Ten Green Berets Awarded the Silver Star

The following article needs no explanation. After all, these are Green Berets. The motto of these warriors is expressed in Latin on their unit crest above: "To Liberate the Oppressed".

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Washington Post
December 12, 2008
Pg. 1

10 Green Berets To Receive Silver Star For Afghan Battle

By Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post Staff Writer

After jumping out of helicopters at daybreak onto jagged, ice-covered rocks and into water from an altitude of 10,000 feet, the 12-man Special Forces team scrambled up the steep mountainside toward its target -- an insurgent stronghold in northeast Afghanistan.

"Our plan," Capt. Kyle M. Walton recalled in an interview, "was to fight downhill."

But as the soldiers maneuvered toward a cluster of thick-walled mud buildings constructed layer upon layer about 1,000 feet farther up the mountain, insurgents quickly manned fighting positions, readying a barrage of fire for the exposed Green Berets.

A harrowing, nearly seven-hour battle unfolded on that mountainside in Afghanistan's Nuristan province on April 6, as Walton, his team and a few dozen Afghan commandos they had trained took fire from all directions. Outnumbered, the Green Berets fought on even after half of them were wounded -- four critically -- and managed to subdue an estimated 150 to 200 insurgents, according to interviews with several team members and official citations.

Today, Walton and nine of his teammates from Operational Detachment Alpha 3336 of the 3rd Special Forces Group will receive the Silver Star for their heroism in that battle -- the highest number of such awards given to the elite troops for a single engagement since the Vietnam War.

That chilly morning, Walton's mind was on his team's mission: to capture or kill several members of the Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) militant group in their stronghold, a village perched in Nuristan's Shok Valley that was accessible only by pack mule and so remote that Walton said he believed that no U.S. troops, or Soviet ones before them, had ever been there.

But as the soldiers, each carrying 60 to 80 pounds of gear, scaled the mountain, they could already spot insurgents running to and fro, they said. As the soldiers drew closer, they saw that many of the mud buildings had holes in the foot-thick walls for snipers. The U.S. troops had maintained an element of surprise until their helicopters turned into the valley, but by now the insurgent leaders entrenched above knew they were the targets, and had alerted their fighters to rally.

Staff Sgt. Luis Morales of Fredericksburg was the first to see an armed insurgent and opened fire, killing him. But at that moment, the insurgents began blasting away at the American and Afghan troops with machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled-grenades -- shooting down on each of the U.S. positions from virtually all sides.

"All elements were pinned down from extremely heavy fire from the get-go," Walton said. "It was a coordinated attack." The insurgent Afghan fighters knew there was only one route up the valley and "were able to wait until we were in the most vulnerable position to initiate the ambush," said Staff Sgt. Seth E. Howard, the team weapons sergeant.

Almost immediately, exposed U.S. and Afghan troops were hit. An Afghan interpreter was killed, and Sgt. Dillon Behr was shot in the hip.

"We were pretty much in the open, there were no trees to hide behind," said Morales, who with Walton pulled Behr back to their position. Morales cut open Behr's fatigues and applied pressure to his bleeding hip, even though Morales himself had been shot in the right thigh. A minute later, Morales was hit again, in the ankle, leaving him struggling to treat himself and his comrade, he said. Absent any cover, Walton moved the body of the dead Afghan interpreter to shield the wounded.

Farther down the hill in the streambed, Master Sgt. Scott Ford, the team sergeant, was firing an M203 grenade launcher at the fighting positions, he recalled. An Afghan commando fired rocket-propelled grenades at the windows from which they were taking fire, while Howard shot rounds from a rocket launcher and recoilless rifle.

Ford, of Athens, Ohio, then moved up the mountain amid withering fire to aid Walton at his command position. The ferocity of the attack surprised him, as rounds ricocheted nearby every time he stuck his head out from behind a rock. "Typically they run out of ammo or start to manage their ammo, but . . . they held a sustained rate of fire for about six hours," he said.

As Ford and Staff Sgt. John Wayne Walding returned fire, Walding was hit below his right knee. Ford turned and saw that the bullet "basically amputated his right leg right there on the battlefield."

Walding, of Groesbeck, Tex., recalled: "I literally grabbed my boot and put it in my crotch, then got the boot laces and tied it to my thigh, so it would not flop around. There was about two inches of meat holding my leg on." He put on a tourniquet, watching the blood flow out the stump to see when it was tight enough.

Then Walding tried to inject himself with morphine but accidentally used the wrong tip of the syringe and put the needle in this thumb, he later recalled. "My thumb felt great," he said wryly, noting that throughout the incident he never lost consciousness. "My name is John Wayne," he said.

Soon afterward, a round hit Ford in the chest, knocking him back but not penetrating his body armor. A minute later, another bullet went through his left arm and shoulder, hitting the helmet of the medic, Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Shurer, who was behind him treating Behr. An insurgent sniper was zeroing in on them.

Bleeding heavily from the arm, Ford put together a plan to begin removing the wounded, knowing they could hold out only for so long without being overrun. By this time, Air Force jets had begun dropping dozens of munitions on enemy positions precariously close to the Green Berets, including 2,000-pound bombs that fell within 350 yards.

"I was completely covered in a cloud of black smoke from the explosion," said Howard, and Behr was wounded in the intestine by a piece of shrapnel.

The evacuation plan, Ford said, was that "every time they dropped another bomb, we would move down another terrace until we basically leapfrogged down the mountain." Ford was able to move to lower ground after one bomb hit, but insurgent fire rained down again, pinning the soldiers left behind.

"If we went that way, we would have all died," said Howard, who was hiding behind 12-inch-high rocks with bullets bouncing off about every 10 seconds. Insurgents again nearly overran the U.S. position, firing down from 25 yards away -- so near that the Americans said they could hear their voices. Another 2,000-pound bomb dropped "danger close," he said, allowing the soldiers to get away.

Finally, after hours of fighting, the troops made their way down to the streambed, with those who could still walk carrying the wounded. A first medical evacuation helicopter flew in, but the rotors were immediately hit by bullets, so the pilot hovered just long enough to allow the in-flight medic to jump off, then flew away.

A second helicopter came in but had to land in the middle of the icy, fast-moving stream. "It took two to three guys to carry each casualty through the river," Ford said. "It was a mad dash to the Medevac." As they sat on the helicopter, it sustained several rounds of fire, and the pilot was grazed by a bullet.

By the time the battle ended, the Green Berets and the commandos had suffered 15 wounded and two killed, both Afghans, while an estimated 150 to 200 insurgents were dead, according to an official Army account of the battle. The Special Forces soldiers had nearly run out of ammunition, with each having one to two magazines left, Ford said.

"We should not have lived," said Walding, reflecting on the battle in a phone interview from Fort Bragg, N.C., where he and the nine others are to receive the Silver Stars today. Nine more Green Berets from the 3rd Special Forces Group will also receive Silver Stars for other battles. About 200 U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have received the Silver Star, the U.S. military's third-highest combat award.

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Our brave Green Berets continue to serve with courage and sacrifice as they endeavor to free the oppressed people of the world.

Charles M. Grist
www.TheCobraTeam.com
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Blind Green Beret Won't Quit

This is one inspiring story from the Associated Press (above photo is also from the Associated Press):

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Blind Special Forces Officer Pushes Limits

By KEVIN MAURER,
AP
Posted: 2008-06-30 12:57:38
Filed Under: Nation News

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (June 30) - When Capt. Ivan Castro joined the Army, he set goals: to jump out of planes, kick in doors and lead soldiers into combat. He achieved them all. Then the mortar round landed five feet away, blasting away his sight.

