This Week at War: ‘So That Others May Live’

The Stream's weekly look at the sacrifices of U.S. troops and military families in Afghanistan and around the globe.

By Tom Sileo Published on March 16, 2018

Afghanistan

“The night is dark. The air is heavy, filled with the smoke and dust of Afghanistan.”

So begins this riveting story by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Gregory Brook, who also took the stunning photo displayed above. His March 9 piece profiles a deployed joint Air Force-Army rescue squadron known as the “Guardian Angels.”

“I’ve been flying CH-47 (Chinook helicopter) models for 22 years,” Chief Warrant Officer 3 Shawn Miller, a pilot with the South Carolina Army National Guard, told Tech Sgt. Brook. “This is an unprecedented tasking.”

Without prior warning, the Guardian Angels must be ready to mobilize and save troops on the ground, whether they are pinned down by enemy gunfire or injured in an aircraft or vehicle crash.

“Critical to the warfighter is knowing that a highly trained and capable PR (personnel recovery) force is standing ready at a moment’s notice, willingly placing themselves in harm’s way … so that others may live,” said Maj. Robert Wilson, the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron’s commander.

We are grateful to the Guardian Angels for their sacrifices and pray for their safe return from Afghanistan.

Please Support The Stream: Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary James Mattis, who once led Americans into battle in Afghanistan, was back in the country this week to meet U.S. troops and attend high-level meetings. An Associated Press article about his second visit to the country since taking over at the Pentagon contains this key paragraph:

“As part of an effort to bolster Afghan fighting strength, the U.S. in recent weeks sent an Army group of about 800 soldiers, accompanied by several hundred support troops, to advise the Afghans closer to the front lines. The U.S. also shifted A-10 attack planes and other aircraft from striking Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq to Afghanistan as part of Trump’s new approach. These and other moves boosted the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan by at least 3,500 to a total of more than 14,000.”

We are grateful to each of these more than 14,000 valiant men and women in uniform, as well as their families, for sacrificing so much in this 17th year of America’s longest war.

Iraq and Syria

U.S. forces are still fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria. This image shows the commanding general of the Operation Inherent Resolve combined joint task force visiting with American logistics soldiers stationed at Camp Taji in Iraq. These warriors and their loved ones are also in our constant prayers as they serve in such a dangerous, faraway place.

Update: After This Week at War was published, U.S. military officials confirmed that seven American service members were killed in a tragic Thursday evening helicopter crash near the Iraqi-Syrian border. A Stars and Stripes article by Chad Garland contains a statement from the Operation Inherent Resolve combined joint task force’s director of operations:

“This tragedy reminds us of the risks our men and women face every day in service of our nations,” Brig. Gen. Jonathan P. Braga said. “We are thinking of the loved ones of these service members today.”

As are we.

Coming Home

Thankfully, there are also Americans coming home from hotspots around the world.

Soldier Comes Home

A U.S. Army soldier reunites with his family on March 12, 2018, upon returning to New York’s Fort Drum from a six-month deployment to Africa.

On Monday, almost 100 soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division came back to Fort Drum after spending the last six months deployed to Africa. You can see the joy on the above soldier’s face as he looks into the eyes of his infant son for the first time in half a year.

As Maj. Robert Wilson said above, we owe America’s heroes a huge debt of gratitude for “willingly placing themselves in harm’s way … so that others may live.” Every single day, our nation is blessed to have these volunteer warriors serving as our guardian angels.

 

Tom Sileo is a contributing senior editor of The Stream. He is co-author of three books about military heroes: 8 Seconds of CourageBrothers Forever and Fire in My Eyes. Follow Tom on Twitter @TSileo.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Like the article? Share it with your friends! And use our social media pages to join or start the conversation! Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, MeWe and Gab.

Inspiration
The Scarcity Mindset
Robert Morris
More from The Stream
Connect with Us