American Heroes

Staff Sgt. Christopher Fessenden is a remote-controlled vehicle hobbyist, so when he was deployed to Afghanistan, he took his toy truck, outfitted with a small video camera with him.  There, the truck became a valuable tool for scouting ahead of convoys and patrols, looking for improvised explosive devices.

This week the truck found one.  A big one.  Fessenden said in an interview that “at least 500 pounds” of explosives rigged with a tripwire in the road in front of an Army patrol went off when the truck got tangled in the tripwire.  The six men in the vehicle who would have been victims of the bomb credit the tiny toy with saving their lives.

The man whose Rochester, NY store provided the original truck – appropriately named “maximum destruction,” immediately sent a replacement.  Fully outfitted, the trucks cost about five hundred dollars. 

The military has spent truckloads of money looking for ways to mitigate the threat of IEDs, the number one killer of US troops in Afghanistan.  Perhaps they should invest in a few more of these.  I predict in coming years, robotic versions of trucks like this will become standard issue for troops heading to the war zone.

Of course, though, if the military is buying them, you can be sure they’ll be paying a lot more than $500.

I’ve just returned from a week of intense combat handgun training at the Gunsite firearms training academy in Paulden Arizona.  The class was the most comprehensive pistol training I’ve ever received, giving me the opportunity to shoot over a thousand rounds over the course of the week in everything from timed pop-up ranges to a very realistic shoot-house. 

The most surprising part about the week?  It was all free.  Gunsite sponsors three such courses each year for veterans who have spent time in the war zone, donating everything from the ammo to it’s instructors’ time to give veterans some of the most top-shelf firearms training available anywhere.  And they do it just to say, “thanks.”

Gunsite was originally founded in 1976 by “the father of modern handgun shooting,” the legendary Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper.  In 1999, it was purchased by current owner and NRA board member Buz Mills.  as a retired Marine Colonel, Mills has a heart for military veterans of all stripes, and it shows.  The classes spare no expense to make the forty-odd veterans feel honored, as sponsors like Blackhawk!, Galco Gunleather and LaRue Tactical step up to give out lots of goodies to the participants.

But for most of the men and women who participated, the best part of the week was the chance to get back to that cameraderie we’ve all missed since parting from the service.  By the end of the week we’d made a couple dozen new friends, honed some rusty skills and gained a new appreciation for the capabilities of the combat handgun.

If you’re a veteran and would like to sign up for one of these courses, go to Gunsite.com and contact the academy.

Last month, as President Obama announced the upcoming redeployment of 33,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan, I was in that country spending time with U.S. Marines in Helmand province.

The reaction on the ground from commanders was one of surprise – the number and timing of the withdrawal was much higher and faster than they had anticipated. With troops on the line, however, the mood was more like, “I’m a United States Marine. I go where my Commander in Chief sends me and I’m not paid to have an opinion.”

That said, everyone pointed to the big gains being made in training and recruitment of the Afghan forces who will replace us. Indeed, it felt as if all our energies in Afghanistan are now being directed toward preparing the Afghan forces for our imminent departure.

But there’s one group of Americans that won’t be coming home anytime soon, and are actually seeing their numbers increase in country. That’s the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, also known as CJSOTF-A.

Special operations forces are seeing a “mini surge” into the country to keep the level of pressure high on the Taliban as regular units prepare to head home.

This article from Stars and Stripes quotes sources at the Pentagon as saying that 16 Special Operations troops are considered equivalent to 100 regular troops. I’m not sure regular troops would agree with that number, but whatever.

Bottom line, commanders in Afghanistan are doing their best to accomplish their mission there with whatever resources they are allowed to use. And from what I’ve seen with my own eyes, they are doing a great job.

Will Afghanistan be ready to stand on its own feet by 2014 when all U.S. troops are slated to come home? That remains to be seen. But the military is giving it their best shot.

Jeff “Rock” Harris built his fitness-coaching business using the prestige of having been a former member of the elite 75th Ranger Regiment, of having fought in at least three conflicts, earning the Distinguished Service Cross (second only to the medal of honor) as well as a bevy of other medals – more than 70 in all.  His heroism earned him the respect of the community of Kinston, NC.  And on independence day, it earned him and his story a full page spread in the Kinston free press.

Only one problem.  None of it was earned.  It was all a lie. 

When the US Army Ranger community heard about his claims, red lights started going off everywhere. In the interview with the Kinston Free Press, Harris claimed 316 confirmed kills as a sniper, something that would have landed him in the guiness book of world records.  Most egregiously, he laid claim to an event during the famous “Black Hawk Down” incident in Mogadishu that resulted in the death of an actual Ranger, Jaime Smith.  Harris claimed that he, not Smith had taken a bullet that cut his femoral artery, then claimed that smith’s death was invented by Hollywood to “make the story better.”

The story isn’t over yet, as there may be jail time in Harris’ future, since falsifying military records is a felony.  But so far, the “Rock” has found himself in a very hard place with his employers, his wife and his community.