"Once you're blind, you have to set new goals," Castro said.

He set them higher.

Not content with just staying in the Army, he is the only blind officer serving in the Special Forces - the small, elite units famed for dropping behind enemy lines on combat missions.

"I am going to push the limits," said the 40-year-old executive officer at the 7th Special Forces Group's headquarters company in Fort Bragg. "I don't want to go to Fort Bragg and show up and sit in an office. I want to work every day and have a mission."

Since the war began in Iraq, more than 100 troops have been blinded and 247 others have lost sight in one eye. Only two other blind officers serve in the active-duty Army: one a captain studying to be an instructor at West Point, the other an instructor at the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

Castro's unit commander said his is no charity assignment. Rather it draws on his experience as a Special Forces team member and platoon leader with the 82nd Airborne Division.

"The only reason that anyone serves with 7th Special Forces Group is if they have real talents," said Col. Sean Mulholland. "We don't treat (Castro) as a public affairs or a recruiting tool."

An 18-year Army veteran, Castro was a Ranger before completing Special Forces training, the grueling yearlong course many soldiers fail to finish. He joined the Special Forces as a weapons sergeant, earned an officer's commission and moved on to the 82nd - hoping to return one day to the Special Forces as a team leader.

Then life changed on a rooftop outside Youssifiyah, Iraq, in September 2006.

Castro had relieved other paratroopers atop a house after a night of fighting. He never heard the incoming mortar round. There was just a flash of light, then darkness.

Shrapnel tore through his body, breaking his arm and shoulder and shredding the left side of his face. Two other paratroopers died.

When Castro awoke six weeks later at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., his right eye was gone. Doctors were unable to save his left.

The Blinded Veterans Association estimates 13 percent of all combat hospital emergency procedures in Iraq have involved eye injuries and more than half of the soldiers with traumatic brain injuries also suffer some visual impairment. That makes them the third most common injury - behind post traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries - in Iraq.

"What he is doing is a strong example that blind individuals can lead exciting and meaningful careers," said Thomas Zampieri, director of government relations for the association.

After 17 months in recovery, Castro sought a permanent assignment in the service's Special Operations Command, landing duty with the 7th Special Forces Group. He focuses on managerial tasks while honing the group's Spanish training, a useful language for a unit that deploys regularly to train South American troops.

"I want to support the guys and make sure life is easier for those guys so that they can accomplish the mission," he said.

Though not fully independent, he spent a weekend before starting his job walking around the Group area at Fort Bragg to know just where he was going. He carefully measured the steps from car to office.

"Obviously, he cannot do some things that a sighted person can do. But Ivan will find a way to get done whatever he needs to get done," Mulholland said. "What I am most impressed with, though, is his determination to continue to serve his country after all that he's been through."

Castro works out regularly at the gym and runs, his legs powerful and muscular. And though he has a prosthetic right eye and his arms are scarred by shrapnel, his outsized personality overshadows his war wounds: Nobody escapes his booming hellos, friendly banter and limitless drive.

He ran the Boston marathon this year with Adm. Eric T. Olson, commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command. Last year it was the Marine Corps Marathon. He wants to compete in the Ironman triathlon in Hawaii and graduate from the Army's officer advanced course, which teaches captains how to lead troops and plan operations.

Mulholland said Castro, who was awarded a Purple Heart like others wounded in combat, will always be part of the Special Forces family.

"I will fight for Ivan as long as Ivan wants to be in the Army," Mulholland said.

Married and the father of a 14-year-old son, Castro still needs help getting to the gym. He recently needed an escort to the front of the headquarters company formation, where he promoted a supply clerk.

Once in front, Ivan took charge.

Affixing the new soldier's rank to his uniform, Castro urged the soldier to perform two ranks higher. In the Special Forces, he said, one has to go above and beyond what is asked - advice he lives by.

"I want to be treated the same way as other officers," Castro said. "I don't want them to take pity over me or give me something I've not earned."

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Where do we find such men as this?

Charles M. Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Support the Hubbard Act - Contact Your Senators and Congressmen

Today the Associated Press reported the tragic story of a soldier who lost both of his brothers in Iraq and then discovered that his sole-surviving son status had cost him and his family their own military benefits:

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Military Denied Benefits to Surviving Son

By GARANCE BURKE
Associated Press

FRESNO, Calif. (April 17) - Forced to leave the combat zone after his two brothers died in the Iraq war, Army Spc. Jason Hubbard faced another battle once he returned home: The military cut off his family's health care, stopped his G.I. educational subsidies and wanted him to repay his sign-up bonus.

It wasn't until Hubbard petitioned his local congressman that he was able to restore some of his benefits.

Now that congressman, Rep. Devin Nunes, plans to join three other lawmakers in introducing a bill that would ensure basic benefits to all soldiers who are discharged under an Army policy governing sole surviving siblings and children of soldiers killed in combat. The rule is a holdover from World War II meant to protect the rights of service people who have lost a family member to war.

"I felt as if in some ways I was being punished for leaving even though it was under these difficult circumstances," Hubbard told The Associated Press. "The situation that happened to me is not a one-time thing. It's going to happen to other people, and to have a law in place is going to ease their tragedy in some way."

Hubbard, 33, and his youngest brother, Nathan, enlisted while they were still grieving for their brother, Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Hubbard, who was 22 when he was killed in a 2004 bomb explosion in Ramadi.

At their request, the pair were assigned to the same unit, the 3rd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, and deployed to Iraq the next year.

In August, 21-year-old Cpl. Nathan died when his Black Hawk helicopter crashed near Kirkuk. Jason was part of the team assigned to remove his comrades' bodies from the wreckage.

Hubbard accompanied his little brother's body on a military aircraft to Kuwait, then on to California. He kept steady during Nathan's burial at Clovis Cemetery, standing in dress uniform between his younger brothers' graves as hundreds sobbed in the heat.

But Hubbard broke his silence when he found his wife, pregnant with their second child, had been cut off from the transitional health care the family needed to ease back to civilian life after he was discharged in October.

"This is a man who asked for nothing and gave a lot," said Nunes, R-Calif., who represents Hubbard's hometown of Clovis, a city of 90,000 next to Fresno. "Jason is one person who obviously has suffered tremendously and has given the ultimate sacrifice. One person is too many to have this happen to."

Hubbard went to Nunes, who began advocating for the former soldier in December, after hearing the Army was demanding that he repay $6,000 from his enlistment bonus and was denying him up to $40,000 in educational benefits under the GI bill.

After speaking with Army Secretary Pete Geren, Nunes got the repayment waived, and a military health policy restored for Hubbard's wife.

But the policy mandated that she be treated at a nearby base, and doctors at the Lemoore Naval Air Station warned that the 45-mile trip could put her and the fetus in danger. Hubbard said doctors offered alternative treatment at a hospital five hours away.

Meantime, Hubbard and his two-year-old son went without any coverage for a few months.

The Hubbard Act, scheduled to be introduced Wednesday, would for the first time detail the rights of sole survivors, and extend to them a number of benefits already offered to other soldiers honorably discharged from military service.

The bill - co-sponsored by Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. - would waive payback of their enlistment bonuses, allow them to participate in G.I. educational programs, give them separation pay and access to transitional health care.

Meanwhile, Hubbard, his wife Linnea and his son Elijah, have permanent health coverage now that he is once again working as a Fresno County sheriff's deputy, the job he left in 2004 to serve in Iraq.

The Army will adopt to any changes in policy springing from the legislation, said Army spokesman Maj. Nathan Banks.

