Their Names

Images courtesy: U.S. Army

When I asked the nation's newest Medal of Honor recipient why he enlisted less than two years after 9/11, his answer was unequivocal.

"I had always wanted to serve from the time I was very young," former U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Pitts said.

As a 17-year-old high school student in Nashua, New Hampshire, the future war hero volunteered for the Army as one conflict raged in Afghanistan and another was about to erupt in Iraq.

"It had drifted from my mind somewhat in high school as I just focused on being a teenage boy," Pitts admitted. "But as my senior year drew to a close and I started thinking about what I wanted to do with my future ... I just thought what better way to spend my time than serving my country."

As Pitts spoke during a July 22 media roundtable, I tried to imagine the whirlwind that this 28-year-old veteran was experiencing. Less than 24 hours earlier, the president had placed the Medal of Honor around his neck at the White House. By coincidence, July 21 also marked the second wedding anniversary for Ryan and his wife, Amy.

"I'm taking it one day at a time," Pitts said.

Pitts simultaneously made clear that to him, the ceremonies and pageantry associated with the nation's highest military award were not about celebrating his achievements.

"It's been great this week — at this event — to have all the Gold Star families come in," he said.

"To have the president recognize them, and to be able to talk to all of them, and for them to be able to talk to the people who knew their soldiers. That's really the story of this week."

Nine U.S. paratroopers were killed in the July 13, 2008, Battle of Wanat, which Staff Sgt. Pitts survived. He knew the fallen soldiers, served alongside them, and still mourns them.

"I think about it every day," the Afghanistan war veteran said.

At every turn during the 45-minute discussion, Pitts shifted attention back to his fallen brothers.

"I was there, and I saw some of these guys do what they did, and it's still unbelievable to me," the Medal of Honor recipient said. "It's been uncomfortable being highlighted and recognized."

As President Obama explained at the previous day's White House ceremony, the courage displayed by Pitts and his teammates — while taking fire from 200 insurgents — is astounding.

"The enemy was so close, Ryan could hear their voices," the president said. "He whispered into the radio (that) he was the only one left and was running out of ammo. 'I was going to die,' he remembers, 'and made my peace with it.'

"And then he prepared to make a last stand," President Obama continued. "Bleeding and barely conscious, Ryan threw his last grenades. He grabbed a grenade launcher and fired nearly straight up, so the grenade came back down on the enemy just yards away. One insurgent was now right on top of the post, shooting down until another team of Americans showed up and drove him back. As one his teammates said, had it not been for Ryan Pitts, that post 'almost certainly would have been overrun.'"

Pitts, who credited the preparation of his fellow paratroopers for saving lives, also acknowledged that despite his reluctance in accepting an award, he has a unique opportunity to speak on behalf of his fallen Army brothers.

"I absolutely feel a responsibility," he said. "First, to the guys ... the guys who didn't come home ... the guys who can't tell their story."

While his wife, young son and post-military career are huge priorities, Pitts is equally committed to saluting this generation of heroes.

"This is a brotherhood that we've all been a part of," he said. "We think it's incredibly important to remember the guys who didn't make it home, and we're using this time to say their names as much as we can."

Their names are 1st Lt. Jonathan Brostrom, Sgt. Israel Garcia, Cpl. Jonathan Ayers, Cpl. Jason Bogar, Cpl. Jason Hovater, Cpl. Matthew Phillips, Cpl. Pruitt Rainey, Cpl. Gunnar Zwilling and Spc. Sergio Abad.

The name of another American hero, who is dedicating his Medal of Honor to sharing their stories of sacrifice, is Staff Sgt. Ryan Pitts.

COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

Tom Sileo is a nationally syndicated columnist and co-author of BROTHERS FOREVER: The Enduring Bond Between a Marine and a Navy SEAL that Transcended Their Ultimate Sacrifice. Written with Col. Tom Manion (Ret.) and published by Da Capo Press, BROTHERS FOREVER is available now. To find out more about Tom Sileo, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website.

Brothers Forever: 'If Not Me, Then Who...'

Image courtesy: Travis Manion Foundation

Every week, I write a column about America's heroes and their families that your newspaper is kind enough to publish. I am eternally grateful for the support of readers like you, who are eager to read the personal stories of our nation's brave men and women in uniform.

On Feb. 6, 2011, my first column — "Closer to You" — marked the beginning of this series, which was aimed at increasing awareness about the sacrifices still being made by our military community. It told the story of U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, 26, who was killed in Iraq on Apr. 29, 2007, and U.S. Navy LT (SEAL) Brendan Looney, 29, who made the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan on Sept. 21, 2010. These close friends and U.S. Naval Academy roommates are buried side-by-side at Arlington National Cemetery.

Nine months later, I started writing a book with 1st Lt. Manion's father, U.S. Marine Col. Tom Manion (Ret.). "Brothers Forever," which will be published by Da Capo Press in May, chronicles not only the enduring bond of Travis and Brendan, who met just before 9/11, but salutes their courageous families and all the heroes who have stepped forward since our country was attacked.

The following excerpt is adapted from the fourth chapter of "Brothers Forever." In December 2006, Travis was attending a Monday Night Football game with his brother-in-law while preparing for his second deployment to Fallujah, Iraq. The five words Travis uttered that night — "if not me, then who ... " — deeply inspired his friend and former roommate, Brendan, as he subsequently trained to become a U.S. Navy SEAL. It also sparked a national movement and motivated people outside the military community, like me, to help tell this powerful story.

"Even so close to going back to Iraq, Travis's demeanor was calm. He was doing exactly what he wanted with his life, and instead of complaining about spending the next 12 months in a war-ravaged city that could justifiably be labeled a hell hole, he felt fortunate for the chance to put all the hard work of the last eight years to good use.

