The tension between the duties of the free, autonomous citizen and those of loyal soldier has always been one of the inbuilt flaws of a democracy in wartime, and of an army composed of citizens.
Last month, seven infantrymen and noncoms from the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division—"short-timers," due to come home soon—had the courage to speak their minds about the situation on the ground in Iraq. The brief essay written by the seven soldiers is available for free on Salon.
Yesterday, two of those seven soldiers lost their lives. Sergeant Omar Mora, 28, of Texas City, Texas, the son of Olga and Robert Capetillo and the brother of Erica Capetillo, is survived by his wife and 5-year-old daughter. Staff Sergeant Yance T. Gray, 26, of Ismay, Montana, the son of Richard and Karen Gray, leaves behind his wife and infant daughter.
Today is a good day to read what they had to say.
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Mike (Thanks to Paul Rieckhoff, Director of Iraq & Afganistan Veterans of America; Brent Miller, and Hoainam.)