What is most sad is that Harris actually did serve in the military – as a member of the 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, NC.  Maybe not Distinguished Service Cross material, but certainly nothing to be ashamed of. 

And Harris is not alone.  There is a long history of military impersonators, and an organization devoted to tracking them down receives more than twenty potential cases each week. 

This story has led some to speculate on the motivation behind this phenomenon.  The sheer lack of self-respect that could allow a person to claim honors for which he is not entitled.  But as Jeff Harris is now discovering, most frauds are eventually found out. 

Hopefully the “Rock” will soon be busting rocks in prison, and at least one newspaper reporter will never again accept a story at face value. 

Rest in peace, Ranger.

PRESS RELEASE: U.S. Army Ranger killed in combat

U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, June 15, 2011) – A U.S. Army Ranger was killed in action on June 14 during combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.  Staff Sgt. Jeremy Andrew Katzenberger was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

He was killed by direct fire from enemy forces during a heavy firefight while conducting combat operations in Paktika Province.

A native of Weatherby Lake, Mo., Katzenberger enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 2004. For more than six years, Katzenberger served as a rifleman, automatic rifleman, team leader and Ranger squad leader in 1st Bn., 75th Ranger Regt.

The 75th Ranger Regt. has been continuously deployed to Afghanistan since October 2001.

“Staff Sgt. Katzenberger was a phenomenal Ranger who died while leading his men in an assault against our enemies. He died while protecting our Nation and we will not forget his sacrifice,” said Col. Michael Foster, commander, 1st Bn., 75th Ranger Regt. “He was universally respected by every member of this command and was a devoted, loving husband and proud father. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Katzenberger family.”

Katzenberger previously served on four deployments to Iraq and this was his fourth deployment to Afghanistan.

“I wish the American people could truly understand the dedication and sacrifice that Staff Sgt. Jeremy Katzenberger made for his country. Since early 2005, Jeremy has either been in combat or training for combat. This was his eighth combat deployment,” said Col. Michael E. Kurilla, commander, 75th Ranger Regt. “Jeremy was the epitome of a Ranger squad leader; he is a hero to our Nation, the Army and his family.”

Katzenberger is survived by his wife Colleen A. (Montgomery) Katzenberger, son Everett James both of Richmond Hill, Ga., and his parents Robert and Peggy Katzenberger of Weatherby Lake, Mo.

In 2001, U.S. Army generals caused an uproar within the ranks by stealing the black beret, which had for more than a decade been associated with U.S. Army Rangers, and giving it, unearned, to the Army at large.

I remember the sense of disgust at learning that every cook, clerk, and maintenance man in the Army would now be wearing the symbol of the Ranger – the one which I myself had earned 15 years earlier by successfully completing the rigorous three-week Ranger Indoctrination program. My class started with more than 150 and 37 made it to graduation.

When the big Army took over the black beret, Rangers adopted another mark of distinction: the tan beret.

Fast forward another 10 years and the Army has now decided to ditch the black beret altogether. Apparently it took them that long to figure out the hat was not good for field use (We never wore it in the field).

It is hot in summer, cold in the winter, and does nothing to keep its wearer from being scorched by the sun or soaked by the rain. One trooper put it this way, “It’s like wearing a wet sock on your head.”

I couldn’t agree more. In the last 10 years I’ve learned that a hat can never confer honor or prestige. It can signify an accomplishment, but pride can never be given – it must be earned.

So goodbye black beret. The timeless patrol cap will take its place on the crowns of our soldiers around the globe. And I don’t think anyone will mourn the change.

Most Americans can name the contestants on the hit show “American Idol,” but very few can name even one of the eight men who have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroic actions in battle since 9/11.

This week I’m delighted to see that one more is being added to their numbers. This one is especially sweet for two reasons, the first being that SFC Leroy A. Petry is still alive, since most medals of this kind are awarded posthumously.

Secondly, SFC Petry is a Ranger with the 75th Ranger Regiment, where I myself served two decades ago.

Ranger Petry was on a rare daylight mission in Afghanistan to capture a high-level Taliban warlord when he was shot through ;both legs. He continued to fight, however, saving the lives of several of his men.

Then a grenade was thrown and landed nearby, and would likely have killed them all, but for quick thinking and selfless action on the part of Ranger Petry. He grabbed the live grenade and threw it away from his men, whereupon it detonated, blowing Petry’s hand off.

Even still, the wounded man and his comrades continued to fight until he was eventually recovered.

Petry would be the first to say, however, that he would gladly give up the award if it would bring back his teammate, Spc. Christopher Gathercole, who was killed in the same engagement.

Leroy Petry will live the rest of his life as a hero to the nation, but heroes bear the great burden of those who did not come home.

Our congratulations, and prayers go out to this man, who has certainly proved the Ranger Motto: Rangers Lead the Way.

Memorial day is a day to remember – and to honor – those who have sacrificed their lives for the cause of freedom. So few people know what honor means anymore that it bears defining: it means we value what they have done for us.

