Dear Mr. President,
Tomorrow you’ll bestow the Medal of Honor on former Army Captain William Swenson, a long overdue recognition of this soldier’s bravery under fire to rescue his wounded and dead comrades in a battle in the village of Ganjgal on September 8, 2009. Had it been up to the Army brass, Swenson would never get his medal for he dared criticize his superiors after the battle for failing to provide air support during an ambush that killed 5 Americans, 10 Afghans and left 17 wounded. Swenson was on his 2nd tour in Afghanistan—he served one tour in Iraq—and he was career. But in today’s army you don’t criticize superiors no matter how incompetent and he was forced out; “early retirement” he calls it. He, along with Marine Cpl. Dakota Meyer, were recommended for the Medal of Honor that day. Meyer received his on September 15, 2011, but no mention of Swenson. It took a McClatchy News reporter who witnessed the battle and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) to force the Army to find Swenson’s “lost” nomination packet. But the Battle of Ganjgal and the heroism of Captain Swenson isn’t the real story. Neither is the Army’s attempt to punish Swenson by forcing him out and “losing” his nomination for 4 years. The real story is the simple act of compassion and humanity Swenson showed his wounded buddy, Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Westbrook after helping carry him to the Medevac helicopter and loading him aboard. The official Army video shows Swenson and Westbrook leaning in toward one another, exchanging a few words and then, before turning to go, Swenson leaned over and kissed his wounded comrade on the forehead, tapped him with one finger in farewell, turned and re-entered the battle. Right there in that simple act is why soldiers fight. Not for country or some abstract ideology, but for their comrades-in-arms. Most soldiers eventually recognize that the war they’ve been sent to fight is not for the reasons they’ve been told but rather, an act of inconceivable brutality fostered, promoted and maintained by politicians for reasons of power, greed, stupidity, insanity. Sgt. Westbrook died 29 days later and his blood is on your hands, Mr. President. So are the other casualties of the Battle of Ganjgal. And so are the tens of thousands of Afghan civilians who have died in a needles war based on lies, ignorance and a thirst for revenge. I hope you mention The Kiss in the award ceremony tomorrow, Mr. President. It is the only decent act that came from that senseless slaughter.
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