As [Travis and his brother-in-law, Dave] listened to one of Travis's favorite iPod playlists, which consisted of everything from Johnny Cash and Elton John to Ben Harper and The Roots, Dave took a sip of his beer and leaned against his car in silence as his visible breath blended with smoke from a small grill to fill the chilly air near the two-man tailgate. Dave knew young Americans were dying in Iraq almost every day, including a soldier named Pfc. Ross McGinnis, who had died the previous weekend in Baghdad. The 19-year-old Knox, Pa., native, who dove on top of a grenade to save the lives of fellow Army soldiers, would later become the fourth U.S. service member to be awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism displayed in Iraq.

Dave was an avid reader, particularly of military-themed books and magazines, and was following the war closely. He knew Travis faced severe risks in Fallujah, particularly in a unit that guided Iraqi soldiers around the city's hostile streets. Though he never mentioned the full scope of his fears to [Travis's sister] Ryan, or for that matter Travis, he was worried about whether he would see his brother-in-law again. In fact, part of him wished he could talk Travis out of leaving, even though he knew it would be an exercise in futility.

'Hey, Trav, if I tripped you right now and you fell and broke your ankle, do you think they'd let you sit this deployment out?' he asked.

Travis chuckled at Dave's joke, but didn't say much in response. A brief moment of slightly awkward silence followed. Suddenly Travis spoke up.

'You know what though, Dave?' Travis said with an unmistakably serious look on his face. 'If I don't go, they're going to send another Marine in my place who doesn't have my training.'

'If not me, then who ... you know what I mean?' he continued. 'It's either me or that other guy who isn't ready, so I'm the one who has to get the job done.'"

"Brothers Forever" will be released on May 13 and is available now for pre-order at brothersforeverbook.com.

COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

Real Life Heroes

Image courtesy: Char Fontan Westfall

For me, the most moving part of "Lone Survivor," Peter Berg's film based on real events in Afghanistan, comes just before the final credits. As Peter Gabriel's cover of the classic David Bowie song "Heroes" plays, we see photos of not only the real life heroes of the Operation Red Wings mission, but many of their loved ones.

I was particularly touched by the picture of U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Jacques Fontan and his wife, Char. Last year, I spoke with this courageous Navy SEAL widow about her fallen husband and his towering legacy.

"People say 'do you think he would have still gone if he knew he wasn't coming back?'" Char said. "And I say he would have."

Eight years after her husband was among those killed trying to rescue four fellow Navy SEALs cornered during the June 28, 2005 battle that is so grippingly portrayed in the movie, Char perfectly summarized the selfless mindset of our country's military community. Since 9/11, less than one percent of our population has carried almost impossible burdens to shield 99 percent of us from having to join the fight.

Some reviews of "Lone Survivor," which opened in the top spot of the North American box office, have accused the film of being a "jingoistic" oversimplification of the war in Afghanistan. The trepidation coming from certain media precincts is predictable, as some journalists are uncomfortable with the age-old concept of good and evil.

The simple truth, with rare exceptions that are usually splashed all over television and computer screens, is that our brave men and women in uniform are good, while members of al-Qaida and the Taliban are bad. In no way does that view advocate, as one reviewer inaccurately and disgracefully suggested, that the movie portrays all non-Americans as enemies. In fact, two of the film's heroes are an Afghan father and son who put their lives at risk.

Having read the book of the same name, written by Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson, the ultimate purpose of "Lone Survivor" is to salute America's armed forces and the bold Afghans and Iraqis who have joined the fight against those who terrorize the innocent. One does not have to support either war — or the two U.S. presidents to oversee them — to appreciate the valor of patriots who are willing to sacrifice everything.

The Basic Underwater Demolition (BUD/S) training footage at the beginning of the film is real, and helps illuminate the seemingly impossible obstacles that young Americans must overcome to become Navy SEALs. Having recently visited the Coronado, Calif., compound where hundreds of aspiring warriors tackle BUD/S training with uncommon determination and endless grit, my respect for this noble, tight-knit community is unlimited.

The film's four key actors — Mark Wahlberg (who plays Luttrell), Taylor Kitsch (LT Michael Murphy), Emile Hirsch (Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny Dietz) and Ben Foster (Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Axelson) — do an admirable job of portraying SEALs who were not only authentic superheroes, but also men with families and dreams that went beyond military life. While I am often critical of a Hollywood culture that frequently celebrates itself instead of those who make their luxurious lives possible, it is refreshing to see the strong-willed commitment of these artists and their colleagues. They have brought honor to a profession that needs more of it.

I have spoken with too many brave service members, veterans and families of fallen heroes to conclude that "Lone Survivor" is the only story from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that deserves a place on the big screen. A documentary called "Murph: The Protector," which portrays the valor of LT (SEAL) Michael Murphy — the Medal of Honor recipient portrayed in "Lone Survivor" — is another film that every American should see.

In "Lone Survivor," the tragic incident that took the lives of Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Jacques Fontan and his fellow rescuers serves as a key moment. Instead of viewing the sequence like any other special effects-laden movie scene, I hope filmgoers realize that the sacrifices of our military community, which continue to this day, are not being made in some fictional universe. They are real.

COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM

Tom Sileo is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of BROTHERS FOREVER: The Enduring Bond Between a Marine and a Navy SEAL that Transcended Their Ultimate Sacrifice. Written with Col. Tom Manion (Ret.) and published by Da Capo Press, BROTHERS FOREVER will be released in May. To find out more about Tom Sileo, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website.

Don't Forget

Image courtesy: Spc. Robert Porter

During a June trip to San Diego, I met the wife of a U.S. Navy bomb specialist who was recently killed while serving in Afghanistan. Still devastated and overwhelmed by grief, she shared a concern that is paramount, both now and in the difficult years to come.

"I just want to make sure people don't forget," she said.

The grieving widow's poignant words are similar to what I've heard from many Gold Star spouses, parents and siblings during almost three years of authoring this weekly column. While their loss hurts in a way very few can understand, they are comforted by knowing people remember their loved ones.

