There is always a story
Michelle Malkin points out a sad story tonight, the story of a soldier who won't be coming home.
In my previous post on this particular topic, I included casualties involving Humvess from Jan 1 through Jan 7. Here are combat casualties since then, where Humvees were specified as being involved.
Behind every one of these names there is a similar story, a family who won't be seeing a loved one again.
We went to war with a vehicle ill suited for the combat environment. Yes, as the saying goes, you go to war with what you got. But, three years later, why isn't this country moving heaven and earth to produce a vehicle better able to stand up in the combat environments of Iraq and Afghanistan?
Again, let me point out I am not saying these brave soldiers died in vain. Far from it. We cannot be grateful enough for their bravery and service.
And I don't know the individual circumstances here. Perhaps the IEDs were so powerful nothing could've survived it.
But for us who are back home, we who sent them to fight on our behalf, we owe it to them, to the families of these soldiers, to leave no stone unturned in supporting the war effort, in making sure our military has what it needs.
In previous posts I've touched on efforts to improve or replace the Humvee. And I know the military cares about its soldiers. I know President Bush cares. But we can't be content to lose soldiers one and two and three and four and even five at a time in a vehicle that was not meant to be our primary fighting vehicle.
This country has done amazing things in its history. If we made this a priority, and set our minds to it, devoted our resources and industry to it, we could do better.
And perhaps there would be far fewer families like the families of those listed here.
As Michelle says, pray for them. Pray for all of the families. May God keep them close.
Previous Posts
Can't we do better?
The Rock
It is still an inadequate vehicle
More on the Humvee
We can play a role in the war effort
As a nation, let's not forget our responsibility
The moment of truth Julie Gonsalves dreads is still some time away — when her 3-year-old is old enough to understand that Daddy won't come home anymore.
"That's the hard part, telling Cody his daddy is gone," said Gonsalves, the 30-year-old widow of Turlock native Chad Gonsalves, a Green Beret who was killed in Afghanistan last week.
"I tried to tell Cody, but he just didn't get it," Gonsalves explained by telephone from her home in Fayetteville, N.C. "I told him Daddy wasn't coming home, he was in heaven. Cody said, 'Daddy not coming home? Silly Mommy. Daddy's coming home.'"
If it's hard for her son to grasp the grim reality, Julie understands. It's still hard for her to realize this deployment has no end. He won't be coming home to her, Cody, or twin sons Dylan and Blake.
"When the chaplain came, he was accompanied by another soldier. At first, when I looked out the door I thought it was Chad and I wondered, 'What are you doing here? You should be in Afghanistan.' Then I realized it wasn't Chad, and I knew why they were here."
In my previous post on this particular topic, I included casualties involving Humvess from Jan 1 through Jan 7. Here are combat casualties since then, where Humvees were specified as being involved.
| Date | Name | Assigned To | Circumstances |
| Jan 20 | Staff Sgt. Rickey Scott Sgt. Dennis J. Flanagan Spc. Clifton Yazzie Spc. Matthew Frantz | 101st ID | IED detonated near their HMMWV |
| Jan 28 | Cpl. Brian Schoff | 101st ID | IED detonated near his HMMWV |
| Jan 28 | Sgt. David Herrera | 101st ID | IED detonated near his HMMWV |
| Feb 1 | 1st Lt. Garrison Avery Spc. Marlon Bustamante Pfc. Caesar Viglienzone | 101st ID | IED detonated near their HMMWV |
| Feb 3 | Cpl. Jesse Zamora | 101st ID | IED detonated near his HMMWV |
| Feb 4 | Spc. Roberto Martinez Salazar | 555th MEB | IED detonated near his uparmored HMMWV |
| Dec 4 | Spc. Allen Kokesh Jr. | 147th FA | injuries from IED detonated near HMMWV |
| Feb 12 | Cpl. Andrew Kemple | 101st AD | his HMMWV came under small arms fire |
| Feb 13 | Sgt. 1st Class Chad Gonsalves Staff Sgt. Edwin Dazachacon Staff Sgt. Clinton Newman Sgt. Alberto Montrond | 7th SF Grp | IED detonated near their HMMWV in Afghanistan |
| Feb 18 | Sgt. Charles Matheny IV | 4th ID | IED detonated near his HMMWV |
Behind every one of these names there is a similar story, a family who won't be seeing a loved one again.
We went to war with a vehicle ill suited for the combat environment. Yes, as the saying goes, you go to war with what you got. But, three years later, why isn't this country moving heaven and earth to produce a vehicle better able to stand up in the combat environments of Iraq and Afghanistan?
Again, let me point out I am not saying these brave soldiers died in vain. Far from it. We cannot be grateful enough for their bravery and service.
And I don't know the individual circumstances here. Perhaps the IEDs were so powerful nothing could've survived it.
But for us who are back home, we who sent them to fight on our behalf, we owe it to them, to the families of these soldiers, to leave no stone unturned in supporting the war effort, in making sure our military has what it needs.
In previous posts I've touched on efforts to improve or replace the Humvee. And I know the military cares about its soldiers. I know President Bush cares. But we can't be content to lose soldiers one and two and three and four and even five at a time in a vehicle that was not meant to be our primary fighting vehicle.
This country has done amazing things in its history. If we made this a priority, and set our minds to it, devoted our resources and industry to it, we could do better.
And perhaps there would be far fewer families like the families of those listed here.
As Michelle says, pray for them. Pray for all of the families. May God keep them close.
Previous Posts
Can't we do better?
The Rock
It is still an inadequate vehicle
More on the Humvee
We can play a role in the war effort
As a nation, let's not forget our responsibility
3 Comments:
At Thu Feb 23, 11:55:00 AM, Christi said…
Amen, Jeff. Thank you for such a thoughtful post.
At Thu Feb 23, 06:17:00 PM, Anonymous said…
yes. sad and tragic. i know some of those gusy indirectly. good guys and buddies.
the humvee is junk.
the army times has a recent article about a industry trade show the army hosted for new armored vehicle/humve proposals.
their current projection is to get us something, in, oh...2007.
great. not really.
where is a powerful committee of senators? they seem to be one of the few who can get something now, and done right and quickly.
At Thu Feb 23, 06:33:00 PM, Jeff said…
Thanks, Christi. And anon, I think you're right, Senators seem to be the lever that moves things in DC, if they get moved at all. So, I might start banging on some Senators' inboxes.
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