"Foremost the Army itself sympathizes with him for the loss of his brothers," Banks said. "We will do everything within our means to rectify this issue. He is still one of ours."

Hubbard's father, Jeff, said that resolving the family's bureaucratic difficulties would provide some comfort, but would not help lessen their pain.

"We're still very much deeply involved in a grieving process. We're pretty whacked," he said. "This doesn't relate back to the loss of our boys, it can't, but we would consider it a positive accomplishment."

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This terrible situation must never happen again. Please contact your Congressional representatives and encourage them to pass the Hubbard Act. Also, please forward this story to others who can assist in obtaining support for this bill.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

A World War II Story of Chivalry & Courage

The item below was forwarded to me by one of the officers with whom I served in Iraq:

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A B-17 War Story:

Charlie Brown was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 379th Bomber Group at Kimbolton, England. His B-17 was called 'Ye Old Pub' and was in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters. The compass was damaged and they were flying deeper over enemy territory instead of heading home to Kimbolton.

After flying over an enemy airfield, a German pilot named Franz Steigler was ordered to take off and shoot down the B-17. When he got near the B-17, he could not believe his eyes. In his words, he 'had never seen a plane in such a bad state'. The tail and rear section was severely damaged, and the tail gunner wounded. The top gunner was all over the top of the fuselage. The nose was smashed, a propeller feathered and there were holes everywhere.

Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the B-17 and looked at Charlie Brown, the pilot. Brown was scared and struggling to control his damaged and blood-stained plane.

Aware that they had no idea where they were going, Franz waved at Charlie to turn 180degrees. Franz escorted and guided the stricken plane to and slightly over the North Sea towards England. He then saluted Charlie Brown and turned away, back to Europe.

When Franz landed he told the C/O that the plane had been shot down over the sea, and never told the truth to anybody. Charlie Brown and the remains of his crew told all at their briefing, but were ordered never to talk about it.

More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown wanted to find the Luftwaffe pilot who had spared the lives of the crew. After years of research, Franz was found at last. He had never talked about the incident either, not even at post-war reunions

They met in the USA at a 379th Bomber Group reunion, together with 25 people who are alive now - all because Franz never fired his guns that day.

Research shows that Charlie Brown lived in Seattle and Franz Steigler had moved to Vancouver, BC after the war. When they finally met, they discovered they had lived less than 200 miles apart for the past 50 years !!!

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Quite a story!

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Navy Seal Awarded Posthumous Medal of Honor

It was reported today that Lt. Michael P. Murphy of Long Island, New York, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism in combat in Afghanistan. The 29-year-old officer was in charge of a reconnaissance mission when his unit was attacked by the Taliban.

The Seals were outnumbered and under heavy fire. Murphy was wounded, but he still managed to use a radio to call for help. He then continued the fight. Because of his valor, a wounded Seal was rescued and the bodies of Murphy and his fellow warriors were recovered.

Murphy’s parents will receive the Medal on October 22 at the White House. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fellow Seals.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Memorial Day, 2007: We Must Never Forget

I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.

Timothy 2:4:7

I remember the 18-year-old kid from Tennessee who let me use his transistor radio, the baby-faced private from North Carolina with the big grin, Staff Sergeant James, Sergeant Brezinski and Sergeant Dowjotas. There are others whose names, God forgive me, I cannot recall. All of their names are on the Vietnam wall because they gave their lives for their country.

I also remember Lieutenant King.

Late in 1970, after several months as an infantry platoon leader with the First Cavalry Division (the First "Air" Cav), I got sick as a dog one morning after we returned to the firebase. At first the medics thought it was malaria, but it was some other jungle virus and I was laid up in the rear area for about a month. Unfortunately, another lieutenant was sent to take over my platoon.

When I recovered, I asked the battalion commander to re-assign me to another platoon. He said he would let me fill the next platoon leader vacancy. When the lieutenant for the second platoon of Bravo Company rotated back to the States, I politely reminded the battalion commander of his promise.

He was nice about it, but he said he was sending Lieutenant Thomas P. King to take over that platoon. I had gotten to know King from our chess games in a firebase bunker. King was a West Point graduate and a career officer who needed the field time, so the commander said I could have the next platoon.

Less than two weeks later, Lieutenant King and his men walked up on an NVA bunker complex. Along with several other soldiers, he was killed when a North Vietnamese soldier detonated a Chinese claymore mine. If I had been in command of that platoon as originally planned, I would have been the one killed.

Years later I stood in front of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. and stared at the engraving of King’s name. Only a quirk of fate put his name there instead of mine.

Now there are those from Iraq who don’t have their own place in Washington, D.C. yet, but whose names will one day appear on the Operation Iraqi Freedom monument. They have sacrificed everything in this new war just because their country needed them.

From Bunker Hill to Baghdad, America’s warriors have given their lives to defend America and its allies from those who would enslave them. On battlefields in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries throughout the world, we continue to lose our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers as they protect our way of life with honor and valor.

Those of us who have fought in America’s wars will never forget the faces of our comrades. We will remember them when they were laughing, sharing a meal or missing their families. They will always be in our hearts and souls.

We hope that, on this Memorial Day, all of you will remember them, too.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Al-Maliki's Speech Shows Courage & Determination

There has been much criticism of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Most of it revolves around how long it seems to be taking to get some of the laws passed that the American government considers “benchmarks”.

On the other side of the coin, we should remember that al-Maliki is a courageous man to take the mantle of a country that is torn from within. He must walk a daily tightrope between political and religious factions while facing the possibility of assassination each day.

One of my Baghdad friends sent me the following which is the text of a speech made by Al-Maliki on the first anniversary of Iraq’s new government. This speech was on Baghdad’s Al-Iraqiyah Television in Arabic. It is a positive statement from someone who clearly loves his people.

Not surprisingly, I have heard nothing about this speech from our own mainstream media. It is a little long, but so is the task the Iraqis must accomplish:

Iraq's Al-Maliki Reviews Government's Accomplishments on First Anniversary
GMP20070522617001 Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah Television in Arabic 1458 GMT 22 May 07

[Speech by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki 'on the occasion of the first anniversary of the formation of the national unity government;' in Baghdad; recorded]

"In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate, dear Iraqi people -- people of the two rivers -- brothers and sisters: God's peace and blessings be upon you. A year has passed since the formation of the first elected government in Iraq's modern history, a government which has won the support of the parliamentary blocs taking part in the political process, which unanimously supported the national plan and granted confidence to the government.

Based on this unanimity, we depended on God and the people's confidence to implement the government's program. This is a task you undoubtedly know is difficult and complicated and is facing huge challenges.

The year 2006 was a real test of the will of the government and people. We were at a crossroads -- either Iraq will remain united and its social fabric cohesive and strong or it will slip into a sectarian war, which is the dirtiest of wars throughout history.

Praise be to God, we have succeeded in avoiding the danger of sectarian war after the holy shrine of the two Al-Askari imams in Samarra was blown up. That ugly crime was committed by the takfiris and their allies the henchmen of the dictatorial regime. The sectarian war which threatened our national unity is now behind us.

The year 2006 also witnessed the end of the dictator and his abominable rule, which dragged the country to wars and reckless adventures. That was a dark era during which we suffered the worst of tragedies and pains and offered hundreds of thousands of martyrs in prisons, detention centers, and mass graves, and in Al-Anfal and Halabjah. The rule of the one party, one faction, and the indispensable leader, and the policy of discrimination, exclusion, and marginalization have ended for ever.

Our success in avoiding a sectarian war and putting an end to the dictator was not without great sacrifices. We have sacrificed blood, shed tears, and faced difficulties. This is a heavy price we are paying today in our fight against terrorism. It is the same price we paid in 35 years. The road to freedom, justice, democracy, and equality cannot but be difficult and tough.