This is hard to write and probably even harder for many families of fallen service members to read. In 2013, most Americans are not only forgetting the sacrifices of the brave men and women who preserve their freedom; they're not noticing in the first place.

As of the month's 26th day, 15 U.S. troops had been killed in Afghanistan in June 2013. The fallen heroes are from small towns like Evans Mills, N.Y., Moseley, Va., and Panama, Okla., and large cities like Houston, Phoenix and Sacramento.

Aside from honorable ceremonies in their hometowns and on various military bases, where was the national outpouring for these fallen warriors and their families? Where were the candlelight vigils, celebrity-filled telethons and emotional speeches by national leaders on both sides of the political aisle?

Maybe some Americans were too busy at the beach, at the movies or watching the NBA and Stanley Cup Finals. Maybe some politicians on Capitol Hill, in particular, were too busy enjoying their annual Memorial Day Recess to remember what the holiday actually means.

I used to blame the media for a disturbing, dishonorable national trend. After all, the press has fostered a culture in which names of sex-tape performers are more recognizable to most than names like Sgt. Dakota Meyer, Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry, and Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha, the most recent Afghanistan war heroes to receive the Medal of Honor.

In truth, we have nobody to blame but ourselves. Even after countless polls showing the national media is one of America's least respected, most mistrusted institutions, more journalists would report on the sacrifices on U.S. troops and their families if readers, viewers and web users pressured them to do so.

On June 18, 2013, terrorists attacked Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan with mortar fire. According to the Pentagon, four U.S. Army soldiers — Sgt. Justin Johnson, 25, of Hobe Sound, Fla., Spc. Ember Alt, 21, of Beech Island, S.C., Spc. Robert Ellis, 21, of Kennewick, Wash., and Spc. William Moody, 30, of Burleson, Texas — were killed in the attack.

Image courtesy: U.S. Air Force/Greg Davis

I first heard about the battle at Bagram while watching CNN at San Antonio International Airport. Many national media outlets did report news of the attack, even if some didn't subsequently report the names of the American heroes killed. After all, there were other stories to follow, like the name of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's baby.

The media is an easy target. The much more difficult one to identify is the one staring at each of us in the mirror.

We are Americans. Thousands of good men and women have died and suffered physical and emotional trauma to give us the privilege of uttering those three words. What being an American will mean, long after the war in Afghanistan ends, is up to us.

The name of the fallen U.S. Navy hero whose wife I was honored to meet is Lt. Chris Mosko. A 28-year-old explosive ordnance disposal platoon commander, Lt. Mosko was born in Massachusetts before living different parts of his life in Connecticut, Delaware, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida and California.

During his years of military service, Chris disabled numerous enemy improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on post-9/11 battlefields. The elimination of these bombs saved countless lives, including those of innocent children. Chris was killed by an IED in Afghanistan on Apr. 26, 2012.

Will we remember Chris and his fallen brothers and sisters? Will we salute their honorable, voluntary service by overcoming our collective discomfort about discussing the sacrifices being made by the tiny percentage of the population that fights our nation's wars?

Hopefully, we will remember Amanda Mosko's words: "Don't forget."

COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM

Image courtesy: Mosko family

Be Proud

Image courtesy: Lance Cpl. Daniel Wetzel

I was filled with pride during my entire phone conversation with Cpl. Kyle Carpenter. As an American citizen, it makes me enormously thankful that this 23-year-old Marine, who is being considered for the Medal of Honor, is willing to sacrifice so much for others.

Few have the courage to do what fellow Marines said Cpl. Carpenter did on Nov. 21, 2010, in Marjah, Afghanistan. When a grenade landed on the roof of a compound he was helping fortify, squad members said he dove on top of the explosive device to shield a fellow Marine.

"The grenade went off, and I woke up a month later," Carpenter told The Unknown Soldiers. "The next thing I really remember is seeing Christmas stockings on the wall."

Carpenter said he has no recollection of jumping on top of the grenade. But the Gilbert, S.C., Marine does recall the harrowing events leading up to the day he lost his right eye.

"Just imagine what it's like walking through mud and it being hard to lift your feet out, even if you don't have anything on your back," Carpenter said. "On most of my patrols, I would carry 800 rounds on my back — a lot of weight — and the weather is well over 100 degrees."

Images courtesy: Cpl. Kyle Carpenter

Carpenter is not seeking accolades or sympathy. He wants Americans to understand what thousands of U.S. troops still stationed in Afghanistan often go through.

"I didn't have a shower for three months," he said.

On Nov. 20, Carpenter and his 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment brothers in arms knew a confrontation with the Taliban was at hand. Carpenter's squad was ordered to transform a local home into an American compound, deep in the heart of a terrorist stronghold.

"It wasn't a matter of 'I wonder if we're going to get at shot at today?'" Carpenter said. "It was a matter of 'when was it going to start?'"

After trudging through a canal full of mud and sewage, carrying their weapons above their heads while sinking into the sludge beneath their feet, the Marines started building the makeshift U.S. base.

"As we were digging, we heard an extremely loud explosion," the Medal of Honor nominee said. "I turned around and another loud explosion went off in the same area."

Carpenter was shocked when he realized Taliban fighters were lobbing grenades, which were not the enemy's weapons of choice.

"We had never seen or heard grenades throughout our entire deployment," Carpenter said. "Needless to say, we were in disbelief."

Carpenter said at least two Marines were injured in the attack, which included enemy sniper fire. Once night fell, however, they resumed digging and stacking sandbags before a Taliban rocket tore into the roof, which partially collapsed.

"That was pretty much the end of Nov. 20," Carpenter said.

After grabbing a few hours of sleep, the young Marine awoke to a familiar sound.

"Like many mornings in Afghanistan, our alarm clock was AK-47 small arms fire," he said.

