KENNETH R. KASSNER
Patriot, Chapter 1919
Marine Corps, IRAQ
**Ken Kassner was wounded during the
assault to liberate the Iraqi city of Fallujah in November 2004. He
returned to full duty this past January in order to deploy again with his
battalion to Iraq. This is a July 2006 update to his original story.**
July 2, 2006
Fellow
Patriots:
In July my
Marines and I crossed the halfway mark on our current tour of duty in Iraq.
To be sure, this milestone was met with some fanfare, but for most of us, it
was simply another day on the calendar and another opportunity to make a
positive, long-lasting difference in our slice of this war. Confidently, I
can report to you that we are achieving some encouraging and measurable
results, but a war of this nature takes time and patience—two key
ingredients needed for our success in Iraq that, according to many media
outlets, seem to be in short supply back in the United States. When I hear
arguments for a quick and immediate resolution to this war, I can’t help but
think about our own nation’s experience during the American Revolution—most
apropos as we recently celebrated the 230th anniversary of our Declaration
of Independence. Despite a nation founded upon like-minded values without
sectarian violence or international terrorists aggressively working to
destabilize the country, the American people endured thirteen painstaking
years from the start of its own revolution to the ratification of the
Constitution of the United States. Many people seem to have forgotten that
it takes time to build governments and institutions while simultaneously
waging a war against, in Iraq’s case, an elusive and determined foe.
Indeed,
fighting an insurgency is tough business, as the enemy wears many different
faces—nationalist combatant, foreign fighter, criminal thug, religious
fanatic, and others. Out here in the western part of Iraq’s volatile Al
Anbar Province, where my men and I operate near the Syrian and Jordanian
borders, we continue to focus our efforts on disrupting enemy activity,
protecting major supply routes along the highways, and maintaining security
in the populated enclaves in our area. The insurgents, on the other hand,
are committed to importing and promoting terrorism; murdering, kidnapping,
and intimidating the local civil leadership; destroying any rudiments of
peace; and striving to prevent democracy from taking root anywhere in this
country.
Against
this backdrop of violence, my Marines and I also energetically work to
positively affect the governance and economics of the local area. Balancing
these efforts with our combat and security operations makes for a
comprehensive campaign plan that has yielded many encouraging results. To
improve the governance in our area, we routinely meet with the leadership of
the local towns and villages. We discuss with them ways to improve the
security in their respective population centers. We solicit their input on
methods to unite the people under their leadership and assist the coalition
in defeating the insurgents. Along the economic lines of operation, we
develop plans to boost the local economy by providing, for example, funding
for sanitation programs that not only employ people but also clean their
streets. Additionally, we engage the local merchants and encourage them to
work with coalition forces. Other humanitarian initiatives we pursue
include providing supplies for the schools and repairing pumping stations so
that the townspeople can have clean, drinkable water. Recently, we’ve also
conducted assessments of the hospitals and medical clinics in order to
improve the health services provided to the local townspeople. These major
undertakings are indicative of the types of operations that all coalition
forces are conducting. Some within the mainstream media focus their
attention on the casualties and perceived setbacks of the war. They seldom
report the successes, such as the accomplishments that I have outlined
here. I don’t know if this skewed reporting is intentional or simply due to
the fact that humanitarian efforts such as these aren’t as dramatic as
seeing pictures or video clips of burning hulks on the side of the road.
Perhaps in an insurgent-type war, it’s simply too difficult to quantify
progress and reduce it to a 30-second sound bite or enlarge it to an “above
the fold” front-page newspaper article.
In addition
to combating insurgents, we also spend great amounts of time training and
mentoring soldiers from the Iraqi Army and assisting in the development of a
police force. Clearly, these two organizations represent the future
security of this country. Without capable and credible Iraqi soldiers and
law enforcement personnel, I don’t think this country will survive our
inevitable departure. In order to set the conditions for successful
governance in Iraq, security must be established and then maintained. Both
the Iraqi Army and Police are essential elements in winning this war and,
like us, the enemy also recognizes this fact; hence, the insurgents
purposely target the local security elements, kidnap them or their loved
ones, or intimidate them with threats of violence. Despite this
terrorization, Iraqi men are still joining the army and police forces.
Under that kind of duress, it’s difficult to imagine anyone coming to
work—but they still do.
Along with
their partnered Iraqis, shouldering the responsibility of combating the
enemy in Iraq and undertaking humanitarian projects are your fellow
Americans in uniform. These young men and women—most of whom have not even
celebrated their 22nd birthday—brave countless numbers of dangers every day,
yet they remain focused and determined to win this war and set the
conditions for a peaceful, democratic Iraq. Worth noting is the fact that
the majority of the young officers and enlisted personnel fighting in Iraq
joined the military after our country was attacked on 11 September 2001. In
the footsteps of their forefathers—patriots like you—who fought in wars
past, today’s Marine, sailor, soldier, and airman have selflessly pledged to
defend our great country. They recognized the dangers of joining the
military after 9/11, and they wanted to deploy into harm’s way. Indeed,
today, the liberties and freedoms that all of us enjoy are being defended by
America’s next “greatest generation”, and I’m proud to stand with them.
The war in
Iraq recently entered its third year, but many people remain vaguely aware
of our purpose here or the innumerable acts of heroism performed everyday by
men and women in uniform or the hardships endured by the families of those
forward deployed. That isn’t the case for members of the Military Order of
the Purple Heart and patriots of Chapter 1919. You more than anyone
understand the sacrifices that our servicemen and women face today in Iraq,
Afghanistan, and other dangerous regions of the world, where Americans
battle global terrorism and continue to defend the freedoms for which each
of you have also fought. Indeed, our commitment to help the Iraqis secure
peace and establish democracy is a noble and honorable endeavor. Our
progress is steady as we continue to achieve lop-sided victories against a
determined enemy and help improve the governance, economics, and life
support in the small towns and villages in which we operate. On behalf of
all my men, I thank you again for the unprecedented support that you
continue to give us.
Semper
fidelis,
Ken Kassner
Major, USMC
*Semper fidelis: The Marine Corps’ motto; Latin for
always faithful*
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