IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 926-09
November 24, 2009
DOD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death
of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Sgt. Jason A. McLeod, 22, of Crystal Lake, Ill., died
Nov. 23, west of Pashmul, Afghanistan, [18 miles west
of
For more information media may contact the
Twenty-two-year-old Jason McLeod of
Family members received the news Monday that the
He was a soldier, a son, a brother, father,
husband, friend. McLeod and his wife, Aimee, are the parents of a 15-month-old
daughter, Jocelyn Elizabeth. The proud father was expected home in mid-December
for a two-week leave.
We
extend our sincere condolences to this young soldier’s family and friends
during this very difficult time. May they find comfort in knowing that a
community sends its thoughts, prayers and gratitude their way.
As have other local families before them, McLeod’s
family members enter a mourning process unique to military service-related
deaths. These families send their loved ones off to hostile places knowing full
well that this outcome is a possibility. They honor their loved ones’ brave
choice to serve, but pray in earnest for celebratory reunions.
The personal sacrifices of these families are
worthy of our deepest appreciation as well.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that
President Obama was expected to announce next week his plan to send tens of
thousands more
It cannot be easy to commit more troops knowing
that some will not return.
We know for certain only that our troops every day
carry out their duty with skill, honor and courage.
And on this day, with deepest gratitude and utmost
respect, we bow our heads in memory of Spc. Jason
McLeod.
~~~
This Thanksgiving, we offer our thanks first and
foremost to the brave men and women who are serving our country in the armed
forces.
It is because of their sacrifice, and the sacrifice
of those who came before them, that we can sit at our dinner tables today with
family and friends and enjoy the great food, beverage and camaraderie that come
with the holiday.
We
were abruptly reminded this week of the reality of the sacrifice our troops
are making.
Spc. Jason A.
McLeod of
As McLeod’s family and friends mourn his loss,
we’ll take a moment to reflect on why his ultimate sacrifice is a reminder of
all that we have to be thankful for.
We live in a great country, one where all of its
citizens have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Sometimes, we take these rights for granted.
Times have been tough economically these past few
years. Many have lost jobs. Some have lost their homes.
But because of the freedoms we enjoy and because of
the opportunities that our society provides, we have the means to turn our
fortunes around. We also have the benefits of a support system – whether
it be family, friends, a local church or other organization, that we can rely
on when times get tough.
Spc. McLeod
fought to help preserve these rights and opportunities. All who serve in our
armed forces do.
We are safe today because of these special people.
We are home with our families and friends, warm in the comfort of our living
and dining rooms, because of their bravery.
We all have plenty to be thankful for this holiday
season.
Take a moment today and, in saying thanks, remember
our troops.
~~~
I had
a great Thanksgiving. Lots of Family,
lots of Food and lots of Football.
Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday, so it is an automatic 4-day
weekend. Love it.
It is
now Monday morning. The headline
reads, “9 Slain In Bloody
I
check the DoD press releases and find that as of 11/30, the
last KIA listed is still Jason McLeod who died a week ago. So in
I
acknowledge there are only 115 thousand American troops in
~~~
It
seems I wrote too soon. The comment
first above was written earlier today.
Monday evening reveals a sailor killed in a “non-hostile accident” and a
soldier killed in a “non-hostile incident” – the latter sounding the more
ominous. And yet, they are both young
(22 and 23) and courageous Americans who volunteered to serve in their
dangerous jobs. Anyone who dies in
military service while deployed is part of the cost of the mission.
Jason
was a mechanic. It sounds like a
civilian job. In fact, the military
needs cops and cooks, too. But all these
young, courageous Americans are performing their jobs in a place where a mortar
shell can fall on you any second. Jason
was a mechanic but he was also an infantryman.
His weapon was always as close as his tools. In 2007, he spent nearly 12 months
deployed. Second by second for all those
months he was in the crosshairs of the enemy as he maintained the machinery of
war.
He
returned for a second tour and found the mortar shell with his name on it. Young and courageous, he died in a great
cause. The nine Chicagoans who died by
gunfire over the Thanksgiving weekend died for nothing. There will be people at their funerals who
will mourn their passing, but not me.
I won’t be at their funerals. I
won’t mourn. I’ll just pay my taxes and
hope the criminal justice system reacts properly.
The
passing of Jason McLeod will be mourned by many people who never met him and
don’t know his family. His willingness
to face danger, second by second for a year and then return to face it again,
will be celebrated by thousands of PGRiders who read
his name for the first time in the DoD announcement
just a week ago. His funeral will be
attended by a hundred PGRiders who will stand in the
December cold just so the family knows we will stand in the cold for Jason.
And
that is why “Support Our Troops” is more than a slogan. They can die.
And then, when you most want to
honor their service, you find yourself limited in what you can do.