Carpenter and a fellow Marine were repairing the damaged roof when the fateful grenade landed nearby. Both young men were badly injured in the blast, which squad members said would have been deadly if it weren't for Carpenter's heroism.

"Everything is a blur because of the medication," he said. "It really was about a year before I started to have fluid memories."

As a Walter Reed patient in Bethesda, Md., Carpenter is still adjusting to missing an eye, wearing artificial teeth, and enduring countless surgeries to repair his jaw. His ears ring constantly, and nerve damage in his arms makes it difficult to button his shirt. But instead of wallowing in pain, Carpenter uses his story to inspire others.

"The best thing that's come out of it is the impact I've had on other people," he said.

If Cpl. Kyle Carpenter is ultimately awarded the nation's highest military honor by President Barack Obama, the young Marine plans to use an increased platform to motivate veterans and fellow wounded warriors.

"I will never stop helping people that need to be helped or trying to make a positive impact on people's lives," Carpenter said.

If this volunteer warrior's words don't leave you consumed with pride, I don't know what will.

COPYRIGHT 2013 CREATORS.COM

Note: To see the weekly "Unknown Soldiers" column in your local newspaper, please click here.

Section 60

I wish every American could spend an hour in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery. My last visit was on May 11, and like every trip, it was a profound experience.

While the entire cemetery is filled with heroes, Section 60 carries urgent relevance because so many warriors from America's post-9/11 conflicts rest there. With each visit to the hallowed sector, one will tragically find new temporary grave markers bearing the names of U.S. troops recently killed in Afghanistan.

Behind each marker and headstone is a story of sacrifice. One of the first resting spots I encountered on the warm, sunny Friday afternoon was 1st Lt. Tyler Parten, whose grave was recently moved to Arlington. The 24-year-old Marianna, Ark., soldier was killed in Afghanistan on Sept. 10, 2009.

As I stared at 1st Lt. Parten's white headstone, with total silence filling the cemetery except for the occasional plane taking off from nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, all I could see was his mother's face. I met Lona Parten in a Birmingham, Ala., restaurant in January 2011, and seeing her anguish, as well as her commitment to driving forward in Tyler's honor, is a constant source of motivation.

Lona's surviving son and his wife are currently deployed overseas. Let us all hope and pray for their safe return.

The next grave I visited was Maj. Megan McClung, the highest-ranking female Marine officer to be killed during the war in Iraq. She died alongside Army Capt. Travis Patriquin, 32, and Spc. Vincent Pomante III, 22, when an enemy improvised explosive device blew up in Ramadi.

Under Maj. McClung's name and dates of birth and death — Apr. 14, 1972, and Dec. 6, 2006, respectively — is her extraordinary mantra: "Be bold. Be brief. Be gone."

Having written and spoken about Megan as well as meeting her father and brother and speaking to her mother by telephone, I feel like I knew this remarkable woman. But I didn't. I just miss her, and wish everyone — particularly young women — knew the story of this world-class athlete, scholar, and patriot.

Two days before Megan's death, America lost Spc. Ross McGinnis, whose headstone is engraved in gold. That's because the 19-year-old Pennsylvania native was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor — the nation's highest military decoration — for using his body to cover a live grenade that was thrown into his vehicle in Baghdad. He left behind his loving parents and siblings, but also saved the lives of all four soldiers riding with him.

"When Ross McGinnis was in kindergarten, a teacher asked him to draw a picture of what he wanted to be when he grew up," President George W. Bush said in an emotional White House ceremony on June 2, 2008. "He drew a soldier."

As I walked quietly through the long cemetery grass, I saw a man and woman sitting on lawn chairs under the twilight sky. They were at the grave of Army Cpl. Joseph M. Hernandez.

While I didn't want to intrude on their grief, I said the only five words I could think of while passing by: "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," the grieving woman graciously replied.

Upon returning home, I learned that Cpl. Hernandez, 24, of Hammond, Ind., was killed in action alongside Maj. Brian Mescall, 33, and Sgt. Jason Parsons, 24, on Jan. 9, 2009, in Afghanistan's Zabul province. He left behind his wife, two young boys, his parents, and two brothers.

Somebody who knew this soldier thanked me for caring. Today, I want to thank Cpl. Joseph M. Hernandez and his two fellow soldiers for having the courage and bravery to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

I have never sacrificed anything. Over the past decade, thousands of brave men and women, including many buried in Section 60, have risked everything to ensure we live in a safer world than the one that seethed with hatred and fear on Sept. 11, 2001.

After President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on a previous generation's day of infamy, Nov. 22, 1963, an eternal flame was lit at his Arlington National Cemetery resting place. A short walk away is Section 60, where a new "greatest generation" has ensured that freedom's candle will always flicker.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

An Early Thanksgiving

Image courtesy: DVIDS

At first glance, Oct. 16 was just another Sunday in Everson, Wash. Without relevant football to watch during a Seattle Seahawks bye week, many citizens enjoyed the crisp fall air swirling through the foothills of the snow-capped Cascade Mountain Range.

Still, something remarkable happened that afternoon, when a young Marine said a prayer before an early Thanksgiving dinner with his wife and relatives. Despite what lay ahead, Cpl. Reece Lodder had something to be thankful for.

"I knew that God had given me some exceptional gifts that I could put to use as a Marine," Cpl. Lodder told the Unknown Soldiers.

While most Americans stuff themselves with turkey on Nov. 24, Lodder will be risking his life in one of the world's most violent places: Afghanistan's volatile south.

"My company commander ... he's going on his sixth combat deployment," Lodder, 22, said. "This is my first combat deployment."

After just completing six grueling weeks of pre-deployment training with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment in California's Mojave Desert, Lodder believes he is physically and mentally prepared for war. The emotional part is toughest.

"Preparing to say goodbye to the most important person in your life for seven months ... it hurts," the concerned husband said. "It's a struggle."

