Iraq hero/Puppy guy John Smathers: story follow up, with Vet's day speech (my title)

This story is a personal follow-up on the story about Captain John Smathers who died last week, at home, from a heart failure related to heart valve damage. I have, with permission, posted the text of a speech Capt. Smathers gave last Veterans' Day. I encourage you to read both CBS story and the text of his speech.

Capt. Smathers served alongside a dear friend of mine. We'll call my friend "T". T was with John when he (John) earned his 4 (four) bronze stars. T says he earned them all.

(John was gravely wounded in Iraq recently, but recovered and was shipped home.)

After serving with John, T went on to lead Paul Bremer's security team, and is now serving our country in Afghanistan in a very hot zone. T called his wife "S" with the sad news about John the day John died -- the news had spread like wildfire throughout the ranks and files of the men and women who knew John. John leaves no heirs. John was divorced.

Please remember John, a brave man who served us well with a spiritual heart of gold. Sadly his physical heart was not as strong and God called him home.

Here again is the link to the story. http://wjz.com/seenon/local_story_037192541.html

CPT JOHN SMATHERS VETERAN’S DAY SPEECH

I grew up in a neighborhood in Maryland where just about everyone's father was a veteran of WWII. In one house was a B-17 pilot, in another the driver of a Sherman Tank, in another one of the famed Flying Tigers. My father was a medic and fought under General Patton in the Battle of the Bulge and many other battles in the march toward Berlin. My father taught me that America is the greatest country on the Earth and that there are more freedoms here than anywhere.

The individuals who served in WWII were my heroes and my role models. They answered the call when their country was in danger and needed them. They defeated hardened and determined enemies on two separate fronts. When they returned home they lived quiet and unassuming lives, content to raise a family and instill the same values in their children that their parents had instilled in them. This included a heavy dose of patriotism and a belief that America is the greatest nation on the earth. My father was no different in that regard. But he was very much against me joining the military. He believed that He fought in WWII so that I would never have to go through the same hardships as he and see a battlefield. He wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor.

So I went onto college and law school at Catholic University. Then I told him one day I was going to join the air force and be a jet fighter pilot. Well he got very upset and kinda got a crazy look in his eye. It was scary. My Father was a very hard-headed man. While he was alive there was no way he was going to let me join the military. He wanted me to be a lawyer and that’s how it was going to be. Well out of respect for my Dad I went on to become a lawyer. My dad died of emphazima one week before I graduated from law school. And, also out of respect for my dad I joined the United States Army.

You see I'm hard headed too---just like my Dad. Besides, if he didn't want me joining the Army he shouldn't have made me so patriotic.

So, I've had 2 careers. I'm a partner in a personal injury law firm in Laurel, Maryland, and I’m a captain in the Army Reserve. I think I have a unique perspective on what it takes to be good officer. I was enlisted for four years before I became an officer.

I joined while Desert Storm was in progress. I had been Assistant State’s Attorney for six years in Maryland and I was 33 years old. I was told that 29 was the cut-off for Officer Candidate School and that if I wanted to be an officer I would have to be a JAG (Judge Advocate General). I said that I didn’t want to be an Army Lawyer--- I want to be a soldier---in an infantry unit.

I was told that in order to do that I would have to be enlisted and be a private. I said fine. In recognition of my education and experience they made me a corporal. So I went on to enlisted basic training, AIT and Airborne training. I was assigned to the 11th Special Forces Unit at Ft. Meade, MD. We did alot of Airborne Operations and training with the Green Berets. In that time I learned what enlisted soldiers respect and admire in officers.

Respect in the Army, as in life, is something that has to be earned. Enlisted soldiers do the heavy-hauling, they are your brothers and sisters. They are your family. Any officer can give an order and enlisted soldiers will follow those orders out of respect for your rank. But, that doesn’t mean they respect the person giving the orders. Earning the respect of enlisted soldiers is not easy, but once you have earned it. There is nothing on this Earth they won’t do for you.

Your first impression on your soldiers is a lasting one----Your first impression on your soldiers is a lasting one! You must establish from the start that you are a person of character, motivated, physically fit, knowledgeable of matters critical to your duties, and committed to accomplishing any mission assigned.

