Fighting to Stay the Course[Chilson " we don't want to come home if there is a job left to do."]

The KTTC TV ^ | April 18, 2008 | Chris Woodard

[Son House]

For thousands of troops who have seen the war in Iraq first hand, the mission is a personal one even after they take off the uniform.

Concerns about where that war may be heading is putting some local veterans face to face with lawmakers, fighting a different side of Operation Iraqi freedom.

For retired Navy Veteran Chris Chilson, time with family is a luxury he's still getting used to.

Afternoons spent together were few and far between during his 20 years on board aircraft carriers, some of them spent in the searing heat of the Iraqi desert.

Chilson says, "It is very personal and it should be because those are our brothers and sisters over there."

Brothers and sisters many politicians are trying to bring home, something that this vet says would be a mistake even with more than 4-thousand U-S lives already lost.

Chilson says, "If they're lost, you don't want it to be for nothing. We want to see real gains in Iraq and real gains are being made."

Chilson and others from the group Veterans for Freedom feel so passionately, last week while General Petraeus was being grilled on Capitol Hill, they were there too.

Spending time giving their first hand account to any lawmakers who would listen.

Chilson says, "We need to take the politics out of what's happening over there because the war can't be fought from Capitol Hill. It needs to be fought in Iraq with the commanders on the ground."

"You can't say you support the troops but not the war. The troops are the war."

Undoubtedly a longer war means more lives lost.

Chilson says, "We all know that there is a mission to do over there and yes all the troops do want come home but we don't want to come home if there is a job left to do."

A job this vet and his group see as far from complete.

As for Chilson, he says it was his time to come home after 20 years of service.

But through this effort he feels like he is helping the troops that are still in Iraq by giving lawmakers a soldier's perspective.

[Son House]

While Democrats and their accomplishes in the Media are doing everything they can everyday to make it look like a devastating loss, the Troops are doing everything they can, everyday for Iraqi Operation Freedom to be a success, even after they take off the uniform. Democrats and their accomplishes in the Media will be verbally 'Damned to Hell' when they come campaigning near me!

[Son House]

Thank You for all the updates you do, too bad Democrats and the Media want to lose so bad they sand-bag us everyday, every chance they get.