In this time of war, the Marine firmly believes that God and country are calling.

"If nobody was prepared to make that sacrifice, then we wouldn't be blessed with what we have," said Lodder, who was 12 years old on Sept. 11, 2001.

As the future Marine grew up just south of Canada, he saw two close church friends deploy to dangerous provinces of Iraq. While he didn't feel guilty for the good life his parents and four siblings built through hard work, Lodder felt he could do more.

"I was very comfortable with just being here," he said. "But I never felt like I was really giving anything up or contributing to the greater good."

After graduating from high school and then earning his associate degree, Lodder joined the Marine Corps in April 2009. In addition to his will to fight, the ambitious young patriot offered another set of skills.

"I've always enjoyed writing ... I've always had a very strong passion for it," he explained. "And photography I've always loved, but I never had the chance to do it."

As a military journalist, Lodder gets to interview heroes like Sgt. Dakota Meyer, a Medal of Honor recipient and fellow Marine. But Lodder's best training for adjusting to life as a combat correspondent may have come in the Mojave Desert's intense heat.

"It's searing; it's scorching; it dehydrates you," Lodder said. "But we take a lot of pride in knowing that we can endure this — we can laugh through it; we can sweat through it; we can bleed through it — but when we come out on the other end, we've done it successfully."

The Marine knows he cannot walk between Taliban fighters and the improvised explosive devices they plant because he's carrying a camera. As he covers sacred ground on which so many fine Americans have bled during the past decade, Lodder will be in grave danger.

"First and foremost, I'm a Marine, so I'm going there to support the Marines to my right and left," he explained. "We're all going there to support each other ... to accomplish our mission as a team."

Instead of worrying about his safety, Lodder is thinking about a rendezvous with destiny.

"I'm going to be moving around a lot, doing my utmost to tell the stories of as many Marines and Navy Corpsmen as I can," Lodder said. "I really believe in my job, not only as a Marine, but being able to tell their stories ... I can't think of anything more rewarding."

As he packs for Afghanistan, Cpl. Reece Lodder's overriding concern is his wife's well-being.

"For her, I'm going to be in danger, and that's something you think about every day," he said. "But we've got the strongest perspective that God's taking care of us."

COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM

Image courtesy: Cpl. Reece Lodder

We Will Remember Them

Image courtesy: Master Sgt. James Frank

To remember, you need to notice in the first place. With the exception of Sgt. Dakota Meyer, who was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama on September 15, the national media has almost completely ignored the sacrifices of our troops and their families since the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

With an e-mail inbox tragically filled with casualty notices from the Department of Defense, I decided to take a look at the websites of Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC early Tuesday morning in the hopes of finding more information about the war in Afghanistan. While scanning the top story sections of all three news websites, I found exactly one article about combat operations in Afghanistan -- a Fox News article about an attack warning alarm at the U.S. embassy in Kabul.

As American troops perform a great service to our nation, journalists at national TV networks and newspapers continue to do this country a great disservice by ignoring our true heroes. As the ten year anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan draws closer, on the heels of August 2011, which was the conflict's deadliest month, there is no valid excuse for downplaying the sacrifices of these brave warriors and their brothers and sisters in arms.

Sgt. 1st Class Danial Adams, 35, Portland, Oregon
Sgt. Rodolfo Rodriguez Jr., 26, Pharr, Texas
Cpl. Michael Dutcher, 22, Asheville, North Carolina
Sgt. Mycal Prince, 28, Minco, Oklahoma
Staff Sgt. Michael Hosey, 27, Birmingham, Alabama
Sgt. Garrick Eppinger Jr., 25, Appleton, Wisconsin
Spc. Chazray Clark, 24, Ecorse, Michigan

From the crisp air of the pacific northwest to the majestic mountains of western North Carolina, the Adams, Rodriguez, Dutcher, Prince, Hosey, Eppinger, and Clark families are in deep mourning. As national media outlets look the other way, our eyes are fixed squarely on the loved ones of these fallen heroes. We have noticed your sacrifices.

In the days, weeks, and months ahead The Unknown Soldiers blog will redouble its efforts to spotlight those who make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. With the press delinquent in its solemn duty to report on wars that directly impact our daily lives, the mission to tell the stories of remarkable families like the Matteonis continues with renewed vigor.

I spoke with Sgt. Dakota Meyer by phone on August 15, one month before he received the Medal of Honor at the White House. While our conversation was brief, I can say without a shred of doubt that this brave American patriot, who spent some of his life's best years serving in the Marines, would agree that there are thousands upon thousands of genuine heroes in the military who are never awarded medals.

Every single day, Sgt. Meyer wears two bracelets honoring the memory of the four fallen troops he dragged out of a chaotic eastern Afghanistan battle: 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, Staff Sgt. Aaron Kenefick, Gunnery Sgt. Edwin Johnson Jr., and Petty Officer 3rd Class James Layton. As he retreats to a farm in Kentucky, Meyer will always remember these men.

While our arms are not long enough to wear bracelets honoring each fallen hero of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, our hearts are certainly equipped to carry their legacies.

Freedom is not an accident. It is earned and preserved by men and women willing to fight. Today and every day, we will remember them.

Image courtesy: Sgt. James Shea


Note: After this post was written, news of former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani's assassination was reported by national media outlets. As of 11:27 a.m. EDT, stories about the killing appeared in top story sections of the Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC websites.

Mettle of Honor

Images courtesy: U.S. Marine Corps

The definition of the word "mettle," according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is "vigor and strength of spirit or temperament." Sgt. Dakota Meyer, the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for heroism displayed in Afghanistan, certainly measures up to that definition.

I was nervous while waiting on the phone to speak with Sgt. Meyer, 23, one month before President Obama would place the nation's highest military honor around his neck. I had never spoken to a Medal of Honor recipient before, and wasn't quite sure what to say.

