Having been a part of the military for over 17
years now, I have spent my 19th, 20th, and 21st
birthdays on active duty at Ft. Benning , GA.
Additionally, I also spent my 30th on active duty in
Bosnia Herzegovina, and now for my 36th birthday, it was
here in Iraq . While birthdays all hold their own
special meaning for each of us, my birthdays have become
more unique in my perspective as each one passes. My
36th is one that I will never forget regardless of time
or how many more will follow because of the events that
took place that given Saturday.
What started out as being as routine as you can get
here in a war zone, would quickly change in just a few
brief moments. Our mission was not complicated. On
this Saturday, like many others, we put together a
convoy and readied ourselves to attend one of the many
District Advisory Council meetings (DAC’s) that we are
responsible for, teaching and implementing governance
standards and project advising in our area of operations
(AOR). My Captain was the convoy commander and our
vehicle would take the lead. After going through our
battle drills, rehearsals, and the convoy brief, we
saddled up and moved to the front gates of our Forward
Operating Base (FOB). At the gate, we were informed of
a very recent and near explosion in the area, but at the
present time there was no further information
available. We quickly discussed this and disseminated
the information to the entire convoy. The gates were
cast open and we entered our portion of the world.
Taking the planned appropriate turns into and around
traffic, we began our travel down the predetermined
routes. Being the gunner like I usually am for my team,
but especially in the lead Humvee, always presents
multiple challenges as I have previously described
because of the traffic here in Baghdad . About five
minutes and a couple of miles toward our destination,
our convoy felt and heard a loud boom from our six
o’clock position. In military speak the direction you
are headed is always your twelve o’clock position.
Imagine the face of a clock, this allows everyone to be
understood when a distance and direction are called out,
with no specific attention or reference made to actual
compass heading. Speaking over our internal
communication system, my Captain and I discussed what we
knew and our options. About this same time a lot of
radio chatter started coming from our FOB to another
ground element that had been hit and was being engaged
by Anti Iraq Forces (AIF). As grid coordinates for the
elements in contact were being given and plotted on our
navigation system, my Captain called over the convoy net
that he was canceling our mission and was seeking
guidance from our higher as to the current developing
situation. I made the suggestion we turn the convoy
around and cordon off an adjacent street for security
until he decided on what course of action he would
take. My Captain agreed and he told me to make it
happen. I went on the convoy net and instructed the
other Humvees to follow ours through some tight turns
and when we stopped, to then take up the appropriate
sectors of fire for security. I then directed our
driver onto a side street and made a couple of rights
and then we cordoned off a city block and spread
ourselves so each Humvee and weapon systems had good
standoff distance from each other in the event of us
being directly engaged. During this short halt, my
Captain determined that the contact was only about 1.5
kilometers away from our present position. He then
radioed higher and informed them of our location, the
personnel, and weapons systems we had in our convoy.
Then the order came down that we would respond as the
immediate Quick Reaction Force (QRF). After a very
quick route plot and order to the convoy of what we were
doing, we rolled out and back up the route we had
previously come down. Total elapsed time since leaving
our FOB had been about 12 minutes at this point. Now
honestly, QRF is not exactly what Civil Affairs does on
a daily basis, but circumstances and necessity remind us
all now and then that everyone regardless of specialty
in the Army is a basic soldier first. We had troops in
contact, they were close to our position, and we were
the quickest help available, so we go.
As we neared our first and only turn to make the
street that would lead us to the elements in contact,
our Blue Force Tracker (BFT - basically a high tech army
navigation system that plots real-time positions and
actions on a digital screen with a map overlay) went
down. It just crashed, the screen went black as I could
tell by the words my Captain was now yelling. Instead
of making the turn, we proceeded farther north to a
parallel course to our previous planned route. Why?
Because without the BFT we wouldn’t know exactly where
our troops were and we might roll up on them too quickly
before we could assess what was taking place. As we
neared the approximate location, I noticed not one but
two Apache helicopter gunships circling overhead to our
front right and front left. With the intersection
approaching quickly, my Captain was able to make
communication with one of the elements that had been hit
and he ordered our driver to go right at the
intersection. The element we would now support was only
a few hundred meters to our twelve o’clock position.
