sensitive operations currently taking place in Afghanistan, or post one fallen hero's name until it is officially released by the Pentagon. If you're an American journalist, this is not a time to be "first," it's a time to put your country first. The privacy of America's newest Gold Star families, as well as the safety of troops putting themselves in harm's way to reach the helicopter's wreckage, are paramount.

Gen. John R. Allen, who recently took over for Gen. David Petraeus as commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, offered these deeply personal thoughts about Saturday's events.

"No words describe the sorrow we feel in the wake of this tragic loss," Gen. Allen said. "All of those killed in this operation were true heroes who had already given so much in the defense of freedom. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten."

Allen might be a battle-hardened Marine, but he made clear that at this hour of darkness, nothing is more important than supporting families of the fallen.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who are now waiting for their loved ones to return home," he continued. "We will do everything in our power to support them in this time of need."

Officials confirmed that of the 30 American service members killed in the August 6 Chinook crash, the cause of which is being investigated, 22 were Navy SEALs. While the loss of any American who volunteers to fight for his or her country is incomprehensible in scope, the deaths of so many highly-trained SEALs, an elite group that gave 21st century America its finest hour, is particularly devastating.

The above photo shows the dignified transfer ceremony honoring Chief Special Warfare Operator Adam Brown, a Navy SEAL who died in Afghanistan on March 18, 2010. Like his brothers in arms killed on Saturday, fellow warriors stepped up to bring this SEAL home to his family after his tragic death.

As we mourn from half a world away, our men and women in uniform in Afghanistan are performing with brilliance and compassion that goes far beyond their call of duty. When all the flag-draped caskets have returned home, nobody will be more appreciative of their efforts than the loved ones of 30 heroes that our country will never forget.

There is nothing more honorable than risking your life for another human being. After thinking about how many times -- and how many people -- have performed this supreme act of selflessness over the past 24 hours in Afghanistan, I can only bow my head, close my eyes, and pray for their safety.

File image courtesy: Sgt. Sean Casey

Empty Sky

File image courtesy: Capt. Mindy Yu

On Friday, there was a discussion on this blog and on The Unknown Soldiers Facebook page about the importance of always keeping American troops in our daily thoughts, even as many of us relax with family and friends on weekends.

"I set my phone to remind me at noon each day to pray for our troops," Kim Forrester Gobie wrote.

On Saturday morning, Americans awoke to one of the most horrific incidents of nearly a decade at war in Afghanistan. NATO has confirmed the crash of an International Security Assistance Force helicopter in Wardak province, which is on the eastern front. Afghan president Hamid Karzai said 31 Americans and seven Afghans were killed in the devastating crash.

While the Taliban has claimed responsibility for shooting down the Chinook helicopter, NATO said it is investigating the cause of the crash.

"ISAF is still in the process of assessing the circumstances to determine the facts of the incident," a statement said. "Reporting indicates there was enemy activity in the area."

While U.S. officials have not confirmed the exact numbers released by Karzai and will not release the names of the fallen until their loved ones have been notified, various media reports indicate that U.S. special forces suffered heavy casualties in the crash. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta issued the following statement:

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of many outstanding Americans in uniform and of their Afghan counterparts earlier today in Afghanistan," Panetta said in a statement. "Their courage was exemplary, as was their determination to make this a safer world for their countries and for their fellow citizens.

"We will stay the course to complete that mission, for which they and all who have served and lost their lives in Afghanistan have made the ultimate sacrifice," the defense secretary continued. "They and their families are in my thoughts, in my prayers and in my heart."

Panetta did the right thing by immediately spotlighting the families of our fallen heroes, because that's what this story is about. In the days to come, dozens of Americans will receive knocks on their doors from military messengers and learn that their loved one was on board that helicopter when it vanished from the sky. Putting aside politics, now is a time to show unity, not division, for the sake of the grieving relatives of the heroes who have been lost.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the Americans who were lost earlier today in Afghanistan," President Barack Obama said in a statement. "We also mourn the Afghans who died alongside our troops in pursuit of a more peaceful and hopeful future for their country."

As news of this tragedy reaches the thousands of U.S. troops still serving in Afghanistan, they are experiencing feelings few of us can understand. Based on past conversations with men and women who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq, I can only surmise that tragedies like this one are taken personally by our troops, and the resolve to carry on is overwhelming.

On May 1, U.S. special forces gave America its finest hour of the 21st century when Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden. Today, as our valiant special forces mourn their dead, let us make them proud by showing steadfast, unflinching support for our service members and their families, and especially those who have lost a loved one.

While the skies above Afghanistan may seem empty at this dark hour, grieving troops can take comfort in knowing that half a world away, Americans are filling the heavens with prayers for their safety. No matter what, this nation will never give up on the men and women who defend it.

File image courtesy: Sgt. Teddy Wade

Working for the Weekend

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Ryan Smith

For thousands of American troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq, the weekend is not a time to kick back and have fun. While many on the home front look forward to relaxing at the end of the week, a Saturday or Sunday is often just another day at war for a deployed warrior.

On Saturday, July 30, for instance, Marines of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment were marching between two bases in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province when insurgensts fired on them with AK-47's. The Marines dug in, returned fire with machine guns and grenade launchers, and a hellish eight-minute battle ensued.

Staff Sgt. Ryan Smith was there, and risked his life to file a report about the firefight. As the national media obsessed over political wrangling in Washington, his fine report on a victory for our Marines in Afghanistan went mostly unnoticed.

"Snipers said they had positive identification, so we engaged," Cpl. Brandon Barrone, who is spending a summer in Afghanistan instead of being home in Las Vegas, told Staff Sgt. Smith. "Either we killed the enemy or they ran away. They broke contact. Everything went real smooth and real fast and everyone’s fine so it was a good day."

