The following editorial was provided to me from an American soldier fighting the “War on Terror” in Afghanistan. This particular piece inspired me to get off my ass and do something. I hope it will do the same for you.

Alright, so here goes another epic journey into the far-reaching expanses of my mind (and by that I mean adding some focus to the string of thoughts I have while sitting on guard for three hours at a time.)

I posted a link to a news story from ABC News previously entitled “The Forgotten War“. After thinking long and hard both about that “nickname” and a quote from a TIME Magazine (”America isn’t at war. The US Army and Marine Corps are at war. America is at the mall.”), I’ve decided that I have alot to say about this.

Firstly, does anybody remember that Afghanistan, not Iraq, was the original country American troops were posted in during this “War on Terror?” Yea, it’s true folks; American Forces found themselves being deployed to Afghanistan in 2001, while the initial Iraqi invasion occurred in the Spring of 2003. Why is it, then, that Iraq is the war? Why is it that the first response many of us deployed to Afghanistan get when mentioning our current assignment to friends and family is “Oh well, at least you aren’t in Iraq?“

Shit is serious here, too. In fact, after corresponding with many friends I have currently deployed to Iraq, it would seem that it is even worse. IED’s aren’t nearly as prevalent a threat (though they have made for many situations in the last month, some devastating), but I have yet to correspond with any of those aforementioned individuals to find out that they have seen even a QUARTER of the small arms and indirect fire, or even direct contact, with the enemy as even the least-attacked individuals in my company, even Battalion.

Americans have, without a doubt, become so dulled by the readily accessible news outlets that they know only that which is reported to them. While that is disgraceful, it is understandable. People have become so busy that they accept what they hear on the radio, see when quickly responding to emails, or hear when changing channels on the television. Fair enough.

Thus, I hold the media outlets responsible. Have even our newscasters become so lazy that the two-syllable location where the sons and daughters of America are being killed in the name of freedom beats out the one with four-syllables?

Yes, the political and governmental changes which we have affected have been more obvious and thus reportable in Iraq, but one has to wonder if that makes them more newsworthy. The fighting here in Afghanistan, specifically in the Northeastern Pech and Korengal valleys, has been the worst to date.

Thus far, the 173d Airborne Brigade and the units attached to it have lost over two dozen men in the country, in under 8 months. Enemy contact has not dissipated much with the vicious onslaught of cold weather and un-navigable terrain that has been encountered with the winter season. At at least 800+ meters above sea level, deep in the Hindu Kush mountains, one would expect this to be the case. It hasn’t been though.

So where is our notoreity? Why is it that we have to live with the label of being those soldiers fighting in the “Forgotten War?” I am disgusted to think of the future I see approaching; our children will read vaguely of this war, and the numbers of those whose lives were changed and those whose lives were lost will be just that: numbers.

There will be no back story on the many heroic men and women whose lives were lost while simply serving their country and trying to help build (not REbuild, but simply build) a more effective government and military in a country known to be a resting and training ground for those with nothing better to do but devise ways to kill Americans.

Nay, we’ll be forced to remember in silence forever the lives of friends, brothers, that we watched fall on a “Forgotten Battlefield.” Jesus, if it’s forgotten now, what will be the case when it comes time to update the history books?

Media outlets: While I understand that titling your works “The Forgotten” anything is a means of grabbing the attention of your readers, listeners, and viewers, I question why you have yet to acknowledge that it is because of your lack of investigative reporting that we are becoming forgotten.

In other news, though, besides the freezing cold onslaught of rain sleet and snow which we here on the Styx have been forced to deal with recently, I have to say that my life is going surprisingly well. I’ve begun to find direction, and a reason to be happy. Knock on wood, all goes well. I’m signing off for now, but I hope that everyone who reads this has come to a few conclusions:

-Until the media realizes their error, You’ll have to investigate yourself to learn anything about what our forces face in this country.

-If you have any sort of connection to any sort of news outlet (from a small local daily, even weekly, publication, to a media mogul), you will make your voice heard, make MY voice heard, and maybe we’ll be given the recognition and coverage we deserve.

-Being deployed to a war zone sucks, plain and simple. The phrase “At least it’s not…” followed by ANYTHING (i.e. Iraq) is not something we wish to hear.

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