Recently, I wrote about our latest casualties in the Afghanistan War.
I listed the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, along with some details on each hero and I also commented on how, in my opinion, the national media seem to be covering those casualties less and less prominently.
Reaction to the post was mixed.
Some accepted it with the honor, sadness and respect it was intended.
Others felt that publicizing the deaths– “[t]he focusing on each individual death”–might be a way of “making people think casualties are worse than they are,” or that perhaps the media should keep the American people informed of “[h]ow many Afghans, Pakistani and Uzbeks have been killed by the occupation forces since the US Invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001.”
There were also the tired implications that publicizing the deaths of our heroes may be for political purposes, to “try and stir up opposition” to the war.
I cannot control–probably not even influence–what our readers may think of subjects I write about. However, I do know without a scintilla of a doubt the reasons I write about our heroes: those who return safely, those who come home injured or maimed–physically and mentally–and those who gave it all for us and our country.
And I will continue to write about them: about their heroic actions and the medals they deserve; about the sacrifices they and their families make; about the care they (should) receive when they return; about equal opportunity and equal treatment in our armed forces and, most important, about those who do not make it back.
Here is the most recent list as provided by the Department of Defense and published by the Washington Post:
Sgt. 1st Class Kristopher D. Chapleau, 33, of La Grange, Ky.; 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based at Fort Campbell, Ky. Died June 30 at Forward Operating Base Blessing, Konar province, of noncombat injuries.Pfc. Ryan J. Grady, 25, of Bristow, Okla.; Special Troops Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Vermont Army National Guard, based at Bradford. Killed July 1 near Bagram air base.
Pfc. David Jefferson, 23, of Philadelphia; 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), based at Fort Campbell, Ky. Killed July 2 in Kandahar.
Capt. David A. Wisniewski, 31, of Moville, Iowa; 66th Rescue Squadron, based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Died July 2 at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda of wounds suffered June 9 in a helicopter crash near Forward Operating Base Jackson, Helmand province.
Spec. Clayton D. McGarrah, 20, of Harrison, Ark.; 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C. Killed July 4 in Arghandab.
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.