Most of us wouldn't consider spending a Sunday being shot at as "a good day." But most of us are not Marines. We owe these heroes an enormous debt of gratitude.

While no Marines were killed or injured in the July 30 firefight at Observation Post Kakar, there have sadly been several American casualties in Afghanistan this week.

Spc. Mark Downer, 23, Warner Robins, Georgia
Sgt. Daniel Gurr, 21, Vernal, Utah
Spc. Jinsu Lee, 34, Chatsworth, California
Sgt. Anthony Del Mar Peterson, 24, Chelsea, Oklahoma
Capt. Waid Ramsey, 41, Red Bay, Alabama
Pfc. Cody Baker, 19, Holton, Kansas
Pfc. Gil Morales Del Valle, 21, Jacksonville, Florida
Spc. Barun Rai, 24, Silver Spring, Maryland
Sgt. William Gross Paniagua, 28, Daly City, California
Pfc. Brice Scott, 22, Columbus, Georgia
Staff Sgt. Leon Lucas Jr., 32, Wilson, North Carolina
Staff Sgt. Kirk Owen, 37, Sapulpa, Oklahoma

Sgt. Owen, who died on August 2 in Paktia province, was the third member of the Oklahoma National Guard to be killed in Afghanistan in less than a week. His two brothers in arms, 2nd Lt. Jered Ewy and Spc. Augustus Vicari, lost their lives in the same area on July 29.

"This is a very difficult time for the Oklahoma National Guard, but we must persevere,” Maj. Gen. Myles Deering of the Oklahoma Natioanal Guard said in a statement. "We have lost three very brave men in a short time frame."

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these fallen heroes, as well as the soldiers injured in these attacks.

This weekend, many of us will have barbeques, head to pools or beaches, go to the movies, watch ballgames, or simply spend time with family inside our air-conditioned homes and apartments. Our deployed troops do not have any of these luxuries. As we rest, our heroes fight.

In Afghanistan and Iraq, the week never ends.

Image courtesy: Staff Sgt. Ryan Crane

Note: This post was updated on August 6 at 6:48 p.m. EDT to reflect new casualty information released by the Department of Defense.

Broken Arrow

Image courtesy: Sgt. Justin Morelli

Improvised explosive devices are the leading killers of U.S. troops deployed in war zones since September 11, 2001. But what we often fail to grasp, perhaps because it is too depressing for some to think about, is that cowardly terrorists are the ones planting these devices, which steal the lives of many of our strongest, bravest protectors from their families.

My heart sank when I learned of the July 29 deaths of two American soldiers with the Army's 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Paktia, Afghanistan.

2nd Lt. Jered Ewy, 33, Edmond, Oklahoma
Spc. Augustus Vicari, 22, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

The Pentagon said these Oklahoma National Guardsmen died of "wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device."

According to The Post-Tribune, the death of Spc. Augustus Vicari, nicknamed "Augy," has devastated Lowell, Indiana, where the future soldier graduated high school. Carrie Napoleon reports that the town, where the departed warrior's mother works in the water department, is banding together to show support for the Vicaris.

"It’s very sad, but there’s a little extra pride there, too, one of our boys sacrificing his life not only for our country, but for our town," (Town Council Vice President Phillip) Kuiper said. "It’s bittersweet."

After meeting and marrying his wife, Holly, the Vicaris moved to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, according to FOX 23 in Tulsa. The fallen soldier's aunt told reporter Sharon Phillips that since the tragedy, the hero's widow is holding up incredibly well.

"She is amazing," Vicki Vicari said. "She's 21 years old and she is the strongest 21-year-old I've ever met in my life."

As an Army Ranger, 2nd Lt. Jered Ewy was "one of the first troops on the ground in Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001," according to The Oklahoman. After his Ranger service was complete, he joined the National Guard and also graduated from college.

Most importantly, he got married in 2009, and was at his wife's beside when their daughter, Kyla, was born in June. Despite knowing that he would be back in Afghanistan while his daughter learned to crawl, walk, and speak, reporter Matt Dinger found out that he never took pity on himself.

"He never complained," Andy Burnett, who is speaking on behalf of the family, said. "He was going to miss the entire first year of his daughter's life and he never complained about it."

Second Lt. Ewy loved kids, whether coaching them in gymnastics or protecting them from terrorists in Afghanistan. While it is devastating to think about Megan Ewy being left behind to raise a baby on her own, the time her husband did get to spend with little Kyla will always be cherished.

What these two soldiers gave up for our country is almost beyond comprehension.

"Both 2nd Lt. Ewy and Spc. Vicari were brave and committed individuals whose sacrifices for both the American and Afghan people will not be forgotten," Lt. Col. Chuck Booze said in a statement released to the media. "While we mourn the loss of these two heroes, this loss hardens our resolve to bring peace and security to the people of Paktia province.

"Please keep the families of our fallen heroes and servicemen and women who continue to serve in your prayers," he concluded.

We on the home front cannot be passive as our brothers and sisters are slaughtered overseas by terrorists who wantonly murder men, women, and children in a failing attempt to advance an ideology of hate. Every single time an improvised explosive device kills a service member or civilian, it is an outrage that each of us, as Americans, should take personally.

I'm angry about the deaths of 2nd Lt. Jered Ewy and Spc. Augustus Vicari, and hope the cowards responsible are hunted down by brave U.S. forces. But with that anger comes compassion for two families that have been permanently altered by the tragic face of war. To them, we offer nothing but love, support, and thanks.

Images courtesy: U.S. Army

Notes: Demotte State Bank in Indiana is accepting donations to help the Vicari family. For more information, please call (219) 696-8716.

Bank of America branches in the Edmond, Oklahoma, area are accepting donations in the name of Megan and Kyla Ewy.