Life as a Combat Veteran: What I’m reminded of on Veteran’s Day 

Posted on by purpleheartvet

   
I love seeing my news feed on Veteran’s Day. The old pictures, the memories and the conversation between former combat brothers makes me smile…and sometimes bust out laughing. It is through those pictures and other moments on this day that I am reminded of a few things. 

1. I’m not Special. 

It seems that due to the amount of phone calls, texts and messages that I receive that I would feel the opposite, but I don’t. Each Veteran’s Day I am reminded that, like me, millions of other men and women have answered the call to serve our country. Like me, many have been wounded. Just like me, they have left family and friends to serve wherever their branch needed them to go. It is certainly a special brotherhood to be a part of, but I am just one of many who have sacrificed on behalf of our country. 

2. America is Grateful. 

While there will always be extremists on both ends of the spectrum when it comes to any issue, I truly believe that most Americans appreciate what the members of the military have done and continue to do. The posts of gratitude are heartfelt, sincere and come from just about every person that we know. You may say that it is only a status update and doesn’t require much effort, but I appreciate each and every person that takes a moment to remember. 

3. Freedom is Worth the Cost. 

This is a hard point to write and to think about, but it is true. The cost of freedom is not cheap but it is necessary. If the alternative means sacrificing our freedoms of religion, speech and so many more, then I think we all would agree that we must continue to defend the way of life we all hold dear. As I write this I realize that the future battles of the United States will not be fought by myself or my military brothers. It will be up to future generations to carry on the tradition of service, sacrifice and duty. This could include our own children. While this thought makes me cringe inside as a parent,I know that the freedoms we hold dear will not go without future attacks. 

So this Veteran’s Day take the time to thank those who served our county. As a group, they are special and are worthy of our gratitude. Also take a moment to discuss with your children what this day means and why it is so important. For it is their generation that the responsibility of our freedom will be handed to one day. 

Praying that God continues to bless America! 

                     –Andrew Smith


Andrew Smith is an Executive Coach and Leadership speaker with the John Maxwell Team, as well as the Director of Rooftop India, an organization that seeks to train leaders internationally, as well as care for orphans through the ministry of the Azlynn Noelle Children’s Home.

https://give.rooftopmissions.com/rooftopmissions

Smith served as an Infantry soldier with the Army’s 10th Mountain Division from 2002-2005. Wounded in Fallujah, Iraq in 2003 by shrapnel from an IED, he is the recipient of the Purple Heart.
Because of his military experience, he now assists as a mentor with Honor & Courage (Operation Ward 57), a non-profit organization that financially assists Wounded Warriors and their families.
http://www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/asmith
http://www.facebook.com/thepurpleheartvet 

Life as a Combat Veteran: When We Fail To Respond 

Posted on by purpleheartvet

  

If you read any of my blog posts, make it this one. Veteran’s Day is approaching and I want to share something that has been on my heart for a long time. 

Many times throughout the year I will have  someone post a comment or send me a message thanking me for my service in the Armed Forces. When I see these comments I am humbled, grateful and most of the time unsure of how to respond. It is many times awkward. Here is why: 

1. When I share a picture of my time in the service, I am not looking for a response. 

OK, OK,  I do enjoy getting a few likes, but that is not why most of us veterans share pictures. Sometimes we come across an old photo that never made it to social media. Sometimes something happens where we feel the need to post something encouraging for the brothers we served with. Every once in awhile we just need to go on an old fashioned rant to clear up where we stand on an issue. Other times we simply want to remember an anniversary that is meaningful to us. 

2. Your simple “Thank You” means more than you will ever know. 

It’s not that you said “Thank You” to me, it is just the fact that you took the time to say it. Every time someone thanks me for my service, deep down I am praying that other veterans are thanked just as often as I am. I feel proud to know so many people that appreciate the sacrifices that have been made on their behalf. 

3. Your words about my service bring up memories and emotion. 

When someone says, “I’m sure you saw some terrible things over there”, usually I immediately start to think about some of those moments. Ask any combat veteran, and they will tell you, once the memories start rolling it usually takes awhile to process all the emotion it brings to the surface. After reading some messages of thanks, it may be hours before I move on to something else. Which brings me to my last point. 

4. Sometimes I don’t know how to respond. 

I can’t just say “You’re Welcome”. I want to say, “No, Thank You” but that just seems weird. I want to pour my heart out to each and every person and tell them about how much I loved serving in the military and how I miss it more than they could possibly understand. I really want to defer the attention off of myself and ask that people look up the names of Tyler Southern, Omar Avila and Jason Redman so that they can meet some true heroes. I think about guys like Ross McGinnis and Patrick Lybert who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and I pray deep down that people don’t forget to be thankful for what they gave so that we could be free. 

With a post like this, I am sure there will be some of you who want to thank me or the veteran who shares this link but here is what I challenge you to do instead. This Veteran’s Day, stop by a VA hospital near where you live or maybe even a local nursing home, and find a veteran who could really use your thanks. Find a WW2, Korean or Vietnam vet who doesn’t have social media and take the time to be perhaps the only person who will show appreciation for what they did in service to our country. If you want to thank me, thank them, because that would be the greatest way to show your appreciation this Veteran’s Day and everyday. 

-Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith is an Executive Coach and Leadership speaker with the John Maxwell Team, as well as the Director of Rooftop India, an organization that seeks to train leaders internationally, as well as care for orphans through the ministry of the Azlynn Noelle Children’s Home.
https://give.rooftopmissions.com/rooftopmissions
Smith served as an Infantry soldier with the Army’s 10th Mountain Division from 2002-2005. Wounded in Fallujah, Iraq in 2003 by shrapnel from an IED, he is the recipient of the Purple Heart.
Because of his military experience, he now assists as a mentor with Honor & Courage (Operation Ward 57), a non-profit organization that financially assists Wounded Warriors and their families.
http://www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/asmith

Life as a Combat Veteran: What I Miss the Most 

Posted on by purpleheartvet

  
War brings traumatic experiences that stay with soldiers & marines forever. War has been the cause of personal wounds, loss of friends and destruction of relationships. Yet a week doesn’t go by without me seeing someone post about how they miss being “over there”. How can that be? What in the world could they be missing? Here are the 3 things that I miss the most: 

1. My Innocence 

We were so young when our journey to the battlefield began. Most of the guys I served with being fresh out of high school or in their early 20’s. Our training was the best in the world and tactically we were prepared for everything we would face on the streets of Fallujah. We were excited about the chance to take the fight to the enemy and couldn’t wait to get on the ground. At this point in our lives most of us were unaware that we were not invincible. The political back and forth that determined our ROE (rules of engagement) and mission approval was not part of our thought process. We were the good guys going after the bad guys and it was as simple as that. The older I get, the more I wish I could go back to the innocence we all carried as we boarded the plane for the Middle East. 

2. My Brothers 

If you are a veteran and you are reading this then the names have already started going through your mind. For me it is Doc, Snider, Stadelman, Kozak, Nevins, Stygar and the list could go on for awhile. These names and so many others are ones that I will never forget. I will also remember forever the stories that go along with these guys. The care package of gum where Stadelman fit about 300 pieces in his mouth at once, Kozak saving our lives by staying on the .50 cal when any sane person would have taken cover or Snider being the best friend a guy could ask for. 
For over a year we found ourselves eating, living, sleeping and fighting together every second of everyday. We came to know each other’s families as good as our own. We heard about the favorite fishing holes back home, each other’s reasons for joining the military and so much more. We got to see a side of each other that only comes out when you find yourself beside a brother day after day, fighting a war that seems will never end. 

On bad days we saw a helicopter land and take a brother away as medics worked to save his life. We would secretly pray that he would be okay and that we would see him again soon.  On the worst days, a body would be placed in a bag and that soldier’s friends would start praying for a family they had never met but yet knew so much about. While combat brought the most horrific moments most of us have ever seen, I don’t know of anyone who wouldn’t go back in a second to spend a few more minutes with the brothers that we miss every single day. 

3. My Purpose 

According to the official Army website, this was our job description: “The infantry is the main land combat force and backbone of the Army. They are responsible for defending our country against any threat by land, as well as capturing, destroying and repelling enemy ground forces.

In our minds it was summed up even more. Our job was simply “to close with, and destroy the enemy”. 

Our missions were usually very clear, a certain person, house or force was laid before us and our job was to kill or capture. During the operation of the mission, many obstacles would present themselves but our purpose remained obvious and we would give everything to see that our goal was met. 

After combat, personal purpose is a moving target that is impossible to hit for many guys. They find themselves searching for goals and wishing they simply had an enemy that they could go after once again. In their desperate search, too many guys decide that they can look no longer. 22 veterans a day make the choice to end their life and in doing so make it even harder for their fellow brothers to go on without them. 

I wish that each of us could forever live in a place where we all have a clear purpose for our days. It hurts so bad to see some of the strongest men you have ever known, suddenly find themselves without goals and direction. Over the next few months I hope to begin a program that will help each of us gain a clearer purpose to our lives. 

War is ugly, but it brought me some of the best friendships and memories that I will treasure forever. To all the guys I served with in A Co 1-32: I miss you everyday. I hope you are well. I look up to you more than you will ever know. 

*Pictured in the above photo is our medic, Doc Winkel. Everybody needs a good medic in their life. Thanks for taking great care of me, Doc!

-Andrew Smith




Andrew Smith is an Executive Coach and Leadership speaker with the John Maxwell Team, as well as the Director of Rooftop India, an organization that seeks to train leaders internationally, as well as care for orphans through the ministry of the Azlynn Noelle Children’s Home.

https://give.rooftopmissions.com/rooftopmissions

Smith served as an Infantry soldier with the Army’s 10th Mountain Division from 2002-2005. Wounded in Fallujah, Iraq in 2003 by shrapnel from an IED, he is the recipient of the Purple Heart.