Tensions were high as we rolled up to a Humvee and
other vehicles centered and not operable on the road
intersection in front of us. There were several
soldiers positioning themselves at the different
vehicles and pointing outward with their weapons. There
were two soldiers I noticed immediately as our Humvee
came to a halt adjacent to their position. One was a
soldier lying on the road not moving next to the Humvee
that was missing a door; the other was a tall young
Captain that was shouting directions as he ran to our
vehicle. “I have one KIA and three WIA, my twelve
o’clock is unsecured, we were the lead element when we
got hit and I’m waiting on medivac dust off now. Can
you secure my twelve o’clock?” the young Captain
explained quickly. I repeated what I’d been told over
our internal radio and my Captain replied, “Yes, find us
a route and get us there.” I asked the Captain if we
could loop around the intersection and take up a
position about a few hundred meters toward his twelve
o’clock. He quickly said yes and reminded me to watch
out for secondary devices and AIF snipers. I nodded and
told our driver to break right and begin to get to the
other side. While my Captain was informing the rest of
our convoy, I turned my head to observe the scene as we
began to pull away. The moment lasted long enough for
the Captain’s eyes and mine to meet one more time as the
severity of what was happening began to sink in. In
that moment, I could see my little brother who is a
Captain that has also served here in Iraq and has lost
soldiers. Doing what we are trained to do at that
appropriate moment when all around you is in chaos is
important to surviving. This young skinny Captain, from
who knows where, was doing just that. Leading and
protecting his crew to the best of his ability. We
snaked our way through a side street and around debris
and barricades with our convoy to reach the position we
had decided to take to provide additional security.
Placing our convoy in position, we orientated each
weapon system to provide maximum security and establish
a cordon that no one would breach. We scanned
thoroughly as we positioned ourselves for secondary
devices and fortunately none were found. A few minutes
later a vehicle began approaching our position against
the flow of traffic heading straight for us. As we
readied our weapons to fire, the vehicle stopped and
turned around to leave the area. Soon the three WIA
were evacuated and additional QRF arrived to secure and
then help pull all forces out of the area when
appropriate. The next few hours found us standing guard
against further action that thankfully never happened.
Late in the afternoon, we convoyed back to our FOB to be
debriefed and review what had happened. Upon arrival to
our FOB, when our team was unloading our equipment, we
learned that the three WIA would be okay and were on
their way to Germany for further treatment and
recovery.
Everything from the day started to replay itself
when I entered my room. I had never seen a dead soldier
before this Saturday, and I hope I never see one again,
but reality has a unique way of reminding us that we are
all mortal and what we do matters. There is no
discrimination here when it comes to enemy actions
against us. At that given intersection during that
space of time, an American soldier who had volunteered
to be the team medic for the day on the mission, gave
his life for his fellow soldiers and his country. We
are all expected to be soldiers regardless of rank,
position, or military specialty. Age and maturity are
not necessarily reflective of one another either.
During this deployment and others there have been
soldiers who have lost their lives in combat here, and
because of the present challenges we are faced with,
unfortunately there will probably be other lives lost
too. I relate this day’s events to all of you because I
feel it’s important for everyone to understand how fast
things occur and the challenges that soldiers face. I
will not forget this birthday of mine as I grow older
and my memory fades. Nor will I forget the young
Captain standing his ground in the middle of that
intersection, commanding his soldiers and caring for the
wounded. The soldier who gave his life in service will
be missed but never forgotten as his unit recovers and
prepares to go back and continue the daily missions. I
hope that America doesn’t forget and continues to
support all of the troops far from home doing a hard job
until it’s completed and we can all come home. I’m
thankful more than ever that we live in America .
Until next time be safe and God Bless.