Brothers and sisters: Since the first day of the formation of the national unity government, which I had the honor of heading, I launched an initiative for national reconciliation and dialogue. The initiative was not launched on the basis of political, party, or sectarian considerations, but on a strategic vision to rebuild the state and consecrate the culture of dialogue and tolerance, renounce secondary differences, and close the past chapter.

We have placed the issue of national reconciliation at the top of the government priorities and devoted all resources to it. We said on more than one occasion that national reconciliation is a lifeboat for all Iraqis and it is the only way to overcome the ordeal and cross to the shore of safety. Regrettably, some have rebelled against dialogue and reconciliation. We will deal with them firmly and in accordance with the law.

The national reconciliation initiative led to conferences held by tribes, civil society organizations, political forces, officers, and intellectuals all over Iraq. It also provided the appropriate background to introduce constitutional amendments in which the authority of law has the final word. We did so by presenting the draft law of Accountability and Justice to the Council of Representatives. This draft law guarantees the rights of martyrs and distinguishes between those whose hands were stained with the blood of innocent people and those who were forced to join the dissolved Ba'th Party.

The draft law provides a legal framework and just accountability, and closes the bloody chapter of the past. The law which we want to be an arbiter and ruler does not mean leniency with criminal Ba'thists or ignoring the rights of martyrs and prisoners. It seeks to administer justice and rehabilitate all those who were exposed to injustice, despotism, and oppression.

O honorable Iraqi people, we consider the national reconciliation plan the strongest weapon in fighting terrorism. We were fully confident that this plan would succeed in defeating the takfiris and their allies despite the claims of some political forces, which wagered on turning national reconciliation into a bridge for the return of killers and criminals. It is impossible for this delusion to materialize.

In the new Iraq there is no place for the Ba'th Party, whose history is replete with coups, plots, and leaders of crime and mass annihilation. I will not miss the occasion here to invite the faithful Iraqi tribes and civil society organizations to form national salvation councils in all Iraqi governorates and to stand by the side of our armed forces in order to destroy the epidemic of terrorism, which is targeting Iraq -- land, people, and heritage.

The terrorists are destroying the infrastructure and killing teachers, physicians, engineers, builders, journalists, sportsmen, and artists, in addition to women and children. They are also attacking mosques, churches, and universities. Their blind grudge has reached the historical, civil, and cultural landmarks of Baghdad.

Brothers and sisters: Our war against terrorism is an open and long one. None should think that this war will end today or tomorrow. The security challenges facing dear Iraq are extremely serious. What makes the situation even more difficult is foreign interference, which is no longer a secret to anyone. Some political forces' acceptance of and submission to the influence of a number of countries has led to complicating the security file, which is no longer an internal challenge. This calls for greater vigilance and caution.

The day will come when we reveal the involvement of political groups and personalities in stirring up terrorist acts. We will not hesitate to expose the subversive role some regional and international parties are playing. These parties are not pleased to see Iraq strong and living a democratic experience and determined to establish the state of institutions. These quarters, which we know well, will pay a heavy price from their security and stability if they do not stop the policy of undermining security in Iraq so that the country will remain weak. A strong democratic and pluralistic Iraq is the only guarantee against the return of dictatorship. It is a safety valve for stability and prosperity in the region.

Any Iraqi entity that seeks support from abroad will be making a terrible mistake because this will lead to regional and international forces' conflict in the Iraqi arena. We also call on all those who care for the unity, safety, and sovereignty of Iraq to stop interfering in our internal affairs because the Iraqis alone can protect their country and defend their dignity. Our people, who recorded electoral epics in a record and critical time and established constitutional institutions on the debris of dictatorship, reject the logic of trusteeship and the logic of having others think on their behalf.

Brothers and sisters: Completing the establishment of our armed forces is a central national task we are trying to accomplish at the earliest possible time. This is a process which daily brings us closer to assuming full responsibility for security in the whole country. We have made a large stride in this regard and we are racing time in training, rehabilitating, and equipping our forces with modern weapons and military equipment so that our security services can take the initiative and assume responsibility for protecting the country and citizens, and thus pave the way for the withdrawal of the multinational forces from the country. This task will remain a top priority in our program for 2007.

On this occasion, I call on all honorable Iraqis to shoulder their responsibility and help our armed forces so that these can perform their duty under the sovereignty of the law and respect for human rights. The Law Enforcement Plan, which has entered its fourth month, is an integrated professional plan implemented in stages. We said right from the first day that the plan does not target any entity or sect, but seeks to protect the citizens.

It is an open war against the terrorists. We are determined to strike with an iron fist all outlaws -- terrorist organizations, militias, armed groups, and crime gangs which tamper with the security of the country. We cannot build a state in the presence of militias which have various allegiances, affiliations, and interests. We will give a full chance for those who voluntarily lay down their weapons and return to the national rank. We will exhaust all political solutions before we begin taking military measures, which we hope we will not be forced to take, to impose the authority of law.

Praised by God, we have succeeded in largely reducing the rate of sectarian killings and managed to restore normal life to a number of areas in Baghdad which were under the control of the terrorists. In view of the deliberate confusion some known parties and personalities are making and in view of attempts to undermine the reputation of our armed forces and security services, we call on the judicial authority to pursue these parties and refer their files to justice in order to call them to account for encouraging terrorism and inciting hatred and sectarian strife.

Brothers and sisters: He who thinks that building the state and its institutions and various departments is the job of only the government will be mistaken. We are all responsible for Iraq's recovery, security, stability, and prosperity. There is no doubt that this long and tough mission cannot be accomplished in a short time. It is a gradual historic task requiring solidarity and sacrifice by all.

It is inadmissible for the political forces participating in the political process to take a neutral position or act as bystanders or ones looking for mistakes. We have very regrettably seen this done by some people who placed themselves in the position of observers from a distance instead of putting their hands in our hands to build the new Iraq.

Cooperation among the three authorities takes place in an integral manner without interference by any authority in the affairs of the other authorities. We, together with our partners in the political process, raised the slogan of cooperation, integration, and revision in order to reach the largest possible understanding that is based on constitutional controls with the aim of reviewing programs and laws in a manner that serves the country's higher interests.

In 2006, we established balanced regional and international relations with many countries and succeeded in developing Iraq's relations with these countries in the various domains. Iraq, together with 60 countries and international organizations, signed the International Compact Document in Sharm al-Shaykh.

This document stands for mutual commitments between Iraq and the international community. We expect Iraq to reap good results from this document. This will reflect on the economy and its infrastructure and on the building and reconstruction drive in the country. It will also encourage foreign investments and lead to security and stability.

The government, in cooperation with the Council of Representatives, ratified the investment law, which is considered an extremely important step to promote the economy, rebuild the destroyed infrastructure, and provide job opportunities. The government also approved the largest budget in the history of Iraq. Part of it was allocated to reconstruction. The government also presented an oil draft law. The parliament's approval of this law was a qualitative step in the field of reconstruction, development of the oil industry, just distribution of wealth, and consecration of the unity and sovereignty of Iraq.

Brothers and sisters: Fulfilling your aspirations and hopes is the core of our program and the center of our attention. We have made a pledge to God and to you that we will continue to fulfill them and we will spare no effort to reach that goal. We are aware of your daily life concerns. We follow them up every moment and work hard and perseveringly to improve services and raise the living standards.