It was then that I heard the sound of cows. That's because this bona fide hero and national treasure recently completed his service in the Marines and went back to Kentucky to work in the family concrete business and help out on a farm.

Meyer doesn't like being called a hero, but I believe he is one. On September 8, 2009, the Marine dragged three fallen Marines and a Navy hospital corpsman out of a horrific firefight on Afghanistan's volatile eastern front. These are the names of those four men, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

1st Lt. Michael Johnson, 25, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Staff Sgt. Aaron Kenefick, 30, Roswell, Georgia
Gunnery Sgt. Edwin Johnson Jr., 31, Columbus, Georgia
Petty Officer 3rd Class James Layton, 22, Riverbank, California

When I asked Meyer, who also saved 36 lives during the battle, what it meant to receive the Medal of Honor, his answer was simple and direct. He believes the award is for his fallen comrades, not him.

"It's all about them," the Marine said.

As I wrote in a piece for the USO, Meyer wears two bracelets with the engraved names of 1st Lt. Johnson, Staff Sgt. Kenefick, Gunnery Sgt. Johnson, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Layton. Every day, his wrists remind Meyer not only of his brothers in arms, but the loved ones they left behind.

"I talked to some of them the other day," said Meyer, who checks in as often as he can. "They’re doing alright."

To be candid, Meyer didn't have much more to say. The quiet Marine is the antithesis of self-absorbed; his humility is genuine and palpable. But when asked what his Medal of Honor from President Obama could mean to the country, the man who risked his life to save others and bring home the fallen spoke up.

"I hope to try to help people see how much the Marines help people," he said.

You have certainly done that, Sgt. Meyer. At this hour, the eyes of a grateful nation are on a man who showed the world his mettle under the most trying of circumstances. Thank you for your service and sacrifice, brave Marine.


Note: Please click here to a visit a special U.S. Marine Corps website honoring the heroism of Sgt. Dakota Meyer.

Pay It Forward

Image courtesy: Spc. David Sharp

For Staff Sgt. Daniel Higgins, every day is a gift.

During a chaotic eastern Afghanistan firefight on May 26, 2008, Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry picked up an enemy grenade just as it was about to explode. The Army Ranger tossed it out of harm's way, losing his right hand in an act of heroism that spared Higgins and Pfc. Lucas Robinson. Petry was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Obama on July 12.

The day after he attended the emotional White House ceremony, I asked Higgins, who deployed three times each to Afghanistan and Iraq before leaving the Army, what it's like to walk around knowing someone saved your life.

"Robinson and I were actually talking about that (on the day of the ceremony)," the combat veteran replied. "We pretty much feel forever indebted to him, and that's not going to change. There's not going to be a hell of a lot of opportunity for us to pay him back," he added.

Sgt. 1st Class Jerod Staidle, a fellow Army Ranger who has deployed nine times to Afghanistan and thrice to Iraq, helped convey the enormity of what Petry, the second living Afghanistan war hero to receive the Medal of Honor, did for the men beside him.

"Staff Sgt. Higgins here, for instance, he went on to become a squad leader himself," Staidle said. "Just the impact that he made in the lives of his men below him is going to continue to echo throughout the platoon and the company.

"I'd like him to come back in the Army, but if he doesn't, whatever he does, he's going to continue to make an impact on people's lives," the battle-hardened warrior continued. "You just keep doing what you're doing, and that's how you pay it forward."

In his first news conference since the Medal of Honor ceremony, Petry, a 31-year-old wounded warrior with a wife and four children, displayed unflinching acceptance of the hand life has dealt him.

"At the end of the day, I didn't risk any more than any other service member over there," Petry said about his brothers and sisters in arms serving in Afghanistan. "There are people with bigger families and just as much in their lives, and they risk it every day."

One Army Ranger — 21-year-old Spc. Christopher Gathercole — made the ultimate sacrifice during the Paktia province battle. One of the most stirring moments of the White House ceremony honoring Petry, who has Gathercole's name engraved on a plaque bolted to his prosthetic hand, came when the commander in chief asked the fallen soldier's brother and grandma to stand.

"Gator — we called him Gator — meant everything to us," Higgins told The Unknown Soldiers. "When you spend as much time together as we all do, we were pretty much brothers, so losing him hurt like crazy."

In a bitterly divided nation's capital, Democrats and Republicans applauded Gathercole's relatives, providing a rare moment of genuine unity not seen since Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden.

"I really appreciated that the president did that," Staidle said. "I think I speak on behalf of everybody, from the people who knew (Gathercole) in that room ... who were probably holding back some tears, I'll be honest."

After an astonishing eight combat deployments and an act of bravery that will be remembered for generations, nobody would have blinked had Petry opted to retire from the Army. Yet in his most selfless act since tossing aside an exploding grenade, the wounded hero re-enlisted, pledging to use his higher profile to lend a hand to fellow troops and veterans.

"It represents those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and it gives me the opportunity to help those living today and still serving our great nation and those who have served before," Petry said.

As he attends college in South Carolina, Higgins often reflects on the gift he was given by his fellow Ranger.

"I think about Petry because I know that Robinson and I wouldn't be here if Sgt 1st Class Petry hadn't done what he did," he said. "But it doesn't surprise us that he did it. That's the kind of guy he is."

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'One of the best'

'Restrepo,' the acclaimed documentary by filmmaker Tim Hetherington and War author Sebastian Junger, is full of indelible images and piercing sounds. After watching the film for the first time on Thursday evening, there is one particular scene, which I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about, that genuinely shook me. It is the tragic footage shot just moments after the death of Staff Sgt. Larry Rougle.