10/04/'06
Press Release from Baghdad
A Civil Affairs
Team Captain is
surrounded by
Iraqi children
upon completing
a recent Medical
Operation in an
Eastern Baghdad
neighborhood
where medicine
and school
supplies were
handed out
(photo taken by
Rep. Jason
Brown)
While the hot weather of summer in the
desert has finally begun to fade, if you can
call only reaching a 100 degrees cool, our
company has been part of a large operation
called Together Forward II. In conjunction with
assistance from the 101st Airborne Division,
specifically those who trace their company
lineage to that of the legendary and famed “Band
of Brothers” Company from WW II, we have been
conducting Civil Affairs operations in an area
east of the Tigris River in Baghdad . During
this operation, we have been assisting with not
only combat mitigation, consequence management,
and project management of electric, water, and
sewer improvements, but we have also been
responsible to set up and operate humanitarian
aid in the form of medical operations and the
distribution of water, food and clothing.
Before the operation, the area has had a
high incident of insurgent activity. What this
means for the local nationals is limited access
to the basic services that we all take for
granted in the United States . When you start
to think about services that could potentially
have the largest impact on the local population
and the stability of their government,
electricity, security and fuel are the needs
that most Iraqi’s focus their attention on.
This operation was designed and implemented to
do just that. Our Company’s CAT A-Teams (Civil
Affairs Alpha Team) have been the lead on
upgrading and implementing these priorities
after the 101st does their job of securing the
area. Working with local contractors and hiring
many of the local nationals to do the work,
contracts for the restructuring of the water,
sewer and electrical systems is well underway.
Of course, the added gunshots and explosions
keep us keenly aware that not everyone wants us
to succeed here. As these projects go forward
and near completion, continued security becomes
a vital part of the plan. In addition to the
101st Airborne Division, we have also worked
with the Iraqi Army. The Iraqi Army is made up
of Iraqi’s who have stepped forward to volunteer
for service to not only defend their country,
but help strengthen the new government here.
What we are building and rebuilding here in
many areas is literally from the ground up.
Under the former regime, many areas of Baghdad
received little or no services as a way of
keeping the population under control. If
neighborhoods only have limited electricity,
access to information from the internet and
satellite TV would be extremely sparse and
censored by the old government run news. If a
neighborhood had continuous water and sewer
issues, then those items would be the tools used
to punish and reward civil actions by those same
citizens. As we move from area to area, it is
easy to see who supported and who opposed the
old government. In many of the neighborhoods,
we encounter support and welcoming groups of
young and old Iraqi’s who are happy to see us
and want progress to be made. During this
operation, our company has conducted several Med
Ops (Medical Operations) that have been designed
to disperse needed medical treatment to local
nationals in conjunction with the Iraqi Army and
the Ministry of Health. After security has been
established, our CAT A-Teams with attached
medics and the Iraqi Army run what can best be
described as a mobile hospital. The need seems
to be neverending. From the time we start until
the time we end, the lines continue to fill with
children, women and old men. After initial
screenings and triage has occurred, doctors from
both our Army and the Iraqi Army perform medical
evaluations and make hospital referrals for
treatment or dispense much needed medicine. We
also take the opportunity during these
operations to distribute the Humanitarian Aid
that we have available. This aid is often in
the form of clothes, shoes, food and school
supplies for the children.
The days are long and even during these
missions we wear full body armor and keep our
weapons readily available. Many of these areas
we operate in can be challenging to secure. As
many of these days have come and gone, there are
certain moments that a soldier remembers and
reflects on. One such memory for me is that of
a young child about the same age as my five year
old son. When his mother brought him in for
treatment, she explained through our
interpreters that he had been standing out on
the street waving at an American convoy that was
patrolling through the neighborhood when the
convoy was ambushed by insurgents. Somewhere in
the crossfire, the child had been hit by a
ricocheting bullet. Both his hip and leg were
shattered. The boy had received life saving
treatment, but now has a severe disability that
if left unchanged will hinder him severely for
the rest of his life. The needs of the boy went
well beyond what our Med Ops are designed to
accommodate. However, by us being there, one of
our officers has started a process through the
Iraqi Government, specifically the Ministry of
Health, which may allow the boy to receive the
corrective medical treatment he needs outside
the country. While the plight of the boy is yet
to be determined, he has reminded us all of the
boundless means by which the insurgency operates
to destroy this country.