Our efforts will continue and the subversive trend of the terrorist gangs will not prevent us from serving you or hearing your concerns and knowing about your suffering. What helps us continue to shoulder our responsibility is our feeling that you are aware of the size of internal and external challenges and dangers facing our beloved Iraq. This increases our insistence on continuing our efforts to build a free, democratic, pluralistic, and federal Iraq.

God's peace and blessings be upon you."

* * * *

Note Al-Maliki's use of the term "takfiri". According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Takfiri (from the Arabic word تكفيري) is the person who professes the disbelief of certain individuals or groups within the Muslim society or Islam. They are viewed as "extremists" by some of their opponents, arguing that "no one Muslim can call another Muslim a 'kafir' (infidel)".

Takfiris, on the other hand, exist in every Muslim sect, large or small, and often their fingers point not only to those who supposedly belong to a 'rival' sect, but also to those within their own; an example to that is the clear enmity between the Sufis and Salafi (both groups of which go under the umbrella of Sunni Islam.) Another example of internal 'takfir' is that occuring between pro-Saudi Salafis and the Jihadi Salafis (like Bin Ladin's group, al-Qaeda). Among Shia groups, takfir occurs as is the case toward the followers of the major Shia ayatllah Fadlullah of Lebanon (whose latest published opinions that review many beliefs deeply characteristic of Shia Islam have caused uproar and fierce opposition on the part of other Arab and Iranian clerics). There also exists the example of Twelver Shia declaring the takfir of the Shaykhi Shia small sect (found mainly in Basra, Iraq).

* * * *

Seeing the words of the Iraq prime minister helps us to understand the difficult tasks he must deal with each day.

We removed the dictator Saddam Hussein, but we also dismantled every aspect of Iraqi society from the governmental infrastructure to the army and police. We owe them a chance to work through their internal issues in order to make their government work for all of them.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Colonel and Master Sergeant Killed in Afghanistan

I heard about this incident from a soldier in Afghanistan. The loss was a heavy one for American military forces, but the troops continue to soldier on. These lost warriors were extraordinary men.

Dawn Bormann of The Kansas City Star wrote about Colonel James W. Harrison, Jr.:


"'Always take care of your soldiers. It will bring them together as a team and may one day save their lives.' Braden Harrison, quoting his father

Army Col. James W. Harrison Jr. had planned to retire. But Harrison pulled back the retirement paperwork recently when it was clear his expertise was needed.

It was a classic example of his commitment to leadership, friends said Monday at a Fort Leavenworth memorial service for Harrison, who was killed May 6 in Afghanistan by a mentally ill Afghan soldier. He was buried in a private service at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery.

The news of his death traveled quickly at Fort Leavenworth, not just because he was well-known, but also because few Army colonels have been killed in action. Only six colonels have died in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, a group that records military deaths. Two of those colonels, including Harrison, were assigned to Fort Leavenworth.

Harrison, who had been the commandant at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, went to Afghanistan as a detention policy expert to train others. Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr., who was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., also was killed in the attack outside an Afghanistan prison.

The 47-year-old father of three boys and West Point graduate valued integrity so much that he truly lived every day according to the institution’s motto of “duty, honor, country,” his friends and family said.

Harrison was known throughout the installation, and the depth of his influence was apparent by the uniforms of those gathered to mourn his death. The group included enlisted men and women, the installation’s top brass and the U.S. Army provost marshal general.

The service mixed patriotic with personal touches, including a poem from his son Ross. Another son, Braden, recalled what his father said after receiving the prestigious MacArthur Leadership Award.

'Always take care of your soldiers,' Braden said, quoting his father. 'It will bring them together as a team and may one day save their lives.'

Those who worked with Harrison said he was constantly looking out for his soldiers. Many called him a friend and mentor.

Army Maj. Isaac Johnson said Harrison took the time to talk to Johnson’s young son. Harrison recognized that a soldier’s family was important and critical to his or her success, Johnson said.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Ed Healy, a West Point classmate of Harrison’s, said that his friend took time to write an e-mail from Afghanistan. Harrison wanted to make sure Healy’s son, who was attending Virginia Tech, was safe after the shooting there last month.

'He has friends all over the world,' Healy said.

Perhaps the most poignant moment came when a letter was read from an Afghan brigadier general whom Harrison had been training. The words were especially touching because although the brigadier general had weathered the deaths of family members, friends and many others during battles with the Russian military and the Taliban, he said Harrison’s death had struck him deeper than any before. He described Harrison as a brother.

'I truly wish that I was killed instead of him,' he wrote.

He said the pain of Harrison’s death was felt by every Afghan soldier who knew the colonel. The Afghan soldiers shot and killed the gunman.

Harrison also was memorialized at a service in Afghanistan."

* * * *

Master Sergeant Wilberto Sabalu, Jr. died with Harrison. His story was told by Emma Graves Fitzsimmons of the Chicago Tribune:


"Deployed for the last year in Afghanistan, Wilberto Sabalu Jr. was looking forward to the end of his tour in June when he would return home to spend the summer biking and swimming with his wife and two children.

But Sabalu, who grew up in Chicago and spent 17 years in the Army, died Sunday in Afghanistan when a member of the Afghan National Army turned on several soldiers and opened fire, family said.

Master Sgt. Sabalu, 36, died in Pol-e-Charki, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire, defense officials said Tuesday.

Illinois native Col. James W. Harrison Jr., 47, of Missouri, died in the same incident. Their deaths are under investigation, defense officials said.

After his Puerto Rican family moved to Chicago from New York as a young boy, Sabalu graduated from Lane Technical High School, said friend Ana Lozano, who was speaking on the family's behalf.

He joined the Army in 1990 and served in the military police throughout his career there.

Sabalu was assigned to the U.S. Military Police School in Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., where he lived with his wife Amy, who also works for the Army's military police. He had two children, Joshua, 12, and Nadia, 10.

He was a coach for his children's soccer team for several years and enjoyed family cookouts, Lozano said from Sabalu's Missouri home on Tuesday. He was also known for his big smile.

Sabalu was deployed to Afghanistan last June and was able to return home to spend Christmas with his family.

'You're torn as a soldier and a father and a husband," Lozano said. "He was very good at what he did, so he was proud to be there. But he knew it was a sacrifice to be away from his family.'

In his military career, Sabalu had served in South Korea, Panama, Kansas, Missouri and Virginia, the family said in a statement. He had received several awards, including the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Sabalu served as a corrections specialist in Afghanistan, taking care of prisoners for the military police, Lozano said.

Military officials told his family that Sabalu was driving a vehicle patrolling a prison's perimeter on Sunday, Lozano said. The Afghan National Army was training nearby as he passed through a checkpoint.

That is when an Afghani soldier opened fire on two vehicles. Other members of the Afghan army killed the man, she said.

'He was a gung-ho soldier,' she said. 'He died doing what he loved.'"

* * * *

I haven’t been to Afghanistan, but our soldiers spend every day hunting down members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban. It is a difficult job in a harsh environment, especially when you know that some of the bad guys are wearing the uniform of the good guys.

These men were working with the Afghan military leadership, mentoring the generals and senior sergeants in the new Afghan Army.

My friends in Afghanistan speak highly of their Afghan counterparts, but the very nature of guerrilla war means that the enemy is probably already in the perimeter.

Such risks are known by our soldiers, but they continue to persevere in their missions.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Armed Forces Day, 2007

President Harry S. Truman wanted to create one holiday for all of America’s citizens to thank our military service members for their continuing efforts on behalf of our country. At the time, the country celebrated separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. All of our armed forces had become unified under the Department of Defense, so it seemed appropriate to have one special day.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day. It is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. According to the Department of Defense website:

“This is simply a day to salute sharply to all of the men and women in all branches of the service who protect our country and you. They can be called upon at a moment's notice to perform a risky and perilous mission for freedom and country. They train diligently both physically and mentally so they will be prepared to prevail in any mission they face.”