If I am affected so deeply by these images as a viewer, I can't imagine how the men who were actually in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley on October 23, 2007, are feeling three years later. A visceral window of pain will open as you watch Sgt. John Clinard react in disbelief upon learning that his brother in arms was hit by enemy fire. The moment, while gut-wrenching, is also a crucial eye-opener for civilians like me, who haven't experienced combat. More than 4,500 Americans have been killed in action since the 9/11 attacks, and in almost every instance, a fellow service member goes through the crushing onslaught of emotions that Sgt. Clinard tragically experienced.

I didn't know who Staff Sgt. Larry Rougle was when I visited Arlington National Cemetery on October 26, 2010, just over three years since the tragic 'Restrepo' footage was captured. Flowers had been laid at the base of his headstone, and a stand holding cards and more flowers were displayed on the left. Today, just hours after watching 'Restrepo,' I am thankful to have been guided to this warrior's final resting spot to pay my respects, even though I wasn't aware of his story at the time.

Image courtesy: U.S. Army

Staff Sgt. Rougle, 25, was on his sixth -- yes, sixth -- combat deployment when he lost his life. According to an October 2007 Salt Lake Tribune article, archived on the Arlington National Cemetery website, the Army paratrooper knew he probably wouldn't return to West Jordan, Utah, from Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, but believed it was his duty to deploy.

In 'Restrepo,' which will be released on DVD December 7, fellow soldiers make clear that the loss of this battle-hardened professional, who also served with honor in Iraq, was absolutely devastating to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

"He was one of the best, if not the best," Staff Sgt. Kevin Rice told Hetherington and Junger in the film. "I think that's what was tough for a lot of people, was kind of knowing in the back of your mind 'well if the best guy we have out here just got killed, where's that put me? What's going to happen to me, you know? What's going to happen to the guys on my left and my right?'"

On November 2, 2007, fellow soldiers gathered to honor Rougle, along with Sgt. Joshua Brennan and Spc. Hugo Mendoza. Sgt. Brennan and Spc. Mendoza, killed two days after Staff Sgt. Rougle, were casualties of the same battle for which Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta was awarded the Medal of Honor on Tuesday. The national media was certainly not focused on Afghanistan at the time, yet NPR, to its credit, covered the emotional service. Staff Sgt. Michael Gabel delivered a stirring eulogy for Rougle, and resolved to continue fighting in honor of his friend.

Staff Sgt. Gabel was killed in action six weeks later.

The documentary is titled 'Restrepo' because of Pfc. Juan Restrepo, a heroic combat medic who was killed in action on July 22, 2007. The tragedy also deeply affected the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which braved enemy attacks to build Firebase Restrepo, an outpost crucial to troops in the unforgiving eastern Afghan valley before U.S. forces were withdrawn. Hetherington and Junger's film, which deserves to be nominated for an Academy Award, is a testament to the sacrifices of this incredible group of soldiers, living and fallen, who endured months of hell in one of the most dangerous places on earth. As America learned this week while honoring Staff Sgt. Giunta, and as we see in the documentary, the volunteer warriors who returned from the Korengal Valley live with harrowing sights and sounds that will never fade.

"Not a day goes by that I don't think about you or that day," a fellow soldier wrote to Staff Sgt. Rougle on the card displayed below, which I photographed at Arlington. "Rest in peace."

Thanks to 'Restrepo,' which I urge all readers of The Unknown Soldiers to watch, I will think of Staff Sgt. Larry Rougle and his brothers in arms every time I write about a fallen hero. This film, as well as Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta's Medal of Honor, ensures that the story of these paratroopers will teach future generations about the true meaning of bravery, service, camaraderie, and friendship.

The valley

Image courtesy: Sgt. Matthew Moeller

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Death and evil were all around Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta on October 25, 2007, in Afghanistan's perilous Korengal Valley. I don't know if the nation's newest Medal of Honor recipient is a religious man, but Psalm 23 came to my mind while thinking about his incredible story over the last few weeks. Aside from the parallels in prose, the verse was quoted by President George W. Bush in the Oval Office on the evening of September 11, 2001. On that night, the fires ignited by terrorists in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania still burned, and America was 26 days away from going to war in Afghanistan.

On November 16, 2010, President Barack Obama called our attention to this dark, remote eastern Afghanistan valley from the East Room of the White House. With Staff Sgt. Giunta at his side, the commander-in-chief described a setting few of us will ever experience.

"The moon was full, the light it cast was enough to travel by without using their night vision goggles," the president said. "With heavy gear on their backs and air support overhead, they made their way single file down a rocky ridge crest, along terrain so steep that sliding was sometimes easier than walking."

"The world happened in that next step," Staff Sgt. Giunta told Lara Logan on 60 Minutes. Islamic militants ambushed soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, killing Spc. Hugo Mendoza, a respected, caring combat medic, almost immediately.

"When the third [soldier] was struck in the helmet and fell to the ground, Sal charged headlong into the wall of bullets to pull him to safety behind little cover there was," President Obama explained. "As he did, Sal was hit twice, one round slamming into his body armor, the other shattering a weapon slung across his back. They were pinned down, and two wounded Americans still lay up ahead."

Giunta and his fellow troops began throwing grenades and shooting, pushing forward to one of their five wounded comrades. As another soldier tended to the injured service member's wounds, the 22-year-old Iowa soldier proceeded further inside the moonlit valley on his own, looking for the enemy and fellow troops through the unknown of night. He saw the shadow of death and the faces of evil in those moments, as two terrorists carried his dear friend, Sgt. Joshua Brennan, into the darkness.

"Sal never broke stride," the commander-in-chief told a White House audience that included fellow troops from his unit, several Medal of Honor winners, Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, and the Giunta family. "He leapt forward, he took aim, he killed one of the insurgents and wounded the other, who ran off. Sal found his friend alive, but badly wounded. Sal had saved him from the enemy, now he had to try to save his life."