As Alpha Company continues to be bound by
service and dedication to our mission here,
attacks on innocent civilians bind us closer
together to do what is right. These attempts
and others to deter us are not working. We will
continue to run these and other missions as
necessary. Yes there will be many days ahead,
and some will be hard, but just as they have
been in other wars by soldiers who have come
before us, we will “Charlie Mike” or continue
the mission. It’s a phrase we have all come to
know and say. I will forever be thankful for
being an American. Be safe and God
Bless.
November
18, 2006 From the desk
of State
Representative
Jason Brown
After
completing my
convalescent
leave and
physical
rehabilitation,
I have been
officially
cleared for duty
and will be
redeployed to
Baghdad , Iraq ,
leaving on
Friday, November
24. I will be
returning to
full duty and
back to my team
sergeant
position within
my company. I appreciate the support, well wishes, and prayers for
myself and my
family during
this time. The
overwhelming
bipartisan
support has been
a humbling
experience and I
will forever be
grateful.
Regardless of
political
ideology, I hope
that support for
all soldiers
fighting this
war will
continue to
remain strong,
especially
during the
holiday season
while the
soldiers are
separated from
their loved ones
and family. The Capitol office will continue to remain open as I complete
my tour of duty
in defense of
our nation. I
look forward to
returning to
Jefferson City
and continuing
to serve our
district as your
state
representative.
Until next time,
be safe and God
Bless.
November 22, 2006
Representative Jason
Brown announce that he will be re-deployed
to Iraq, leaving on Saturday, 11/24. He said
that he will be returning to full duty, work
with his team , and with his Army Reserve
Company. He till carries the bullet, fired by an
insurgent, in his lung. He thanked those voting
for his re-election, asked for prayers for his
family and soldiers serving in harms way. He assured district residents that his office will
remain open. He will return after completing his
tour of duty and continue serving as state
representative.
March 06,2007
NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE
While working
with the
Baghdad
Provincial
Reconstruction
Team, Staff
Sergeant/State
Representative
Brown met
and shook hands
with
Senator John
McCain
Baghdad , Iraq
-
As everyone on
the planet has
heard by now,
the surge is
on. The
Baghdad
Security push is
definitely
underway. As
new brigades
have been
arriving,
numerous
operations are
being conducted
to secure the
capital city.
While the
overall security
situation has
been slowly but
steadily
improving, the
daily work and
risk continues
to rise as
well. The
efforts of many
are helping to
secure
neighborhoods
that had
previously been
insurgent
strongholds.
The progress
here is not at
the pace that
most want, but
many here,
including the
Iraqis
themselves, are
thankful for the
renewed effort
to win and
secure the
peace. While
coalition forces
are continuing
to shoulder the
bulk of the
fight, our Iraqi
Army allies are
beginning to
step up and take
responsibility
too. The true
test will be in
the coming
months for all
of us. Will we
complete what we
have started?
Will the Iraqi
Army and
fledgling
elected
government of
Iraq do what is
right? Will
they meet the
expectations of
their citizens
or will they
give way to
hatred and the
views of radical
Islamic
fundamentalists?
Only history
written long
from now will
assess what is
happening here.
But with the
daily challenges
faced by
soldiers
following
orders, there is
the threat of a
new specter on
the horizon.
This new specter
could be a
powerful ally
for the
insurgents. As events
unfold in
theater, the
cost of a free
Iraq continues
to be paid in
sweat and blood
by the American
soldier. But
this new specter
of soldiers
losing support
at home carries
a risk of
lowering morale
that can be as
dangerous as
some streets
here in
Baghdad.
Because the
whole world is
wired for the
internet now,
news travels
almost
instantaneously
from the
battlefield to
home and back
again. For the
first time
during my
deployment, I
can honestly say
some soldiers
here are
concerned about
the actions of
the United
States
Congress. When
the House of
Representatives
recently voted
on their war
resolution, it
was perceived by
some as a lack
of support for
the soldiers on
the ground. And
now the Senate
is debating
about a vote on
taking back
their previous
vote, a redo if
you will, so
they too can
state their
opposition to
the war in Iraq
. Let’s have an
open and honest
conversation,
shall we? No
political stunts
or pandering
please. Has
everything gone
according to
plan here? No.