Jason’s
mission was confirmed today. The
announcement in his PGR forum was especially elegant: “At the request of Spc.
Jason McLeod’s wife Aimee, The Patriot Guard has been invited to lead all
aspects of this mission.” I
will be there.
~~~
Special opportunity provided by Big
Joe:
I
plan to stand silently for Jason till 6:00 and then move to the college’s
Parking Lot B to join Joe Alger and what will certainly be many others. I will be anything but silent after 7:00.
The
red dot on the left is Parking Lot B and the red dot on the right is the
funeral home where Jason’s wake will be held.
They are four miles apart. Four
miles!
I
don’t plan to break the law, but I certainly will honor Jason by standing with
Joe.
~~~
Poetry
Update: Event
Postponed. The threat of our
presence caused MCC officials to reschedule the Marc Falkoff
“poetry” reading. They have not
cancelled it, so Joe continues his objection, but at least the complaints of
the GITMO detainees will not be aired during and nearby the wake.
Nice
to see this minimal sensibility on the part of college officials.
~~~
We
begin:
~ Escort ~
I
told Kevin we were going flag-holding after school tomorrow and put him on the
school bus. I took my blood-pressure
pills and gave my diabetic cat an injection.
I checked both battery and memory card.
I thought about skipping the escort, or
perhaps just go to the funeral home and drink their coffee until the bikes
arrive, but my plans changed this morning when I did a Google-search for news
about Jason. The Northwest Herald
newspaper website printed a Crystal Lake Police Department press release that included
the route through town. So I was quickly
off to find the intersection where the CLPD and the CLFD were to join the
procession.
I
found the intersection a little after 9:00 but there were no municipal vehicles
around. Worried, I called the
non-emergency police number, asked, and was put on hold for three minutes. Then the dispatcher came back, “Are you an
official car?”
“Sort
of. I’m a Patriot Guard Rider.”
That
was good enough for her. She said she
checked with her sergeant and was told that the procession had not left the airport
yet. I should wait 45 minutes.
So I
did.
And
then they came.
Two PGRiders and two others stood in the middle of the
intersection with me. Six others stood
on the grass across the street.
Later
the same morning, the Northwest
Herald website would report:
Several squad cars from the
Behind them were more than 20 family members,
including McLeod's wife, Aimee, and several fire engines.
Along the way, the procession passed McLeod's
former schools, including
"The schools were let out and their children
lined the streets, in some cases two or three rows deep," said Maj.
It was the fourth ride in less than 30 days for
Fred Vukadinovic of the Patriot Guard Riders. Two of
those rides honored soldiers killed at
"He's an American son," Vukadinovic said. "We all feel for the family and the loss
they're going through. He's a young man who should be honored."
The
procession took the long route through town while I ran up route 31 so my 5 by
8 would be in place at the funeral home and I could get this photo:
How
many PGRiders does it take to screw-in a light bulb?
When
the guys came back from
Now,
when I see my fellow citizens standing beside the street as Jason passes, or
riding through the cold with him, I find it stirring. It’s just the right thing to do.
How
many PGRiders does it take to move Jason from the
About
30, if you want to do it right.
Plus
the Honor Guard.
The
army moved Jason from the hearse to the place he will rest overnight.
I
just met Kevin’s school bus. In an hour
he leaves again for Taekwondo. Tomorrow
is for flag-holding.
We
were too old to fight along side of Jason.
And it
seems to be God’s will that we are yet to young to join him where he is now.
So
some flag-holding is what we will do.
As I
left town traveling east on 176, I was glad to see that Paul Bunyan is joining
us.
…and
so ends the first of three days.
~ Wake ~
The
second day brought the first snow of the season. It was windy.
I met Kevin’s bus and we drove directly to the funeral home, hoping to
arrive when it was still light.
Most
of my fellow PGRiders stood for only 2 or 3 of the 7
hours but the strength of the Patriot Guard detail never fell.
As if
choreographed, every time one left another arrived.
Guests
came and went in a steady flow over the many hours. Maybe they wanted to see Jason; maybe his
family; maybe each other. This wasn’t a
traffic accident.
The
flag in front of the funeral home was lowered to half-staff. Flags all across
It
was cold when we got there.
Kevin
stood for a while with Brenda.
And
he stood for a long while alone, too.
It
got colder.
In
the breakroom, Kevin was surrounded by soldiers,
police and PGRiders – all good influences. He had one brownie, two bags of pretzels,
three of Brenda’s cookies and an unmeasured quantity of potato chips. Finally I said we had to go. I got Kevin home after his bedtime. He has been on twice as many missions as he
has years of age. He didn’t want to
leave.
~ Funeral ~
We usually
get snow before Christmas, if not always by Thanksgiving. This year, the first snow came between
Jason’s wake and Jason’s funeral. I put
Kevin on the school bus and then I put the big flag on the bike.