Despite Staff Sgt. Giunta's incredible efforts to stop his good buddy's bleeding, Sgt. Brennan died the following day in surgery. Nothing could bring his friend back to life, but Giunta forever brought his friend back from the evil grasp of fear, hate, and terror. Instead of dying in a cave or having the images of his final moments paraded across al Qaeda and Taliban propaganda websites, Brennan died surrounded by fellow American troops, and was buried with full military honors by his loving family.

The ceremony's most moving moment came when President Obama and Staff Sgt. Giunta looked to the audience and paid tribute to the parents of Sgt. Brennan and Spc. Mendoza.

"There are no words that even three years later that can ease the ache in your hearts or repay the debt that America owes to you," the president said in earnest. "But on behalf of a grateful nation, let me express profound thanks to your sons' service and their sacrifice."

Someday, I would like to ask Staff Sgt. Giunta what was going through his mind when the camera panned back to him during this touching moment. I cannot imagine having to live with images and sounds of that valley, nor could I imagine watching my best friend in so much pain. Giunta, who was on his second tour in Afghanistan when his unit was ambushed, reminds us that caring for our veterans after battle must be a top national priority, and attention to daily events in Iraq and Afghanistan cannot continue to waver as it has in recent years.

In a ceremony filled with salutes, tears, applause, and pride, there was a lighthearted moment in the beginning.

"I really like this guy," President Obama quipped, which was immediately followed by laughter and loud clapping. Staff Sgt. Giunta offered his widest smile of the unforgettable ceremony, which ended about 30 minutes later when the soldier, wearing the majestic Medal of Honor, embraced his commander-in-chief.

Even though we've never met, I really like Staff Sgt. Giunta too. While he wasn't thinking about it at the time and still insists that his actions were ordinary, he did an extraordinary thing by charging into that valley. Sgt. Joshua Brennan's family will be forever grateful, and so will the families of 9/11 victims, who understand the pain of losing a son, daughter, husband, or wife at the hands of terrorists.

When my daughter someday asks me about what happened in the years after September 11, 2001, I will not start talking about about Bush, Obama, airport security, suspicious packages, or bin Laden. I will tell her about the valley of the shadow of death and the American soldier who feared no evil. The story told today at the White House is one we must pass on to future generations, to give them hope should they ever be called upon to fight. Even in these troubled times, America still has something -- and someone -- to be proud of.

Thank you, Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta.


Image courtesy: The White House

An American friend

"I have never given everything," Medal of Honor recipient Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta told 60 Minutes in an interview that aired on November 14. "Sgt. Joshua Brennan gave everything."

I have been in awe of the humility displayed by Staff Sgt. Giunta in every interview he's given since it became known that he would receive the nation's highest military award. On this day, when he will be presented the Medal of Honor by President Obama at the White House, it is clear that Giunta is awe of the soldiers he served with, especially fellow warrior Spc. Hugo Mendoza and his dear friend, Sgt. Joshua Brennan.

Joshua Charles Brennan was born on May 30, 1985 in El Paso, Texas. For most of his childhood, according to an article in The Capital Times, Brennan lived with his mom in Oregon during the school year, then headed to Wisconsin to spend the summer with his dad. Unlike me, a big brother who spent too much time teasing my younger brother and sister, Brennan was the model sibling. One of his five brothers and sisters, Jessica, wrote in a Facebook tribute group that her big brother was simply the best.

Not long after graduating high school in Ontario, Oregon, Brennan enlisted in the U.S. Army, training hard and earning his place in the storied 173rd Airborne Infantry Brigade Combat Team, perhaps best known for the incredible human price it paid at Dak To, Vietnam. Sgt. Brennan took that fighting spirit with him to Afghanistan on his first combat tour, for which he was awarded a Bronze Star for valor.

During his second tour, much of which took place in a northeastern Afghanistan valley so dangerous that brave, battle-tested American soldiers knew it was too risky to go to the bathroom during the day, Brennan forged an even closer bond with the troops around him. He was close friends with Staff Sgt. Giunta, who says that either of them, or any other soldier in the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, would instinctively put their lives on the line for one another.

Sgt. Brennan was shot in the leg in August 2007, but healed up, received his Purple Heart, and willed himself back out to the battlefield. That's the kind of selfless dedication, rightfully regarded as extraordinary back home, that was almost commonplace for this remarkable unit in the mountains of Afghanistan. For these volunteer warriors, it was simply what had to be done.

Sgt. Joshua Charles Brennan, known as "Chuck" by some of his closest Army friends, died on October 26, 2007, in Asadabad, Afghanistan, of wounds he sustained during the previous day's ambush, which also killed Spc. Hugo Mendoza. Were it not for Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta's bravery in seizing this wounded warrior from the Taliban's grasp, the soldier's family, fellow troops, and American citizens may have been forced to endure a horrific ordeal of painful uncertainty, deadly rescue operations, and possibly more Taliban propaganda videos.

For more on exactly what happened just over three years ago, from the President of the United States and the brave soldiers who were actually there, I urge you to watch today's White House ceremony, which begins at 1 p.m. eastern. The Unknown Soldiers will write about this important event as well. On this momentous day, when Staff Sgt. Giunta's heroism is recognized by America's top civilian and military leadership, Spc. Mendoza and Sgt. Brennan's names will echo through the halls of the White House. Yet it's at home, in the thoughts of loved ones, where the sounds of children who grew up to become American heroes are loudest.

"Joshua, you are missed every minute of every day, no matter what day it is by so many people who love you," Sgt. Brennan's mother posted to the Facebook memorial group on November 12.

Staff Sgt. Erick Gallardo, who was awarded the Silver Star, was Sgt. Joshua Brennan's squad leader. During the 60 Minutes interview, when he and Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta recounted that fall 2007 day's tragic moments, Staff Sgt. Gallardo said something that will forever comfort the family of Sgt. Brennan, who earned three Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts during his illustrious career of service. Instead of spending his final moments with enemies of America and the world, he spent them with his friends.

"The last thing Brennan ever saw was us. He saw us fighting for him."