Combat
‘Dogs of war’: Heroes in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, the US Marines has been employing a different kind of soldier. This soldier is a little shorter and a lot hairier than your average Marine. Labradors, a popular hunting dog, have been a vital addition to foot teams patrolling in the dangerous south Afghanistan terrain. When they are just puppies, the dogs... »
Surrounded By Taliban, But He Took Them On
This is the face of a truly brave man. I’m sure many, when faced with the challenges he faced, would not have been able to act with the level of bravery and skill that Staff Sgt. Lincoln Dockery did. It all started on an ordinary day in eastern Afghanistan. Dockery’s platoon had been ordered to... »
Soldier Killed In Helmand Explosion
Our thoughts are with this young man’s family. The latest British soldier to die in Afghanistan has been named as Corporal Simon Hornby, 29, from the 2nd Battalion, the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. Cpl Hornby was killed in an explosion while on foot patrol in the Nad-e-Ali area of Helmand... »
Mother Not Allowed To See Her Injured Son
This would have to be a mom’s worst nightmare. Her son is overseas fighting in Iraq, and she gets word that his troop was involved in a serious bombing attack. I would image she would wait nervously for the news about her son’s fate. Tammy Gollinger knows how this feels. She received word from the... »
The Missing Man Formation
The “Missing Man” formation is a touching memorial to those lost in the airforce. It is a rare thing for those not in the military to witness. It is performed by the pilots flying in formation, just as if the lost man were still there. It is believed that the tradition started in Britain at... »
54 Lives Saved By Marines’ Last Stand
Is this isn’t the ultimate in bravery, then I don’t know what is. I’m humbled by these two brave men. I hope that their families can take solace in their loss in knowing that their sons/brothers gave their all to protect others. RAMADI, IRAQ (April 29, 2008) – It was a typical quiet morning on... »
Women In Combat
As time goes on, more and more women are signing up to serve in the military. In previous years, the roles these women played were, more often than not, set far from the front lines. Now as they gain more traction in the military factions, women are beginning to appear on the front lines... »
Explosives Expert Killed While Defusing a Bomb
Staff Sergeant Olaf Sean George Schmid died at age 30 when he was attempting to defuse an IED (improvised explosive device) in Afghanistan this past Saturday. He had been deployed to Afghanistan only five months ago. In that time he had made safe 64 IEDs and found 11 bomb-making centres. His family and fellow soldiers... »
Soldier’s Sacrifice
I found this lovely essay written by a soldier’s mother. She has been lucky and hasn’t had the misfortune of losing her son in the field that so many military moms are facing. She reflects on this, and makes comparisons of her son to another young soldier who recently lost his life in Afghanistan. Click... »