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Commentary: The American Soldier -- one year into OIF

Army News Service

Release Date: 3/25/2004

By Sgt. 1st Class Donald Sparks

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 25, 2004) -- When I was asked to write an editorial reflecting on the one-year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom, initially I thought it would be too easy to transfer my thoughts to my fingers -- yet this piece was a struggle.

I couldn't keep track of how often I pressed my backspace key or how often I deleted entire sentences and paragraphs because I knew whatever I wanted to say - it just had to be right. And then I recalled a quote from former Sergeant Major of the Army George W. Dunaway in a 1990 interview with the Center of Military History on the American Soldier.

I studied line by line his words and it is appropriate as we look back on a year in which our Army and the resolve of the American Soldier have been tested and friendships on the battlefield have been forged.

"The American Soldier.is unbeatable in war." The entire world witnessed first hand how lethal a well-trained, well-equipped Soldier can take out his enemy on the battlefield. Breaking tradition and putting aside its differences with the media, the Department of Defense allowed embedded journalists and reporters to eat, sleep and get dirty with Soldiers.

Although there was some early debate and griping from the American public about how much news coverage was too much, there is no question the role of the media played for delivering into our homes the successes and determination of the American Soldier on the battlefield.

"We cannot give the American Soldier too much credit.He deserves everything we can do for him and he deserves all the respect we can show him." When Time magazine announced the American Soldier as its Person of the Year, there had to be an overwhelming sense of pride for each and every Soldier wearing the uniform.

I hurriedly went and bought a copy. The anticipation of reading profiles of courage, stories of strife and passages of survival was worth the wait. And to quote one of the Soldiers on the cover, Sgt. Ronald Buxton, "It's not just us," Buxton said of the Person of the Year award. "It's all of us, all the Soldiers."

It seems in time of peace the American Soldier is forgotten. Yet in times of war, the American Soldier becomes an integral part of the American conscience. Instantly the freedoms our nation takes for granted each day is remembered when each flag-draped coffin returns home. The American Soldier deserves respect for going into a foreign land and eradicating a regime of terror, pulverizing its foe and surviving moments in hell.

"They perform their duties magnificently and bravely." Whether it was on CNN, FOX News or MSNBC, the images of the American Soldier throughout the Operation Iraqi Freedom campaign displayed the significance of the Noncommissioned Officer Education System.

In many instances it was the young sergeant preparing and leading troops into harm's way. As the first line of the NCO Creed states, No one is more professional than I." Indeed the American Soldiers were professionals in carrying out their missions in Iraq.

"They don't make policies, and they don't declare war." By no means is this line to be interpreted that the American Soldier is a pawn on a chessboard. We simply do what we're told to do and we follow orders. The American Soldier on the battlefield doesn't care about duty, honor, and country. The American Soldier cares about his teammate to his front, to his left, to his right and to his rear.

The American Soldier doesn't have the time to play politics on the battlefield. During the past year the American Soldier has served his country and his fellow Soldier. And when the order was given to fight, indeed the American Soldier did.

"But they fight, they bleed and they die." This past year more than 500 American service members have died in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was someone's son, daughter, husband, wife, brother and sister. Those Americans gave the ultimate sacrifice serving our nation and also securing the freedom of the Iraqi people.

I was told once a warrior's life is a lonely time with little joy, little thanks and visions not too kind. I'd like to think those brave warriors who died during this past year had their share of moments of joy, they've been thanked more than once for serving their country and they've envisioned many days of kindness.

We must all remember, one year later, name-by-name of those Americans for they fought, they bled and they died.

"And they do it unhesitatingly." I've told many Soldiers, "The Army isn't for everybody and everybody isn't for the Army." For those who serve our nation and are sent into harm's way, we all know there are no guarantees on the battlefield -- except for death. When the American Soldier goes into the valley of the shadows of death, he goes unhesitatingly.

The American Soldier during the past year in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom has done the nation proud. Mama might not understand why her son or daughter volunteers for deployment. The American Soldier can tell mama there are values like loyalty, duty, selfless service, honor, integrity and courage we all use and hold close to us. Those values, and more, we share -- unhesitatingly.

(Editor's note: Sgt. 1st Class Donald Sparks is the NCOIC for the Army Intelligence Center and Fort Hauchuca Public Affairs Office.)