DISPATCH 005--25 OCT 2006

“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” Anonymous

Hello from Iraq,

For most of us, we are approaching our third week in country. We are still conducting the training necessary to take over our area of operation from the previous unit. The challenge that the battalion faces is that we are located at four different Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). As a chaplain, this means that it is difficult for me to get to see all of our soldiers on a regular basis. CPL Paul Crnkovich, my chaplain assistant, and I are going to do all we can to visit three of the four FOBs every two weeks. We will be on the road with soldiers from F Co. in order to travel across the AO. I would ask that you keep all of our soldiers in your prayers, especially those going on patrols and out on the roads.

It is interesting to read from Iraq the media accounts of what is going on in Iraq. I will not try to gloss over the fact that we are in a war with a real enemy who wants to do real damage to us. However, things are not as bad here as they are being portrayed through some media outlets. Before I explain, I must also state that I am not one to blame the media. We are very fortunate to live in a society that has freedom of the press. However, I would claim that with this freedom comes responsibility. Sometimes the news reports are so bleak that it makes me wonder if they want things to go bad. During the Tet offensive in Vietnam, US Forces soundly defeated the Viet Cong (South Vietnamese Communist Rebels) and effectively eliminated them as a fighting force for the remainder of the war. The North Vietnamese Regulars had to shoulder the burden of fighting after Tet. Unfortunately, the media portrayed this battle as a loss for the US, and many scholars mark this time as the point where the majority of Americans began to doubt our reasons for being in the conflict. My intent is not to sway anyone’s mind. Instead, I just ask that all Americans think critically when they digest news reports from any media outlet. Remember, we are in an election year, which is probably driving a great deal of the hype. The vast majority of American and Iraqi forces are doing all that they can to keep innocent Iraqis safe while eliminating or capturing the enemy. America should be proud of what our soldiers are doing over here.

Well, enough of my rant. I want to share one other bit of advice to our friends and family at home. I am encouraging our soldiers, especially our married soldiers, to not only stay in touch with their families but also with their parents. During my last deployment, I received two books from my wife written by Frank Schaeffer entitled Faith of Our Sons and Keeping Faith. Both books chronicled the feelings and reflections of Frank and his wife as they watched their youngest son enlist in the Marines and then get sent to Afghanistan. The honest portrayal of the struggle that parents face when their children deploy reminded me that I needed to stay in touch with my parents. I try to remind our soldiers that they need to call Mom and Dad because they will always be two-years-old in their eyes. It took me seeing my own children being held by my wife to understand just how sacred that bond is. So please tell your husbands and your wives that they not only need to be writing and calling you and the kids but also their parents. Additionally, try to do all you can to keep them informed about what is going on.

I continue to keep our soldiers and their families in my prayers. LTC Dunlop reminded us all last night that our soldiers have done a terrific job of remaining flexible despite an early deployment, a change in area, and a movement of over 700 people across oceans and deserts. Our Warhorse soldiers are truly some of the best people our society has to offer. We will continue to make you proud and keep ourselves safe as we do what we came here to do—to make this country a region of peace for a generation that has known only war. We love you all.

Gratia et Veritas,
Chaplain Kevin Wainwright