Officers who use their rank to gain special privileges will never be respected. If your soldiers are muddy and wet and you’re the only one with a clean uniform your wrong. You be muddy and wet with them. If your soldiers are cold and tired and you’re in a heated trailer with coffee your wrong. You be cold and tired with them and encourage them to drive on.

If you are deployed to a foreign nation and you use your rank to gain a position of safety. You may be safe but you won’t be respected. If your soldiers are in danger, you be there in danger with them and lead them to safety.

In Iraq I was in the 422 Civil Affairs Battalion, which supported the 3rd Infantry Division. I was the assistant team leader of a quick reaction team. Our job, as the name says, was to quickly react to any emergency dealing with the civilian population. During the fight for Baghdad, Saddam had sabotaged the power plants and the people of the city were without electricity. In the desert it was 30 degrees at night and 100 degrees in the day. In Baghdad it got up to 130 degrees every day.

Our team was given the mission to find the senior power plant operators for the Al Dora Power Plant and get the power going again. We located some individuals who knew where the senior operators were and made arrangements to meet them the next day. On our way back we were ambushed with RPG’s and small arms fire. They had the element of surprise and superior numbers. It turned out to be a real bad day for the enemy and no casualties for our team.

We returned the next day to meet the individuals who were going to take us to the senior power plant operators. When we entered a narrow dirt alley that led to their house, I noticed a strong smell of fuel. I looked down on the road and saw that the dirt road was saturated with diesel fuel. It was a trap that could have been ignited at anytime. I radioed to turn around, that the road is saturated with fuel. As soon as I said this, shots rang out at our convoy from the surrounding buildings. Captain Guidry and I exited our vehicles, returned fire, and somehow were able to lead our team out without casualties.

As an officer you are the leader of your soldiers. Do not be timid in this endeavor. Take command and lead your soldiers. The greatest leaders are those who lead by example. Words are great, if you are able to give a good speech, that’s great. But if you don’t live up to your words it is empty. Out there when you are deployed and in danger there are no contracts or written documents to protect you. A soldier is judged on whether he or she is a person of their word. Does that officer do what they say they are going to do? If you do, then I know I can count on you. When trouble comes, I know you will be exactly where you said you would be, doing what you are supposed to do. If I trust you, I can make a life or death decision based on your word.

Conversely, if you are not a person of your word, this is not the line of work for you. You will never be trusted, you will never be counted on, soldiers will not want to serve under your command.

Don’t ever be afraid to try and fail. There is valor in the attempt. Human beings cannot always be right, everyone fails sometime. The difference between a winner and a loser is how you handle yourself when you make mistakes. Your soldiers will be watching you to see how you handle it. Don’t keep it on your mind and let it eat you up. If you fail, just pick yourself up, brush yourself off, go forward and try again until you succeed. Even if you make mistakes you can proudly go on knowing that you had the courage to try a difficult task.

(Tell the story of getting lost in Baghdad---optional)

As you embark upon your military careers understand that there are many others who wish they could be in your shoes, serving their country but for one reason or another are unable. They may be physically infirm, elderly, or have obligations that keep them home. But all the while they wish they could be doing what you do. You stand in the place of all those who cannot serve. They depend on you for their freedom.

You carry on a long tradition of brave men and women who have left the safety of their home and family to defend the principles that our country was founded upon, Freedom and human rights, representative government, free elections, and equality of opportunity for all people. These things we seem to take for granted here----are feared by some around the world. For in so many places around the world their government is based upon fear, tyranny, murder and intimidation of their people. We as Americans hold up a candle in places darkened by oppression. We are the hope of a better way. When freedom takes hold in an area of the world where there is oppression, neighboring countries fear that their own government will fall by the weight of its own injustice.

The day you joined the Army you reached out and touched hands with all those who served before you. You touched hands with those who served in Vietnam, Korea, WWII, the doughboys of WWI, The Civil War, the War of 1812, The Revolutionary War, and all the covert wars and conflicts that we my never know of. These soldiers served defending the same Constitution that you defend today.

As we look forward on this Veteran’s Day let us keep in our minds and hearts those who have so bravely served before us. Let us ask for God’s blessing on those who are serving so valiantly in Felujah, (sic) Iraq, Afghanistan around the world and here at home.

And finally, I ask for God’s blessing on you who have elected to join the Army at a time when your country is at war. Let me say unequivocally, you have the respect of a grateful nation.

Thank You

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