It
was colder now than it was when I left last night. Nine of us were on bikes. Many more were there as well. We were told that a flagline
prior to the service was not necessary.
Mutiny! Many of us stood anyway. A little standing time in the cold wind is
just part of the price you pay. And gladly.
Though some of us paid a little extra. But gladly.
As
they had the night before, the funeral home opened their breakroom
to us. None of Brenda’s cookies from
last night could be found today, though.
The governor
was among us again. Then he went inside
to be among Jason’s family. He would get
more votes by having a speechwriter craft a clever statement for the
press. He doesn’t do it for votes. It not about votes.
If
you think he does it to get votes, then you don’t understand leadership. You don’t understand public service. You don’t understand anything and it probably
can’t be explained to you.
The public
needs to know, however. But there is a
difference between those who are there to grieve and those who are there to
tell the story.
The
PGR has a two-part mission statement. The
first part is to “show our sincere respect” and as I have said before, we don’t
“show” it unless we are seen. That is
part of the reason for this website. And
that is why I (personally) am glad to see the press there.
The
second part of our mission is to “shield the mourning family” from
The
press was never in the same category as Westboro. I worry that we are looking for a new enemy
to replace Westboro.
The press is not a “protest group”.
The press serves our interest in honoring the fallen hero.
Sometimes,
in the emotionally turbulent days after learning that a loved-one is dead but
before he is buried, a survivor is called-on to make decisions about the degree
of intrusion that cameras will be allowed.
The
Northwest Herald ran an image of “facial grief” (in COL Rudzinski’s
elegant phrase) on their front page the day of the funeral. The family objected and the PGR always sides
with the family.
This
is Laura Stoecker, photographer from the Daily Herald, “A
completely different newspaper” she was quick to explain. However, several days earlier, her Daily
Herald colleague Patrick Kunzer scored some “facial grief” for her paper.
The
writer, shown with her above, was Larissa Chinwah. The Army Public Affairs officer attending the
funeral was Major
Friendly
but persistent Laura was awarded a one-man flagline.
And
then MAJ Leighton double-teamed her.
Then
I saw a drop in her body-language that I have never seen in a Westboro member.
That’s
because she is as respectful as anyone.
She wants to do the right thing.
She believes that the many Americans who did not attend in person should
still have the insight that photography can provide.
And I
agree with her.
Except for the facial grief part.
So
she caved. But she did get eleven great
photos that her paper published. And I
am one of very many people who thank her for that.
Drama
over, I returned to my own search for photo-ops. The Kansas Patriot Guard and Ryan Jopek adornments are still on my windshield.
And
this would have been a really great photo.
I had been outside for a long time and took just a minute to check the breakroom. The cold
camera lens quickly covered with condensation from the well-humidified funeral
home. When I went back out, I should
have wiped the lens immediately.
But I
didn’t. So I took a really great photo
that is fogged-over. The best candid
photos are those taken after the subject looks at the camera but before the
subject can react to it. Provided you
clean your lens first.
This
Marine waited in his truck with his dog.
Carla
was like a mother to Jason. “It sucks”
she told me with a smile. She went down
the flagline presenting each of us with an
encapsulated image of Jason to wear and to keep.
One
of the funeral guests flew this flag.
An
undocumented PGRider appeared, as often happens. He brought his own flag and stationed himself
at the exit of the funeral home parking lot.
And
the flag of the funeral home flew again, and at half-staff again.
When
the service was over, we moved to the cemetery.
We passed Jason’s middle school where all the students stood in the cold
to honor the soldier who had walked their halls not long ago. They had stood in the cold when Jason first
returned to
The
army detail lined-up at the rear of the hearse and waited. The snow had been removed from the path they
would follow to the gravesite. It was
lined with small flags placed in the ground.
It would soon be lined with PGRiders.
Most
of the Patriot Guard came in cages which were parked farther than the
mourners. So the family waited under the
tent, surrounded by friends. The army
waited at the hearse. The flags
fluttered.
Every
funeral should have that pause. We all
know what is going to happen. We will
all leave soon. It was good to have a
minute to look up at the blue sky and feel the cold wind and think about Jason.
Then,
when the time came, Jason’s Honor Guard performed.
Jason’s
funeral was inspiring, dignified and beautiful.
It
sucks that he died, but he didn’t die in a traffic accident.
~ Middle School ~
As it
happens, this will be a four-day mission.
Jason’s
middle school conducted a social studies lesson in the hours before Jason and
his airport escort paraded past the school building.
The
school didn’t ignore Jason. They told
the students the truth and then they let the students see with their own
eyes. They instructed their students on
our military, our involvement in
And
then, two days later, they stood by the street again as Jason was moved to his
gravesite.
This is the story of Jason’s middle school.
photos from Wednesday & Thursday
back to ALL MISSIONS