Today’s Armed Forces Day celebrations will be marked by the absence of tens of thousands of our service members. They are scattered in outposts throughout the world and engaged in brutal combat with vicious Islamic fundamentalist terrorists. At this very moment, they are risking their lives for our benefit and many are paying the ultimate price for our freedom.

I received a wonderful thank you card from my friends at "Gazing at the Flag" who do so much for our warriors and I thank them for their thoughts. I urge each of you to thank a member of the armed forces today and pray for the safety of those on the front lines in the war on terror.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

PFC Jeremy Drexler: A Mom Remembers Her Son

After I posted the information on the “They Have Names” website and the coin project of CJ at “A Soldier’s Perpective”, I received an email from Debbie Drexler in Berryton , Kansas, whose son, PFC Jeremy Drexler, was killed in action in Iraq in 2004. She was asking for information about the coin project.

I forwarded the email to CJ and received a follow-up from Mrs. Drexler. Her son is featured in numerous articles and a “Google” of Jeremy will tell a lot about this extraordinary young American.

Please read the following email excerpt from an American Mom who is still grieving for her son:

“..I wish that you could have known my wonderful son. He was so good – too good at times for his own good. Several times when he was living here, I would go to his home and see that the fridge and cabinets were bare a few days after I gave him food. He would feed everyone else. That was a period when our family was not making it ourselves, but I tried to help him.

Jeremy would help others with odd jobs, never accepting any money for doing them. I tried to teach my son to be a good person. Since times were so tough for him, he joined the Army to better his life and he was hoping to get the education promised by the Army. He never got that chance.

When his life was taken he lost everything: car, home and all his stuff. My other sons are currently serving their second enlistment in the Navy and Marines. They too went to Iraq for a period of time. Thank God they came back in one piece or I would have gone crazy!

I can’t seem to get my life together now with Jeremy gone. I don’t understand why we are at war, but we need to stop. No parent or spouse should have to bury their loved one. My sons are my world and now I have a big gaping hole in my heart that continues to bleed. Not one day goes by or one moment passes that I am not crying for him to come back to me. This coming week will be the third year.

Kansas does not do anything for their fallen soldiers like all the other states. I have begged them to treat my son and the others the same as they do the National Guard. They have given money and statues and passed a bill protecting the National Guard and have done nothing for the other branches. My son’s sacrifice is nothing to them. I have written to every Governor, Senator and state representative that I can think of and they just blow me off.

Here I go again bothering you with my woes. Sorry. Anyway, if anyone else would like paintings and drawings (of lost service members), there are a few artists out there that do it at no cost to the families. These people have blessed me more than you can imagine: Michael Reagan and Richard Budig. I can send you information on them if you want. Having these (drawings and paintings) helps me, so if it will help someone else to have one of their son, let them know.

Please take a few minutes some time and “Google” Jeremy’s name and read about him. I will take the coin and put it in our memorial area that I am creating in our home.”

Debbie Drexler
cocacolagal7@cox.net

* * * *

As I am sure you can imagine, there were no dry eyes at my house. Mrs. Drexler’s email comments remind us once again that the families of our war casualties are also victims. Their feelings and opinions are important and they are also veterans of this war. It is the job of all Americans to do whatever we can to help them heal.

Debbie Drexler is an extraordinary American Mom. She has raised three sons who have stepped forward to serve in the war on terror. These young Americans – and their Mom - are all heroes.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

VFW Thank You Card

I recently returned my "Thank You" to the VFW for delivery to a group of hospitalized veterans at the Kansas City VA Medical Center. A VFW volunteer will deliver the giant Thank You Card on Memorial Day, May 30, to make sure our veterans know that we have not forgotten them and that we are deeply grateful for their sacrifices.

If you would like to add your “thanks” to these veterans, please go HERE to sign the card and help deliver the biggest Thank You Card ever.

Thanks.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

"They Have Names" Memorial Project

Earlier this year I recalled one of the soldiers lost during my tour in Iraq (“Remembering Specialist Nichole M. Frye”). At the time I heard from CJ at “A Soldier’s Perspective” and he told me about a new project called “They Have Names”. This is a tremendous effort to make sure that the troops who have given their lives are never forgotten.

Right now CJ is working on Nichole Frye’s story and he is promoting a raffle to raise money for the site. You will see a link on the sidebar of this blog or you can click on “They Have Names” or “A Soldier’s Perspective”.

One of the goals is to provide memorial coins to the families of the fallen troops. You can see an example of what the coins would look like HERE. I’ll let CJ continue:

“I'm trying to raise at least $500, but the more I get the more coins I can obtain. We're raffling off two battle flags. The two battle flags were flown over FOB Warhorse, in Baqubah, Iraq. Each flag comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Colonel David Sutherland and the Brigade Sergeant Major. Tickets are only $7 or three for $20. Anyone wishing to purchase a ticket(s) is encouraged to use the donation links on They Have Names or A Soldier's Perspective.

Thanks again, Chuck. We gotta remember our brothers and sisters and ensure that America doesn't forget these heroes sacrificing everything they have for them, either.”

CJ Grisham
US Army
www.theyhavenames.com
www.soldiersperspective.us

* * * *

I would encourage everyone to support CJ’s efforts and to add a link to both of these fascinating websites. Thanks.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Inspiration from Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Repya

I recently received multiple emails of an item titled “I’m Tired”. It was signed by Joe Repya, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, 101st Airborne Division.

Some of those who forwarded the email questioned, as we all have a tendency to do, whether or not there really was a “Joe Repya”. Being on active duty, I managed to locate him and he sent me the following response regarding the “I’m Tired” letter. He confirmed that it was indeed his and that he had written it all the way back in 2005.

After his email response to me, read his letter “I’m Tired” and I am sure you will be as impressed as I was:

“Chuck,

I wrote the letter to a friend in November, 2005, upon my return from Baghdad where I served with the Multi National Corps – Iraq (18th Airborne Corps) C-3 Headquarters. I didn’t realize he was going to post it on the internet until my email filled up about a week later. I was a voluntary retiree recall; 12,000 retirees volunteered and only 300 of us were returned to duty. I returned to active duty from 2004 – 2006 after retiring in 1998.

I served as a combat infantry(2/506 Infantry, 101st Airborne Division) and air cav platoon leader in Vietnam (2/17 Cav, 101st Airborne Division 1970-71) and as a combat pilot in Desert Storm (Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, 1990-91).

After my surgery in February, 2006, I never recuperated enough to get back to Iraq. Having turned 60 in March, 2006, my wife convinced me to ‘re-retire’.

I’m very proud of the job our young people have and are doing and I’m convinced that at the end of this century, their generation will be named this century’s ‘Greatest Generation’. Please stay safe and keep up the fight!

Joseph Repya
Lieutenant Colonel, (Retired)"

"I'm Tired"

Two weeks ago, as I was starting my sixth month of duty in Iraq, I was forced to return to the USA for surgery for an injury I sustained prior to my deployment. With luck, I'll return to Iraq to finish my tour.

I left Baghdad and a war that has every indication that we are winning, to return to a demoralized country much like the one I returned to in 1971 after my tour in Vietnam. Maybe it's because I'll turn 60 years old in just four months, but I'm tired:

I'm tired of spineless politicians, both Democrat and Republican who lack the courage, fortitude, and character to see these difficult tasks through.

