Backing troops from half a world away

Art and Mare McDermott don’t consider themselves as being anything special.

In fact, I had to practically twist their arms in order to use their names for this story.

That’s OK. After hearing what the retired Boeing worker and his wife are doing to support our troops in Iraq, I began thinking of them as more like Santa and Mrs. Claus.

“No,” says Art, shrugging off my suggestion, “what I’m trying to do is make people aware that the men and women over there believe in what they’re doing.”

The McDermotts, who live in the Medical Lake area, decided to do something to honor our military. They got involved with Adopt a Soldier, a national program that connects civilians with soldiers in the field.

In early November, the couple began mailing care packages to their adopted soldier. The boxes they send contain everything from goodies to practical items.

Over coffee Monday morning, Art passed me his checklist of items: AA batteries, cotton/wool socks, zip-lock plastic bags, candy, foot powder, dried fruit and raisins, envelopes, gum … .

It doesn’t sound like much. But to soldiers in a war zone the tiniest creature comforts are huge.

Art isn’t concerned whether his next shipment makes it to Iraq by Christmas. “When they get this stuff,” he says, “it’s Christmas to them no matter what time of year it is.”

Sad to say, I’ve found myself slipping into an apathetic state regarding the war in Iraq.

Day after day the headlines and news reports stay the same. Only the body counts seem to change.

But the McDermotts are right.

We shouldn’t turn our backs on the brave Americans who are over there, cut off from their families, risking life and limb.

The McDermotts have yet to hear back from their adopted soldier. A few days ago, however, a letter arrived from the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division.

“It is with my deepest gratitude that I thank you for your kindness and generosity by sending an outstanding care package to my soldiers deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom II,” wrote Lt. Col. Myles Miyamasu.

The son of a career infantry officer, Miyamasu has been in the thick of it. His troops were involved in last summer’s bloody fighting outside the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf.

The four-page letter sent to the McDermotts offer a revealing peek at the combat soldiers’ life in a very dangerous land.

“You may or may not have heard of our exploits in Najaf, Iraq, where we were sent on a no-notice deployment from Baghdad to fight the Muctadr Militia who had taken over the Imam Ali Shrine,” he writes.

“We moved some 360 kilometers within 12 hours of notification and were in the fight within 48 hours supporting the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. … We maintained continuous contact with the enemy for 19 straight days fighting in one of the world’s oldest and largest cemeteries. …

“The enemy chose to fight us in there by establishing fighting positions and weapons caches throughout the cemetery, providing them excellent cover and concealment. However, our firepower and training were our keys to defeating this force and returning the shrine back to the Iraqi people.

“I believe that our men fought some of the toughest fighting that the Army has ever seen in a long time, and under conditions that bordered on the extreme.”

Echoing Art’s sentiment, Myamasu notes how meaningful receiving small gifts from home can be.

“With soldiers,” he says, “I think it is the mere fact that they get something from someone that makes that day seem like Christmas.”

Miyamasu believes we are winning the battles and the war in Iraq.

“Yes, we’re still at war and it’s because there are a bunch of extremists and separate terrorist organizations that don’t want to see Iraq succeed with the help of the United States.”

Take it from the McDermotts: Remember the troops. Find a way to get involved.

“This is a hell hole of a war,” adds Art. “We’re in over there and it’s not gonna go away.”