I’m not one to normally complain about the Army. I take it all in with a grain of salt realizing the Army is just a huge bureaucracy and move along. I love the Army. I love everything about it. I love the discipline; I love the order; I love the opportunities; I love the benefits.
But, I don’t love it when the Army gets completely stupid and loses its identity:
A solemn grove of Eastern redbuds planted on a Georgia Army base serves as a living monument to each of the installation’s troops who died in Iraq — but the parents of a local soldier who died two years ago say the memorial is missing one very important tree.
Pfc. Ryan D. Christensen died at a South Carolina hospital on Thanksgiving Day in 2005, a victim of a bacterial infection contracted while working as a communications specialist with the 3rd Infantry Division. But since it was an illness — rather than an improvised explosive device or suicide bomber — that claimed his life, the Army has declined to plant a tree in his honor along what is known as Warriors’ Walk at Fort Stewart.
What the hell?! When did we stop taking care of Soldiers? Who makes these kinds of bone headed decisions? In response to this outrage, I personally composed an email to the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, Major General Rick Lynch:
MG Lynch,
I’m writing about an important issue that I feel ALL Soldiers should be up in arms about (http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071125/NEWS/711250431/1070/NEWS02). I apologize for bothering you directly, but I feel that if anyone can help with this issue, it would be the CG. Please also forgive my bluntness; I pose the following question with utmost respect. Why is Fort Stewart and/or 3rd ID denying Pfc. Ryan D. Christensen his rightful place on the Memorial Walk on post?
The argument may be that he didn’t die in Iraq or that he didn’t die due to combat, but I beg to differ. There are Soldiers on that walk who died non-combat related deaths (accidents, etc) and I think this is doing a disservice to this Soldier’s family. I fought with the 3rd ID during OIF I as a part of 2nd Brigade Combat Team. I was with 4/64 Armor for the “Thunder Runs” into Baghdad and 3/15 Infantry in Fallujah. I fought my way to Baghdad with 3/7 Cavalry and was injured outside As Samawah during an artillery strike.
The fact is that this illness was contracted strictly because PFC Christensen was in Iraq fighting for his country. He would not have become sick and otherwise died had he not been there. I think this is a very important issue and one that Fort Stewart needs to relook. We are not taking care of Soldiers here. I realize that the post is hurting for space and that may be a contributing factor to this decision, but it’s the wrong conclusion to come through. It’s not that hard to extend the memorial. I’ve been there. I have friends there. I humbly ask that Fort Stewart reverse their decision not to honor this Soldier with a tree.
V/R 1SG CJ Grisham
http://www.soldiersperspective.us
http://www.theyhavenames.com
While I’m not going to give out the General’s personal email, I would like to direct you to the Public Affairs website and ask you to write a message them expressing your outrage at this. PFC Christensen deserves to be a part of the Warrior’s Walk. He wouldn’t have gotten ill had he not been in Iraq. He served his country with honor and gave his life for it.
PFC Christensen was in my unit (I was his First Sergeant) and does not deserve to have his name next to those Soldiers who died in combat.
PFC Christensen went AWOL before we left FT. Stewart, and was constantly crying to get out of going to Iraq.
Once we got to Iraq he tried to run off our camp out into the Kuwaiti desert. He had to be tackled to be prevented from going over the berm and disappearing into the desert.
Once in Baghdad he was given the easiest and safest job that we could find. He was to run the website for the radio station we operated. This was to be a secret and yet he told his uncle about it through emails. He could not live up to his duty and obligation to protect something that was known to only a few; that the Americans sponsored an Iraqi language radio station. He did not have to leave camp in order to do his job like all the other Soldiers in his section did. Once Soldier’s started rotating back to the states for their R & R he was going to have to go off camp. He freaked out when he found out and started going to sick call so that he could get quarters by saying that he had diarrhea.
He would do anything that he could do in order to not have to do what most Soldiers did every day; leave camp on patrol.
PFC Christensen was a coward in the worst way and does not deserve to have a memorial in an area where guys like SSG Brooks and SPC Carrillo (others Soldiers of mine who were killed doing their jobs) are recognized.
It is the wrong decision to make a family happy; who obviously does not know the truth about their son, and degrade what the memorial at Fort Stewart stands for.
Sorry to get off topic, but is this James Baugh who served with Spc. Benyahmin Ben Yahudah? If so, I need to talk to you. Please email me at mariam.simpson@gmail.com as soon as possible. Thank you.