I'm tired of the hypocrisy of politicians who want to rewrite history when the going gets tough.

I'm tired of the disingenuous clamor from those that claim they 'Support the Troops' by wanting them to 'Cut and Run' before victory is achieved.

I'm tired of a mainstream media that can only focus on car bombs and casualty reports because they are too afraid to leave the safety of their hotels to report on the courage and success our brave men and women are having on the battlefield.

I'm tired that so many Americans think you can rebuild a dictatorship into a democracy over night.

I'm tired that so many ignore the bravery of the Iraqi people to go to the voting booth and freely elect a Constitution and soon a permanent Parliament.

I'm tired of the so called 'Elite Left' that prolongs this war by giving aid and comfort to our enemy, just as they did during the Vietnam War.

I'm tired of antiwar protesters showing up at the funerals of our fallen soldiers. A family who's loved ones gave their life in a just and noble cause, only to be cruelly tormented on the funeral day by cowardly protesters is beyond shameful.

I'm tired that my generation, the Baby Boom -- Vietnam generation, who have such a weak backbone that they can't stomach seeing the difficult tasks through to victory.

I'm tired that some are more concerned about the treatment of captives than they are the slaughter and beheading of our citizens and allies.

I'm tired that when we find mass graves it is seldom reported by the press, but mistreat a prisoner and it is front page news.

Mostly, I'm tired that the people of this great nation didn't learn from history that there is no substitute for Victory.

Sincerely,
Joe Repya,
Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army
101st Airborne Division

* * * *

Many thanks to LTC Repya for his service in three wars, his dedication to his country and his testimonial to the courage and fortitude of the generation of warriors that is fighting for us today.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Saying Goodbye to PFC Derek Gibson

SFC Michael Harrington serves with me in the Army Reserve. I wrote about his own heroism during a rescue convoy in Iraq (Standing Tall in Duty, Deed).

He walked up to me last week and said he had been assigned one of the most difficult missions of his life. He was to join one of our unit’s officers and together they would drive to Eustis to tell the parents of PFC Derek Gibson that their son had been killed in Iraq.

Harrington completed his mission, but it did not end with notification. He and other soldiers continued to work with the family to prepare for the funeral, ensure that the appropriate military honors were paid and to guide the family through the most horrible period of their lives.

That funeral took place this week and the following article from the Orlando Sentinel’s Stephan Hudak tells what it was like:

700 turn out to celebrate life of Eustis soldier slain in Iraq
Stephen Hudak
Sentinel Staff Writer

April 14, 2007

EUSTIS -- Lynn Broadway never met Army Pfc. Derek Gibson.

But, a military mom herself, Broadway, 48, stood on the shoulder of Bay Street, waving a small American flag Friday in honor of the fallen Eustis soldier.

"We all should be out here, the whole town, thanking him," Broadway said as the funeral procession for Gibson rolled past toward Greenwood Cemetery. "We lost one of our kids."

Gibson, 20, was killed April 4 in Baghdad when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. He is the 133rd Floridian to die in Iraq since the war began.

The soldier's service at Bay Street Baptist Church drew an estimated crowd of 700, including many who did not know him or his parents, Jerry and Janet Gibson of Eustis.

More than 70 members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a flag-bearing group of motorcyclists, lined the entrance to the sanctuary.

"Anything to support one of our troops," said Randy Clark, 58, of Merritt Island, an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War.

Inside the church where a photo of Gibson in his uniform was projected on a large screen above the altar, ex-Marine Harold Rogers wept in a pew with his son, Rodman.

"It's something he needs to learn and know about," Rogers said, explaining why he brought the 9-year-old to a stranger's funeral. "Freedom's not free."

Army Maj. Gen. Michael J. Diamond, deputy director of the United States Central Command, eulogized Gibson as a "superhero . . . who died for a just cause."

His words drew "amens" from a congregation that included Lake County Sheriff Gary Borders, Eustis police Chief Fred Cobb and a military-honors unit from the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade in Orlando.

State Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, praised Gibson's sacrifice, saying the soldier who had dropped out of high school found purpose serving his country.

The Rev. Mark Douglas relayed condolences from Gov. Charlie Crist and spoke for family members and friends too distraught to speak for themselves.

The church's Celebration Choir belted out "Amazing Grace" and a medley of Christian rock songs, which prompted the pastor to say to Gibson's mother, "Janet, you asked for upbeat."

Ron Gibson, an architect and a minister, recalled his nephew's "Cheshire grin" and love for fishing.

He said he believed that, if heaven truly had a River of Life, his nephew would have a line in it.

"But," he told the congregation somberly, "this is not the homecoming that we prayed for."

A mischievous youth who dropped out of school at age 16, Gibson worked for his father's construction company and earned his high-school-equivalency diploma before he went off to boot camp.

He was deployed to Iraq in October and assigned initially to Camp Prosperity in the Green Zone, a secure military compound in one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces in Baghdad. He was then transferred to Camp Falcon, a more dangerous area in the Iraqi capital.

"We're awfully proud of him," his older brother, Dustin, 25, said in his eulogy.

At the cemetery, Diamond presented Gibson's parents with an American flag and posthumous honors. The Eustis soldier received the Bronze Star for meritorious service, the Combat Infantry Badge for valorous service and the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat.

His former girlfriend, Jessica Goforth, 18, of Sorrento, with whom he enlisted a year ago, wept and kissed his coffin. She has been serving with the Army in Afghanistan.

She wore Army fatigues.

"He turned into a good man -- no, a great man, a wonderful man," Goforth said.

Stephen Hudak can be reached at shudak@orlandosentinel.com or 352-742-5930.
Copyright © 2007, Orlando Sentinel | Get home delivery - up to 50% off

Americans can be proud that men like Derek Gibson are protecting them. We can also be grateful that there are men like Michael Harrington who are standing by to provide support and assistance to those that are left behind.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

The Afghan Warrior General: Din Mohammad

One of the most enjoyable parts of my last short-term mission was to help escort Brigadier General Din Mohammad of the Afghan National Army. Along with Captain Robert Hilton, I was able to gain some insight into the leadership of the new Afghanistan.

Mohammad is the deputy G-2 (Intelligence) of the Afghan National Army. He visited the United States to observe Afghan soldiers and police officers who were helping train Americans who are headed for Afghanistan. I’ll talk more about these other visitors on another day, but I wanted to mention General Mohammad because of the impression he made on me.

American Army Colonel James Cobb and Afghan interpreter Barialai Ahmadzai accompanied General Mohammad on the long trip from Afghanistan. Captain Hilton and I took them to training sites, local restaurants for dinner and even on shopping trips. Although the general had been to the United States once before, I enjoyed watching him buy some clothes and sample a little American food.

Mohammad fought the Russians during the previous war in Afghanistan and spent a total of six and a half years in captivity. Eighteen months of that imprisonment were in solitary confinement under relentless interrogation and torture by the KGB. During our time with him, Mohammad was friendly and he had a good time, but it was obvious he spent much of his life on constant guard.

While we sat in an Italian restaurant, his eyes would move to the door or scan the crowd. As a cop and a war veteran, I am one of those who likes the corner table and who avoids turning his back on anyone. I could only imagine what it was like to spend every day on “red alert”. This would always be the general’s life in Afghanistan as he tried to avoid assassins of the Taliban or their spies and infiltrators in the Afghan army.

General Mohammad softened when he spoke of his family and he expressed his gratitude for American assistance. He is one of the founding fathers of the new Afghanistan and a man of great courage and strong presence. When he addressed a formation of Afghan police officers and soldiers, they treated him with great respect. Afterwards, many approached him and asked to have their pictures taken with him.

