Army Reserve Maj. Derek P. Bonaldo

Many people who are not in the Armed Forces find it difficult to understand why anyone in their right mind would choose to sign up for Iraq in the middle of a war, but Maj. Bonaldo will shed a little light on it for them.

...For Maj. Bonaldo, it was a question of duty and service: “I volunteered to go in part because I had never deployed before . . . I felt that I needed to step up . . . [and] I felt I could make a difference.” For the fledgling Iraqi police force he helped, his contributions were invaluable. [Continue reading.]

It was on May 1, 2006, that Maj. Bonaldo found himself in first fire fight. He had been training Iraqi Police officers when the fit hit the shan. (He's fine.)

He is a 14 year veteran. He did not have to go to Iraq. It was not required of him, but he has a sense of duty that is admirable. He went to train the Iraqi Police to stand on their own so our men may come home.

[...]In the U.S., even before a soldier gets to his first unit, they still have much more experience, he said. Our boot camps are much more strenuous and they get a lot more done than in the Iraqi boot camps. A lot of times, (national police recruits) are not moving at the pace that a U.S. commander is used to.

But American troops efforts are slowly paying off, Bonaldo said.

Were they making progress? Yeah, he said. But you know how the American people are. They want results quickly. Its a slow process ... too slow for most people. The guys I was working with need at least one year. [Continue reading.]

Once home, Maj. Bonaldo took off some time to be with his wife and children. Bonaldo and his unit returned to the U.S. last month as decorated veterans. God was watching over them, because all of the people with him and under him came home alive.

At least 11 were awarded Bronze Stars for acts of merit or bravery, while six of them received Army Commendation Medals with the Valor attachment. There was one hero who received a Purple Heart. "Nobody died and we did what we were supposed to do, he said."

Yes, you did, and I personally thank you. Welcome home, and congratulations!

Marine Corps Res Cpl. Mark A. Camp: Someone You Should Know

This article brings pride and tears to all patriots. You have heard of many people in battle and many of them dieing. Captain Camp made it home alive, but not all of them.

In May of 2005, Marines stationed in Anbar province began a week-long hunt to root out insurgents and foreign fighters in the volatile areas around the Syrian border. Dubbed Operation Matador, those tasked with carrying out the mission encountered enemies who had dug in and were ready to fight: deadly roadside bombs, sniper attacks, and several well-planned ambushes.

One day after the operation began, then-Lance Cpl. Camp and his company were sent to New Ubaydi on a house-clearing mission. As Camp’s squad entered one of the houses, insurgents hiding in a closet and in an underground crawlspace opened fire, shooting four Marines. Camp, outside, heard the gunfight and immediately ran inside to help. Three separate times he entered and exited the building to recover his squad members and clear the house of insurgents. [Here is an article written about the ambush, and here is an article written about their Silver Stars.]

It is good to be surrounded with heroes. Lord, please watch over the ones who are still living, comfort the loved ones of the ones whom have gone home, and protect the ones that are still out in the field. Thank you.

Master Sgt. Brinda Kupiec, Someone You Should Know

This is a remarkable woman. She had quit her job to be with her husband for his last few years on earth, and now she is at a crossroads. Without him around anymore, the home feels rather empty and lonely. Being in Iraq has given focus and meaning to her life.

Deployment Provides Direction, Focus
By Sgt. Alexandra Hemmerly-Brown
13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary).

LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, Iraq, May 14, 2007 — Two years ago, a wife sat by her husband’s side, comforting him. The woman had quit her job as a school teacher several years earlier to help her ailing spouse through two bouts of cancer. And then the woman, an Army Reserve soldier lost her spouse of 35 years. [Continue reading.]

I pray she finds the comfort that only God can give, and I know she is giving much comfort to others. If only we could all be like that...

Two ANP saved by quick response by Army Sgt.

This is an incredible story of quick reaction timing. Army Sgt. Ryan Taylor, who would never consider himself a hero, saved the lives of two Afghan National Police officers by throwing himself over them to protect them from the blast of a rocket that was given to them to ambush them. It was quick thinking that recognized the set up. He has received the Bronze Star with a "V" (for Valour) on Jan. 6, 2007. You can read about it here.