Because of his military experience, he now assists as a mentor with Honor & Courage (Operation Ward 57), a non-profit organization that financially assists Wounded Warriors and their families.

http://www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/asmith

http://www.facebook.com/thepurpleheartvet 

Life as a Combat Veteran: Dates You Never Forget 

Posted on by purpleheartvet

  

November 2, 2003 is a date that I will never forget. I had just been released from a hospital in Fallujah a few days earlier and I was excited to be back with the guys. We were eating breakfast when we heard a loud explosion off in the distance. Knowing that we were QRF (Quick Reaction Force) that day, we immediately turned up our radios to get any information about what had happened. It didn’t take long to find out and also to know that we were about to find ourselves right in the middle of it. 
USA Today later described what had happened like this: 

“FALLUJAH, Iraq — A U.S. Army Chinook helicopter ferrying troops out of Iraq for leave was shot down near a stronghold of Saddam Hussein loyalists Sunday, killing 16 soldiers and injuring 20. It was the single deadliest attack against U.S. forces in Iraq and the latest calling card of an increasingly clever and deadly insurgency.”

As we threw on our gear and crammed the rest of our hot breakfast in our mouths we had no idea what was waiting for us. As we approached what was supposed to be a downed helicopter we only saw scattered debris. With an approaching enemy, we quickly began rescue operations while others scrambled into fighting positions. The KIA were placed together and we did our best to treat the wounded. As medical help arrived in the form of Air Force PJs, us infantry guys focused on doing what we could to assist them as they fought to save the lives of those most severely injured. 

I was tasked with helping identify the bodies of those killed. When I got to the first one, I was not ready for what I saw. Being Infantry, I was used to a unit of all men. Now laying before me, I found a young female soldier who didn’t seem to have a scratch on her. I will never forget how beautiful she was and how it seemed so surreal that she could be dead. As we moved down the line of bodies, I saw faces of what seemed to be young kids. Their uniforms bearing names that I will never forget. On many nights I have googled their names, read their stories and even seen their parents standing in their childhood bedrooms talking about how much they miss their son or daughter. 

But on November 2, 2003 I did not yet know their hometowns or the family members that they were going home to see. On that day as I walked around, I noticed teddy bears and other gifts that they had packed to share with those they loved once they got back to the states. 

On that day I sat with my brothers as we tried our best to remove the blood that covered our uniforms. I watched as our medics treated the hands of infantryman who had grabbed pieces of a burning helicopter in an effort to reach those trapped inside the wreckage. After the last of the bodies was airlifted away from the crash site, we continued to guard what remained. We were determined that the enemy would not touch one piece of the debris that littered the ground around us. That day, no enemy of the United States was going to dance on a propeller and they certainly weren’t going to touch one of the teddy bears or disposable cameras lying at our feet. Covered in blood, we stayed for days until the last piece of evidence was removed. 

That is why I will never forget 11/2/03. 

**Update** Because this article was shared so many times last year, I received messages from family members of those killed in this crash. The talks we were able to have meant so much to them and myself. I cannot thank you enough for making this possible. 

The fact is that every combat veteran has these dates in their minds. It could be the day they were wounded or lost a friend, a day of a feirce firefight or a horrible ambush. Sometimes they post a picture or talk to a friend but more often than not they usually just go about their day and quietly remember all they have seen sacrificed for the freedoms that so many seem to take for granted. 

If you are a veteran then I encourage you to share these dates with some close family and friends. Let them remember with you. And if you ever need to talk, know that there are plenty of us who are here to listen. 

http://www.operationward57.org

In Memory of: 

Army Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Bader, 28, of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Army Staff Sgt. Ernest G. Bucklew, 33, of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania.

Army Spc. Steven D. Conover, 21, of Wilmington, Ohio.

Army Pfc. Anthony D. Dagostino, 20, of Waterbury, Connecticut.

Army Spc. Darius T. Jennings, 22, of Cordova, South Carolina.

Army Pfc. Karina S. Lau, 20, of Livingston, California.

Army Sgt. Keelan L. Moss, 23, of Houston, Texas.

Army Spc. Brian H. Penisten, 28, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Army Sgt. Ross A. Pennanen, 36, of Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Army Sgt. Joel Perez, 25, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.

Army 1st Lt. Brian D. Slavenas, 30, of Genoa, Illinois.

Army CW4 Bruce A. Smith, 41, of West Liberty, Iowa.

Army Spc. Frances M. Vega, 20, of Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico.

Army Staff Sgt. Paul A. Velazquez, 29, of California.

Army Staff Sgt. Joe N. Wilson, 30, of Mississippi.


-Andrew Smith


Andrew Smith is an Executive Coach and Leadership speaker with the John Maxwell Team, as well as the Director of Rooftop India, an organization that seeks to train leaders internationally, as well as care for orphans through the ministry of the Azlynn Noelle Children’s Home.

Smith served as an Infantry soldier with the Army’s 10th Mountain Division from 2002-2005. Wounded in Fallujah, Iraq in 2003 by shrapnel from an IED, he is the recipient of the Purple Heart.

Because of his military experience, he now assists as a mentor with Honor & Courage (Operation Ward 57), a non-profit organization that financially assists Wounded Warriors and their families.

He has also owns and operates a small business -Yellow Dawg Striping – in Southwest Virginia.


http://www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/asmith


http://www.facebook.com/thepurpleheartvet