Have there been
mistakes? Yes.
But I hope that
all remember
that wars are
far less than
perfect or easy
to undertake.
The variables
and
circumstances
that are
encountered
continually
change;
therefore, so
must the plan
and the
soldier. The
U.S. soldier is
the best trained
volunteer
soldier in the
world and will
always continue
to perform what
soldiers are
supposed to do:
continue the
mission and
win. From what
can be seen in
the news now,
the question has
become, “Will
soldiers be
allowed to do
their job and
win?” What is
the course
America will
take now? I
have never
claimed to have
all the answers
about what is
going on here,
nor do I know
anything about
pre-war
intelligence or
how decisions
are made at the
Pentagon, but I
know this:
during my time
in
Jefferson City
and here in
Iraq, I
have learned
that you don’t
get a redo when
things don’t
happen exactly
like you want
them to. Even
the best
intentions and
plans don’t work
sometimes, but
you don’t give
up or give in.
Regardless of
your political
ideology,
playing politics
with soldiers’
lives is wrong.
It has no place
when our country
is at war. I
remember the
first time I was
deployed. It
was during the
year 2000 by
then President
Clinton to
implement the
Dayton Peace
Accords in
Bosnia .
Even though many
disagreed with
our country’s
actions then, I
don’t remember
Congress voting
against soldiers
for political
gain. I also
remember how
embarrassing and
wrong it was for
our country to
leave
Somalia
after operations
didn’t go as
planned there
either. Ronald
Regan once said
that, “Crisis
doesn’t build
character, it
reveals it.”
From what is
being reported
by the press, I
believe we have
reached that
crisis point in
America
concerning
Iraq . I
sincerely hope
we make the
right choice.
When we do so, I
also hope we
recognize and
accept the
responsibility
and consequences
of our
decision. Prior to being deployed I had a quiet
conversation
with my father.
He explained to
me about his
great
reservations of
having already
sent his
youngest son to
Iraq ,
who went and
came back, and
now he would say
goodbye to his
oldest son,
too. During our
goodbye, the
conversation
turned to his
memories and
experiences from
being in
Southeast Asia
in 1968. I told
him very boldly
that our country
had learned from
that mistake and
that I believed
his concerns
about the
treatment of
soldiers and the
possible shift
of public
support for
Iraq were
unnecessary and
that he
shouldn’t
worry. I now
find myself
replaying that
conversation
with my father
over and over.
Like most young
men have at one
time or another,
I now find
myself concerned
about the
possibility that
my dad may be
right and I may
be wrong. As
the war here
nears the end of
its fourth year,
I still believe
in what I’ve
taught my son -
God, country,
and family. I
also believe in
what I have come
to learn here
and my dad
learned forty
years ago.
Soldiers want
two things: one
is to complete
the mission and
second is to
come home. I
hope that
America gives
America the
chance to win.
I leave everyone
to make their
own decisions
about what they
believe and why,
but a quote from
one of our past
presidents has
carried me
through hard
times before and
I think it bears
repeating now.
It is not the
critic who
counts: not the
man who points
out how
the strong man
stumbles or
where the doer
of deeds could
have done
better. The
credit belongs
to the man who
is actually in
the arena, whose
face is marred
by dust and
sweat and blood,
who strives
valiantly, who
errs and comes
up short again
and again,
because there is
no effort
without error or
shortcoming, but
who knows the
great
enthusiasms, the
great devotions,
who spends
himself for a
worthy cause;
who, at the
best, knows, in
the end, the
triumph of high
achievement, and
who, at the
worst, if he
fails, at least
he fails while
daring greatly,
so that his
place shall
never be with
those cold and
timid souls who
knew neither
victory nor
defeat.
During a quiet moment on a safe street, a tanker soldier rests before returning to a Baghdad neighborhood as part of a blocking force during a security operation.
