Four
days after the IED:
For
several years, Christopher,
Norman and Robert met once each month in
The
rest of Company D, 1/178 Infantry will not return for another seven
months. They continue their dangerous
mission in that gray, hard place. That
danger was realized in a village near the Khyber Pass a few days ago when three
brave Illinois Army National Guard soldiers fell.
I
will stand for each of these three fine soldiers on the consecutive days of
their funerals and it is my honor to do so.
My wife is more than supportive – she is encouraging. But there is another person important to me
who doesn’t quite get it. A few hours
ago I commented that the PGR does noble work and that my small part is probably
one of the most important things I have ever done.
“Sure,
because you’re helping people.”
Nope. That’s really not it. True, the grieving family is probably
consoled by the sight of patriots paying tribute to the great cause for which
their loved-one has fallen, and I am glad that that may be so, but that is not
our purpose. Such consolation is merely
incidental.
At
least, that is my sense, validated by my own feelings: A couple years ago, a soldier from a nearby
town was KIA by an IED. The parents
declined PGR involvement. I noticed in
the newspapers at the time that the parents were complaining about the body
armor and vehicle armor that had been available to their son. I was not sorry that I could not console the parents
– Perhaps to my shame, I was angry to be prevented from honoring their son.
I was
angry that the great cause their son had served was subordinated to petty armor
policy matters.
His
parents did not wish to be consoled. They
subsequently took their complaint to their congressman who secured a review of
the matter by the DoD Office of the Inspector General for Policy and
Oversight. The review
established that only the enemy was at fault for the death.
His
life was not wasted but his funeral was.
In every war, some soldiers die.
A soldier’s death is tragic only if the cause he served was not worthy. We honor the fallen soldier by celebrating
his country and his army.
We
stand for the fallen hero and for our other soldiers, and for the other members
of our military who have volunteered to face danger so that the rest of us
don’t have to. We stand for the warriors
of George Washington’s army and for all the warriors of our great country’s
past who have provided us with a fertile ground for our economy to root and a
sound shelter for our culture to flourish.
And we stand for the heroes of the future who are sure to step forward
to face threats that we cannot even envision yet.
The
great cause is the
I am
grateful for these three Illinois Army National Guard soldiers. Sad, proud and humbled too, but those
feelings may subside. I will surely be
forever grateful.
Six
days after the IED:
The
DoD press release says the attack location was “Kot” which must be Bati Kowt,
located halfway between Jalalabad and the
Highway One runs from
In September of 2007,
a suicidal truck bomb targeted Afghan National Police on Highway One near
Kot. An insurgent dressed in an ANP
uniform under which he wore an explosive vest then attempted to infiltrate the
chaotic scene. The police (with
coalition support) foiled both attacks that day.
In April
of 2008, Afghan National Security Forces (with coalition support) raided
the operation of a “known suicide bomb and IED facilitator” at Kot. They came under machine gun fire and were
able to eliminate that threat by killing two insurgents and then detained four
suspects, but one ANSF member was killed.
Six days ago, an IED near Kot claimed
the lives of three Illinois Guardsmen.
Three days ago,
Afghan Forces (with coalition support) raided the operation of a “an al-Qaida cell that facilitates
suicide bombers and plans roadside-bomb attacks” at
Kot. They came under fire and were able
to eliminate that threat by killing two insurgents and then detained four
suspects.
It seems this is an area where farmers
try to overcome the land with limited success – seven kilograms of opium were
seized in the raid three days ago. It
also seems that terrorists remain active among the farmers.
Seven
days after the IED:
Christopher
Abeyta will arrive at
MWD Alan, Ret. also participated. He returned from
MWD
means “Military
Working Dog”.
There were a quite a few other veterans
waiting for Robert and 18 of them arrived on two wheels, which is big because
it was about 50 degrees and raining. An
even greater number of PGRiders came in cages.
There was also a large number of Deputy Sheriffs. Robert’s father is one of them.
Unlike the logistics portrayed in HBO
movie Taking Chance in which
the fallen hero was carried in commercial passenger jets, Robert had a jet to
himself. Kalitta Air provides “on-demand
cargo service and support for the requirements of the DoD Air Mobility
Command”.
The deputies stood in a line. The PGRiders stood in a line. The family clustered between our lines. Then a detail of seven soldiers moved Robert
from the jet to the hearse.
Eleven
days after the IED:
I
started pushing the bike west for Freeport at 0400. It was cold and I got lost in
Major
General William Enyart is the senior officer in the Chain-of-Command for both
the Illinois Army National Guard and the Illinois Air National Guard, and has
been Commander for the last 18 months.
Before he went inside, he went down our flagline.
It
was significant that General Enyart attended the services for Specialist
Cain. The General is a fine lawyer and a
great soldier. He serves in the
Governor’s Cabinet.
And
while it is more frequent, a trip down our flagline and participation in the
funeral services of a fallen
Twelve
days after the IED:
One
of the newest members of the PGR is Christopher Abeyta’s battle buddy from
Delta Company.
Another
new member I met during the mass confirms his understanding in his face.
He
needs some facial hair, though.
There
were lighter moments. It was nice to see
four Cub Scouts (three Wolves and a Bear) standing for Christopher with
us. We may have even been a bit too
enthusiastic during a group photo. And
here is Zoe telling Brenda what’s what.
I
first photographed Zoe 30 months ago.
We
then traveled to
Craig
the elder and Craig the younger came just to watch, but I put flags in their
hands and sent them forward. This was
especially cold for young Craig – I was wearing two t-shirts, a sweat shirt and
a jacket while he wore only a light-weight hoodie. But he leaned into the wind and held his flag
just a long as anyone else.
I’ve
said it before: It’s not the display of
flags, it’s the fact that someone is standing there, displaying each flag. Sam, Craig:
I know how cold you were. I hope
you know it was worth it.
Thirteen
days after the IED:
This
would be my second mission for Robert Weinger. Six days ago I was part of the escort when his
plane arrived in
We spent
the 3-hour visitation in the broad school hallway.
Robert’s
aunt was nearby me when she kicked-off her shoes and ran down the hall. Chris
straightened them and we waited.
Her
father’s oxygen tank had emptied. He
couldn’t wait for a new tank so she couldn’t wait for her heels.
She
is the person who answers the 911 call for the family, just as her nephew
answered the 911 call for the nation. It
reveals, I suggest, a family trait.
The
parents of each of the three
The
Weinger family did not forget Air Force Staff Sergeant Timothy Bowles. The next photo shows a large sign that was
displayed at the entrance to the gymnasium where Robert’s funeral was held.
When
we attend the funerals of strangers, does it make us sad?
I
think it makes us marvel at the courage of the fallen hero and at the family
values that vested him with that courage.
I think those family values become evident at these funerals. I think the families of Christopher, Norman
and Robert, and of Timothy, imbued these four heroes with the values that took
them to Kot and will surely take them on to their final reward for having done
His most courageous work. That’s what I
think.
Robert
Weinger, five months later
back to ALL MISSIONS