It means we should take a moment and look inward, thinking about how costly our liberty is and asking if we are making full use of that liberty in a way that shows what a rare, precious gift it really is.

If your parents gave up vacations and evenings out, worked extra hours or even a second job in order to send you to college, it would be incredibly disrespectful if you spent your college years skipping classes to go out partying. In the same way, how we use our freedom indicates the value we ascribe to it.

If, like most Americans, you choose to waste your life as a spectator, a mere consumer, you show by your actions a disdain for the high price paid for your liberty. After all, it doesn’t take much freedom to sit and watch television. Many prison inmates do that.

So ask yourself a difficult question this Memorial day: How can I make the most of the liberty I’ve been given? Chances are you could do more with it by following the example set by Jesus himself, who spent his time on earth improving and redeeming everything around him.

The White House today announced that they had decided not to release photos of Osama Bin Laden’s corpse, something which has been widely called for by people around the world who want proof that the man killed in the daring raid Sunday night was, in fact, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. 

The administration has been very deliberate about everything with regards to this mission.  President Obama reportedly “slept on it” before giving the final go-ahead, waiting sixteen hours to sign the order for Navy SEALS to execute the mission.  Once the target was killed, Osama Bin Laden’s body was treated in accordance with Muslim custom, but the decision was made to bury the body at sea in order to avoid creating a shrine for the continuation of the cult of Osama.

On Monday’s CBN Midday edition, I made the point that by not releasing proof of death, the administration would be fueling the cultural tendency of muslim nations to believe conspiracy theories, and indeed, claims that Bin Laden is not dead already abound.  I still hold to the belief that we must provide some proof to the world, though a photo would arguably be the weakest form of proof we could show, since photos can be made to look like anything these days. 

A much better idea would have been to bring in impartial experts from countries like Jordan and the UAE to view and even perhaps test the body, then report on their findings.  This would have meant disregarding the standard Muslim practice of burying their dead within 24 hours, but if the Muslim street wanted to raise a hue and cry over that, we could simply point out that if Osama was a good Muslim, then Islam is not, in fact, a religion of peace, since Osama Bin Laden was without a doubt an evil murderer of thousands of innocent people.

If there’s one thing that has been made clear about Islamic culture, however, it is that irony is not a concept they understand.  Nevertheless, while I understand the administration’s reasoning behind not releasing the death photo (i.e. not wanting to appear to be “spiking the football,”) I still think that some form of proof should be released, even if it is shown only to select influential people from the Muslim community.

In closing, I would like to stress that the death of any man, even one who is patently evil, is not cause for celebration.  What is worth celebrating is that this man will no longer be able to perpetrate his evil on the world.  It’s a subtle distinction, but as believers, an important one.   If ultimate justice is made sweeter by the decade of waiting in this case, imagine what it will be like when God’s perfect justice is finally meted out, especially for those whose sins have already been paid for.

The Afghan prison in Kandahar is, or was, the largest in Afghanistan’s penal system, holding more than 1,500 inmates from the bloody fighting in the southern part of the country. Many of those held were Taliban fighters and commanders.

But after pulling off an audacious escape yesterday through a half-mile tunnel which was dug under a major highway and several checkpoints, the population of the prison is down by at least a third.

More than 500 Taliban back in the game at the start of the Afghan “fighting season” is very, very bad news for the American-led International Security Force, which was hoping to begin transitioning more control to the Afghan army and police forces this year.

This massive security fail, however, shows that the corruption and incompetence of those same forces may mean the U.S. and its allies will have to carry the load much longer.

You may remember the president’s speech in December 2009 where he telegraphed his intention to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan in July of 2011. Well, that’s about as likely to happen as the closing of Guantanamo Bay by January 2010.

Hopefully the President is learning through these leadership gaffes that one can’t win a war by sheer force of will. Conditions on the ground will always be the key. Nevertheless, Obama and his commanders must do something to speed progress in the war, as the extent of the U.S. budget crunch becomes more and more obvious.

We’re not just broke – at this point, broke would be a good goal to shoot for.

Stepping up the pressure in Pakistan is beginning to cause serious tension in our relations with that country. The Taliban may very well win the war in Afghanistan when the history books are written, but they will have done it by making the war too expensive to win.

And they are doing that by hammering our supply convoys coming in from Pakistan. As of yet, nobody has been able to figure out a better way to get the bulk of the materiel we need to fight the war into the country.

It was reported in 2009 that the Pentagon was paying $400 a gallon to get fuel into Afghanistan, and that number is surely higher now. Add that to the massive cost of each new mine-resistant vehicle being shipped into the country, (about a million apiece, shipping not included) and it becomes clear that we just can’t afford this forever.

We owe it to those who have fought and died there to give them every resource we can to win this war. Unfortunately, much of the fighting will have to be done in places where the U.S. military isn’t – Pakistan and the halls of power in Washington, D.C.