These people of Afghanistan are bred from a warrior class that is thousands of years old. They are a hardy people who endure a difficult life in a harsh environment. Those that fight alongside our soldiers do so fiercely and with purpose.

Our common enemy is just as hardy and just as determined. The Taliban, Al Qaeda and the other Islamic extremists also fight with purpose and their ultimate goal includes our defeat and our submission to their brutal fundamentalist world.

It will not only take the strength of the American military to defeat this enemy. In both Afghanistan and Iraq, courageous warriors like General Mohammad will have the ultimate responsibility for ensuring peace and stability in their own nations.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

Vietnam Hero Gets the Medal of Honor

History will record the actions of the men of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment in 1965 as one of the most heroic efforts in American warfare. The story of their life and death struggle in the Ia Drang Valley was masterfully told by Lieutenant General Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway in the book “We Were Soldiers Once – And Young”. The book later became the Mel Gibson movie “We Were Soldiers”.

One of the many heroes of this battle was then-Major Bruce Crandall. Crandall was a pilot and the leader of a group of helicopters that re-supplied the beleaguered unit and extracted its casualties. Much of this effort took place under fire and many of the men in those helicopters were killed or wounded in their efforts to help the infantrymen.

When Hal Moore recommended Crandall for the Medal of Honor, he said the pilot’s efforts prevented a bloody massacre of the First Cavalry soldiers. Such a catastrophic defeat would have rivaled the deaths of George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry at the Little Big Horn.

Bruce Crandall will be presented with the Medal of Honor today in a ceremony in the White House. The military’s highest honor is a little late, but it is well-deserved by this great American warrior.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

On the Road Again

It is always interesting to travel in uniform. Unlike my return from Vietnam when some California hippies decided to spit on me, I’ve had nothing but pleasant experiences since I was first mobilized in 2003.

Back then an elderly woman walked up to me while I was at a gas station. She put her hand on my shoulder and said in a thick British accent, “I don’t know if I agree with the war, but we’ve always loved the Yanks.”

When I returned from Iraq in 2004, we landed in Maine and were met by dozens of people with signs who cheered us and welcomed us home. As you can imagine, that was an emotional experience for this Vietnam veteran, but the young soldiers took it all in stride. They didn’t know how different it could have been.

While I waited in the airport this morning for the flight to my temporary duty station here in the States, several people walked up to me and thanked me for my service. It’s a good feeling to know your efforts are appreciated.

Another couple also came up to me this morning and handed me a brochure for an organization called Homes for Our Troops. In looking at their website at http://www.homesforourtroops.org/, I was impressed at the selflessness of the people behind this organization. Their mission is to help veterans who return from the War on Terror with serious disabilities and injuries. They assist these wounded warriors in building a new home or adapting an existing home for handicapped accessibility.

Americans may change how they feel about the direction of the war and they may be angry about some of the mistakes that led us to Iraq, but they must never take their frustration out on the men and women in uniform who are doing their jobs.

For now I will help train young infantry soldiers who are headed to Iraq or Afghanistan. For many this will be their second or third tour in the war zone. The soldiers training these kids take their jobs seriously and they will ensure that these troops are ready to face the dangers that lie ahead.

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

An Ancient Warrior from World War II

“You’ve never lived until you’ve almost died. For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.”

Unknown source from the Vietnam era

The elderly man was not very tall, he had a thick head of gray hair and he wore a black baseball cap that said “World War II Veteran”. He was entering the McDonald’s as I walked out and I could tell from his halting steps that he was dealing with health issues. This would be natural for a man who was surely in his 80’s, if not older.

From the look of his clothes, life was not very easy for this ancient warrior. I paused for a minute, then turned around and walked back inside.

The old soldier was placing his order, so I stepped to the counter and told the girl at the cash register that I would pay for his meal. He looked surprised, but he saw my Army uniform and smiled. His voice cracked a bit as he said “Thank you”.

I asked him where he served in the war and I could almost see him stand a little straighter when he said “the South Pacific”. His eyes watered up and he said, “It was a long time ago.”

I could feel one of those darned lumps in my throat when I looked at him and thought about my own father. Dad died in 1982, but he was an infantryman in World War II. This man was about the age my father would have been, but he was another warrior who helped save the world from the Japanese and Nazi empires.

I told the old soldier that it was men like him who inspired me to enter military service back in 1968. I said I was grateful for their example, for their sacrifice and for the blood their generation shed for the rest of us.

I don’t think he knew what to say except “thank you”, so I handed the money to the McDonald’s clerk. Just then the manager walked up. He heard my comments to the old soldier and said, “Don’t worry about it, sir. I’ve got it.” I shook the hand of the World War II veteran and walked away.

For only a moment, I paused outside to look back at the old veteran. I smiled when I saw other customers walking up to the man to shake his hand.

The old soldier was having a good day. And so was I.

SFC Chuck Grist
http://www.thecobrateam.com/
http://www.americanranger.blogspot.com/

Remembering Specialist Nichole M. Frye

As time permits, I am working on a book about my 2004 tour in Iraq. The following is an excerpt from chapter 4 of that book.

It is appropriate to remember this young warrior just before the third anniversary of her death.

She was killed on February 16, 2004.

* * * *

“On February 16th a five vehicle convoy drove through Baqubah on its way to a military base. The soldiers in the convoy only recently arrived in Iraq and were from Company A of the 415th CA Battalion, one of the units subordinate to the 350th CACOM. The convoy approached an intersection and an insurgent was hiding nearby. When one of the Humvees reached a pre-designated point, the enemy soldier detonated an IED by remote control.

Driving that particular vehicle was nineteen-year-old Private First Class Nichole M. Frye of Lena, Wisconsin. She was killed instantly as the explosion ripped through the Humvee door next to her and the unprotected window above it. The right front passenger, a major, was thrown into the passenger door by the blast. His body armor saved his life, but he was seriously wounded.

The two soldiers in the back seat of Frye’s vehicle both suffered only minor wounds from shrapnel. Their Kevlar helmets and their body armor also saved their lives. The soldier in the rear of the Hummer was standing and shrapnel came through the soft part of his vest under his right arm, missing the heavy armor plate. As the jagged metal twisted through his body, one of his lungs and his liver were punctured.

Our first soldier killed in action in Iraq was a dedicated young female warrior who likely never knew what hit her. A total of fourteen other soldiers were wounded.

Frye was posthumously promoted to specialist.”

SFC Chuck Grist
www.AmericanRanger.blogspot.com

The Way of the Ranger

“Arms once taken up should never be laid down
but upon one of three conditions:
A safe peace, a complete victory or an honorable death.”
Jeanne Albret

It was not surprising that last minute changes meant I would go to MacDill Air Force Base instead of Fort Stewart, Georgia. Since I have already been mobilized in the past, the process can be expedited, so I will drive over to Tampa tomorrow.

In reflecting on the long road I have traveled since I first entered the Army in December, 1968, I recalled the Ranger Creed. This was created after I became a Ranger back in 1970, but it is impressive nonetheless.

Today's Rangers have become new legends in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan. The 75th Ranger Regiment and the Rangers who are spread throughout other Army units have waged a difficult and bloody war. They have lost many of their comrades, but other men still step forward to fill the ranks.

When you read the creed, you can understand to some degree the dedication and courage required to become one of these special operations warriors:

The Ranger Creed

"Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor and high esprit de corps of my Ranger Regiment.

Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move further, faster and fight harder than any other soldier.

Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight; I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some.

Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well-trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.

Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy, and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.

Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor."

"Rangers Lead the Way"

SFC Chuck Grist