I was doing very well in my pre-law studies at Mount Union, but there came a point when I realized that I wasn't sure "who I was" and "what I stood for." I began to believe that I was put here for something more meaningful than getting a corner office some day at a powerful law firm, and frankly I knew that I couldn't do that until I got out and experienced the best and worst the world had to offer me.
In Iraq, I was an Infantry Squad Leader and was tasked with training and employing 12 men in Fallujah, Iraq
My experiences in Iraq have greatly changed my perspective on the importance of friends, family, and the value of a strong community. When I was injured, it was not only difficult for me, but for my entire family and community. Witnessing my entire community rallying to support my family through such a tragic event have enlightened me to my duty to support and advocate for veterans across the nation.
I haven't been there since 2004, when it was REALLY bad, however, what young Americans should know is that it is HELL. While pundits debate on TV about what should be done over there, these brave troops are fighting. Did anyone stop to ask the veterans themselves if we should pull out, other than high-level generals and politicians. What do the sergeants and privates think? Do they believe that we are making progress? I am not sure about these answers, but I do know that our fighting men and women do what they do without any promises of awards, recognition, or even the chance to come home. I would also like them to understand just how BIG these IEDs are! We hear about IEDs everyday on the news, but young Americans really have no idea what it means to have 5 155mm artillery rounds detonate next to your often under-armored vehicles. It is very scary, and it requires a very unique mindset to travel the mean streets of Iraq, a mindset that often involves th e acceptance of the idea that your time is coming.
Overall, I believe young people should recognize that their lives are a cakewalk compared to the men and women who are risking their lives everyday in Iraq, and especially those who have sacrificed their lives, limbs, and minds. It can be summed up in one word - "RECOGNIZE". As bright as they often are, these young Americans need to understand that there is a lot about wars and politics that they simply cannot understand. From day one, it has been the brave men and women who fight that have made their luxuries possible, whether our current war in Iraq is just or not.
As far as the next US President is concerned, a war on terror is an incredibly idealistic endeavor, for the fact is that the war in Iraq has provided Islamic militant organizations, like al Qaeda, a very powerful recruitment tool. On the other hand, the United States has already made the decision to violate the territorial integrity of another sovereign state and disbanded its military - thus security - therefore we are faced with the dilemma of destroying another state's infrastructure and the alternative of leaving things worse than they were before. It is because of this that we have found ourselves in this paradox: it was in violation of the natural rights of the Iraqi people that we entered, but it will also be in violation of their natural rights to leave them with no security. Honestly, I do not know what the best - or right - move.