For Veteran's Day

My friend Chuck Blanchard, a brilliant lawyer and all around nice guy, is currently serving the Obama administration as the General Counsel to the Air Force. He passed this along and it certainly is worth sharing.

Captain Wendy Kosek, a young Air Force JAG officer now recovering from injuries suffered in an IED attack in Iraq. I had the chance to meet Captain Kosek a few weeks ago-she is still on crutches, and has multiple surgeries, but is on the road to recovery:


Remembering Why We Serve


http://www.ace-clipart.com/american-flag-photos-02.html



Veterans Day, a day which honors the patriotism and sacrifice of men and women in the service and who have served before us, is a day that now has a special significance in my life and the lives of several members of the JAG Corps. On 21 August, 2009, while riding in a convoy from Camp Victory to the International Zone (IZ), my vehicle was hit by an IED known as an explosively-formed projectile (EFP). Although only two JAGs were in that vehicle, several other JAGs and paralegals were in the same convoy. Inside the downed vehicle, Army and Air Force personnel, both officer and enlisted, found ourselves in a dangerous position and immediately came together as a unified, cohesive team. I owe my life to the actions of the team.



The first person to react and bring the group together was the gunner, an Army Specialist, who called out "IED, IED, IED" after we had been hit. Another member assessed the injured and called for immediate medical assistance. Personnel immediately evacuated the vehicle and began to cross-load the most seriously injured, an Army Major and me, to another vehicle. Once inside the vehicle, I watched a fellow JAG wrap the Major's leg with a bandage and put pressure on his heavily-bleeding wound. From behind me, I could hear the voices of the other members of our convoy trying to keep the Major conscious by asking him questions. Beside me, I placed my hand on the arm of an Army Sergeant First Class, who called me "Ma'am" and told me that I could squeeze as hard as I wanted because I could not hurt him. In front of me, another service member held my ankle between his legs to prevent my leg from hitting the floor and causing more damage.



Once at the triage unit, the Army Major and I were put on gurneys and separated from the group. However, I was not alone. An Army Colonel from my vehicle came to my side. I had seen her before in the IZ, but I had never met her. While the staff removed my right boot and cut off my pants, the Colonel took my hand and asked me about my life back home. I was not her soldier; I was not even in her service branch, but she stood beside me. Her support embodied our core value of service before self.


That morning, the lines of distinction between Army and Air Force did not exist. AFSCs and MOSs were replaced with knowledge learned in pre-deployment training, and a group of brave Americans came together as a cohesive team and did what was necessary to stay alive.



We are lawyers and paralegals who strive for excellence in our Corps, but first and foremost, we are Airmen. We are all warriors. This Veterans Day, I am honored to serve in a military where no Soldier or Airman is left behind, where we defend each other lives without hesitation, and where we lead the way in ensuring justice is established.





WENDY KOSEK, Captain, USAF
Assistant Staff Judge Advocate
Little Rock AFB AR