Cpt. Brian S. Freeman; Someone You Should Know

The original story (or where I found it) is at DefenseLink.mil; Heroes.

This is man of many virtues and a fire that burned inside. He was not satisfied with ordinary, nor could he sit by and watch when there was something he could do to help make things better. No matter the risk. As a matter of fact, the great risk the better the challenge. He was from Temecula, Calif. He was ambushed, kidnapped, and murdered January 20, 2007.

For an adrenaline junkie, few sports offer a greater rush than skeleton: on a tiny sled, the competitor whips headfirst down an ice course at a maximum speed of 80 miles per hour. It is by no means for the faint of heart, which is perhaps why Capt. Freeman was attracted to it. Freeman was part of the Army World Class Athlete Program and competed in bobsled and skeleton at some of the highest levels of both sports. In the spring of 2006, he was deployed to Iraq on an even tougher mission: to act as a liaison between the military and local Iraqis to help rebuild civic institutions in the Shiite holy city of Karbala. He quickly established strong relationships with the governor and citizens of the area. Not only did he help obtain more equipment and training for the Iraqi security forces and additional funding for renovation projects, but he developed personal bonds with those he worked with. When his interpreter died in the line of duty, Freeman helped secure death benefits for the family, and condolence payments that had been previously turned down. He also made arrangements for a Karbala police officer’s son to travel to the United States for heart surgery.

On Jan. 20, 2007, Freeman was meeting with Iraqi leaders at a provincial headquarters when insurgents attacked and killed five U.S. soldiers, including Freeman. U.S. Skeleton program manager Steve Peters told ABC News that “Brian will always be remembered for his willingness to ride with any driver so that the driver could gain more valuable experience driving the track, even if that meant crashing a few times.” Even at the moment of his death, Freeman was helping a very different set of drivers learn to drive a very different track. ABC News story.

He will be missed. May his family, loved ones, and friends be comforted in the knowing he is now at peace. Heck, I really do not have any words for something like this. I just know that I am very grateful that there are men like this that are willing to give everything they have to make sure our Country remains free. Thank you, Sir. You shall be missed. God speed.

1st Lt. Elliot L. Ackerman; Someone You Should Know

I found this article at DefenseLink, Heroes. The link to read the rest of the story is here.

1st Lt. Elliot L. Ackerman, 26, is congratulated by Lt. Col. Scott Alley, commander of 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, after Ackerman was awarded the Silver Star at a ceremony at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Behind Ackerman is his mother, Joanne. Ackerman, a native of Washington, D.C., received the medal for his heroism in Fallujah, Iraq, in November 2004.

Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Demetrio J. Espinosa
Photo ID: 200711215547
Submitting Unit: 24th MEU
Photo Date:01/12/2007

Insurgents had a relatively free run of Fallujah the six months preceding November 2004. With little or no Coalition presence in the city, they had turned the urban landscape into a warren-like maze of fortified positions, booby traps, and sniper positions. The terrain could not have been more demanding for the Marines called in to clear the city. First, however, they had to establish a foothold, a task that fell in part to then-2nd Lt. Ackerman and his platoon. On November 10th, he and his men entered the city in what became a six-day struggle to open operational lines.

Insurgents attacked from numerous directions as Ackerman’s Marines pushed into the city. Twice in the early moments of the shooting, Ackerman braved enemy fire to pull injured Marines to safety -- and then organized their evacuation. But in the midst of the battle, the vehicle sent to recover the injured could not find their position. Ackerman charged from his cover into the open, dodged what his citation calls a “gauntlet of deadly enemy fire,” and directed the vehicle to the Marines.

Later, as Ackerman and his team were clearing a building, he noticed that his Marines were exposed on a rooftop. After ordering them down, he took their place and began marking targets for tanks as insurgents fired at him from all directions. Despite suffering shrapnel wounds, Ackerman continued to direct the attack, and coordinated four medical evacuations. “There is only one alternative,” Lt. Ackerman said later. “It is to do it or not do it.” For his leadership and actions, Ackerman was awarded the Silver Star on Jan. 12, 2007. Marine Corps story.

What an amazing man! We truly do have heroic men and in our country and those who fighting to keep this our country. God bless them all.