President
Theodore
Roosevelt stated
this during his
speech at the
Sorbonne in
Paris , April
23, 1910. If
you replace the
word man with
the word soldier
and remember all
who have given
the ultimate
sacrifice for
our country,
then perhaps we
can learn from
our past and not
make the same
mistakes again.
Until next time,
be safe and God
Bless.
BRONZE STAR MEDAL 04/17/2007
Iraq – Recently during the end of
tour awards ceremony, Staff Sergeant
Jason Brown received a Bronze Star Medal
“for exceptional meritorious service
during combat operations as a Civil
Affairs Team Sergeant.” Presenting the
award to SSG Brown is his Company
Commander and a Department of State
Official. “While individuals may
receive medals, it takes a team of
soldiers to complete the mission. I
humbly accept this on behalf of all
those soldiers whom I have shared the
sand, sweat and blood with over the past
fourteen months of this deployment,” SSG
Brown stated. Hail and Farewell
Ceremonies are held near the end of a
deployment and SSG Brown and his Company
are expected to begin redeployment
through Ft. Bragg ,
North Carolina , sometime in the
near future.
Staff Sergeant Brown has been on
over 100 combat patrols mounted and
dismounted, day and night throughout the
many dangerous and non-permissive areas
of East
Baghdad from Adhamiyah down to
Salmen Pak including
Sadr City . As Team Sergeant and
primary gunner, he led his team safely
through small arms fire, complex
attacks, sniper fire, and the constant
threat of ambush and catastrophic armor
defeating device improvised explosive
device attacks. His team, on multiple
occasions, and due to proximity and
mission of the unit his team was
supporting, became part of an ad-hoc
Quick Reaction Forces in support of
Counter Insurgency Operations while
still accomplishing his team’s Civil
Military mission. In his role as lead
gunner, he did an extraordinary job
assessing and reassessing the situations
and making immediate life and death
decisions. As lead gunner, he assumed
more risk than anyone else in the
patrols and assisted the patrol leader
in maneuvering the patrols. Staff
Sergeant Brown’s team was assigned to
the 4/320th Field Artillery
Battalion, attached to the 4th
Bde, 101st Airborne, and
frequently supported kinetic operations
with forward edge atmospherics,
consequence management, and mitigation
support. During a combat mission to
assess several electrical infrastructure
facilities in Adhamiyah, Staff Sergeant
Brown was shot in the lung by a sniper.
Even though seriously wounded, Staff
Sergeant Brown provided rear security
for the convoy until he was overcome
from his injuries. His tenacity and
courage helped keep the convoy safe
while it reorganized and prepared to
hastily move to the Combat Support
Hospital . Staff Sergeant Brown was
awarded the Purple Heart Medal for the
wound that he sustained from enemy
sniper fire.
Staff Sergeant Brown participated
in humanitarian assistance drops,
medical operations in conjunction with
Iraqi Security Forces, infrastructure
assessments, and key leader
engagements. His ability to learn
routes, make quick decisions, and
implement force protection measures was
critical to the completion of these
missions. He was instrumental in the
support and development of the security
plan for several Humanitarian Assistance
and Medical Operations that distributed
supplies, clothes, and toys, affecting
thousands of Iraqi locals and displaced
civilians.
While he recovered from his wounds,
SSG Brown was assigned as a Governance
Advisor for the
Baghdad Provincial Reconstruction
Team (PRT). During this time, he worked
with members of the District Advisory
Councils as well as the
Baghdad Provincial Council to
build governance capacity and worked to
synchronize their efforts with the PRT
initiatives. In addition, he was
exposed to over 75 incidents of Indirect
Fire while at FOB Loyalty and while he
was within the International Zone (IZ).
His enthusiasm, hard work, and
commitment made him a highly effective
Civil Affairs Team Sergeant who could be
counted on to accomplish any task.
Staff Sergeant Brown’s actions are in
keeping with the finest traditions of
military service and reflect great
credit upon him, the 414th
Civil Affairs Battalion and the
United States Army.
Presenting the award to SSG Brown is his
Company Commander with his First Sergeant looking on
