Jack Kingston

In the spirit of debate and to move the discussion away from ad hominem attacks, Congressman Kingston sent the following email to Cindy Sheehan apologizing for his characterization of her as a “nutcase”:

A NOTE FROM CONGRESSMAN JACK KINGSTON

April 3, 2006

Dear Ms. Cindy Sheehan,

Thank you very much for your email. I appreciate your spirit in dialogue and debate and our mutual devotion to the First Amendment.

I want to apologize for my personal categorization of you and for allowing myself to get involved in such low-level name calling.

While you and I disagree on the war effort, I certainly did not intend to attack you personally. I have great appreciation for your perspective and your sacrifice as an American who has lost a loved one in the War on Terrorism.

This is a very emotional time in America, and my concern these days has been my 20,000+ constituent soldiers. As I have spoken with them in Iraq and their families back home they have expressed grave concern about the pessimistic media coverage of the war and its dissenters.

As you know, these volunteer soldiers aren�t in it for praise but I do think their spirits are hurt by coverage that reports all the bad news and none of the good. Such coverage tends to focus on dissenters of the war and less on those in the field.

This isn�t just my own personal opinion, but one that has been formulated by listening to the troops and their families. I suppose in my own stumbling way, I am trying to speak for them.

In any case, I hope you�ll accept my apology and I look forward to continuing our discussion about this issue.

Sincerely,

Jack Kingston

Member of Congress

Congressman Kingston believes that soldiers in the field should be covered more by the media and is frustrated that the household names of this war will be its dissenters.

Here are some of the stories Congressman Kingston would like to read more about in the MSM:

• Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith (3^rd-ID)�First CMH Winner in OIF

First CMH winner (from 3^rd ID)

Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on 4 April 2003. On that day, Sergeant First Class Smith was engaged in the construction of a prisoner of war holding area when his Task Force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force.

Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow soldiers, Sergeant First Class Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket propelled grenade and a 60mm mortar round. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier.

In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers.

Sergeant First Class Smith�s extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division �Rock of the Marne,� and the United States Army.

• Spc. Chris Barron (Bronze Star) and Spc. Carl Jackson (Purple Heart)�Georgia National Guard 108^th Armor Regiment, 48^th Brigade Combat Team

From 108^th Armor Regiment, 48^th Brigade Combat Team

Spc. Chris Barron�Bronze Star nominee

Deployed to the violent insurgent stronghold south of Baghdad known as �the Fiyahs�. Three months into first overseas tour, the 30 year old father of three was attached to a platoon at a small outpost by a Euphrates River bridge dubbed JSB. Barron, a medic, drew guard duty the evening of August 12^th. The bridge he was monitoring was closed off to traffic but, just before sun set, he noticed an approaching bongo truck. After signaling the truck to stop had to effect, he realized it was going to try to attempt to ram the building that contained his platoon. To protect his platoon, he instinctively fired into the windshield, causing the truck to blow up before it reached the building. As a result, only one soldier suffered a minor injury in the explosion. For his valor, he has been nominated for a Bronze Star.

Spc. Carl Jackson�Purple Heart Recipient

Jackson was among a group of soldiers picking up an insurgent who had bombed some of the 108^th�s tanks earlier. On the way, they drove headlong into a roadside bomb ambush set up by the insurgents. Jackson and the Truck Commander suffered the brunt of the explosion. He�s lost a chunk of flesh from his right elbow as well as his right kidney. He also suffered a broken back, ribs, and a collapsed right lung. After four months of treatment, Jackson returned to duty.

***Both Jackson and Barron have returned to duty with the 48^th BCT and are currently treating local children and adults in Southern Iraq for burns, colds, and other ailments at a free clinic

• Seaman Nathaniel Leoncio

On October 4, 2005, Leoncio of Marines Company L was on patrol in the southern part of Ar Ramadi in support of Operation Bowie, capturing or destroying insurgents and their weapons. When the convoy made its way to the dirt roads and unincorporated areas that make up the southern part of the town, four IEDs went off about two feet from their vehicles. Leoncio was caught underneath one after the explosion and, as a result suffered an amputated right leg below the knee, a shattered right femur, and serious internal bleeding.

Before he allowed himself to be medically evacuated from the scene, Leoncio began directing the other Marines on how perform aid on him and the other injured. After explaining to one Marine how and where to put the tourniquet on his leg, he leaned over and, despite his own injuries, opened his medical kit and began to treat the 4^th Platoon commander�s shrapnel wound.

• USMC Sergeant Matthew Dalrymple

Sgt. Matthew P. Dalrymple, team leader, 2nd TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided Missile) Platoon, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, is recovering from his third improvised-explosive-device attack. He declined the usual ceremonies for the two Purple Hearts he received since April 2005 and, instead, chose just to receive the certificates in formation because he �doesn�t need big ceremonies.�

�I do think we�re changing Iraq,� said Dalrymple, who holds a black belt in tae kwon do. �I think the Iraqis want (the insurgents) gone as much as we do. They just don�t have our capabilities. If we deter the insurgency in a certain area, things start to get better there.�

• Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham

Died April 22, 2004 at Bethesda from wounds sustained after using his body to shield his fellow Marines from a hand grenade. A report from the Marine Corps said Dunham was commanding a check point near Karbala when a man got out of a car and tried to flee. Dunham tackled the man, who then pulled a pin from a hand grenade. Dunham dove onto the grenade before it exploded, the Marines reported.

Two other Marines were injured.

Dunham, with K Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, was remembered in Iraq at a service attended by more than 500 Marines, sailors and soldiers.

• Capt. David M. Rozelle

Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo., is the first amputee to return to a combat zone. While conducting an operation in his first tour of duty, he ran over an anti-tank mine with his Humvee. The explosion destroyed both his Humvee and his lower right leg, causing the amputation of his foot and ankle. Rozelle describes the incident as a �blessing in disguise� because, after three weeks at Walter Reed, he was rushed home to be present for the birth of his son, Forrest.

After fighting to prove himself fit to fight to the Army, Rozelle had many job opportunities within the Army that would have taken him away and given him a lighter duty. He declined them all saying, �When I took the oath of office, I knew I was going to spend my life in the military�. He returned to Iraq to command the regimental commander�s headquarters and, last June, returned to Walter Reed to become a program manager for the new amputee center there.