This past summer I met a young man who is serving a second tour of duty in Afghanistan. For sake of confidentiality, I refer him as “J”. He has been instrumental in the creation of A Soldier’s Voice.

I am somewhat ashamed to admit that until I met J, I really didn’t have a clue about the War. Don’t get me wrong, I knew about the War, but not the “behind-the-scenes” type of knowledge.

For instance, J carries gear weighing around 140 pounds as he climbs two miles up the Afghanistan mountains. 140 pounds! My guess is J only weighs about 140 himself. Personally, I can’t imagine having to carry my own body weight up a mountain, can you?

J’s personal space consists of a tiny cubicle with a plywood bed and a sheet for the door. Insects the size of Texas are common visitors to the base, along with lizards that resemble something from a bad 1950s horror movie. It’s scary stuff.

Thanks to the Internet, I’ve been able to stay in touch with J. He recently expressed his views regarding his frustration over the lack of accurate reporting and media attention given to troops stationed in Afghanistan.

As an American freelance writer, I feel it is my duty to help shine light on the fact that American troops in Afghanistan have been forgotten. With so much focus on the war in Iraq, the United States Government and Media Outlets have swept these young men and women who are risking their lives every day, under the rug.

I invite you to help spread the word about A Soldier’s Voice. If you are currently serving, or have served, in Afghanistan and want your Voice to be heard, click this link to submit your story.

If you have lost a loved one who was serving in Afghanistan, you are welcome to submit their story which will be featured on the Memorial Wall of this blog.

All submissions will be retained in the strictest confidence. This is NOT a platform to rant and rave about the injustices of the War. There are plenty of other places to do that. Instead, this is a place of honor where troops can share their stories without fear of reprisal and loved ones can preserve the memory of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice — their life.

It is long past time to acknowledge the incredible adversities American troops are dealing with in the War on Terror. Their voices need to be heard and that is the purpose of A Soldier’s Voice.