A Plea to Help my Fallen Friends

Those that follow this blog, know that this deployment has been marked my some very awesome highs and some incredibly emotional lows. The roller coaster of emotions that has marked my first trip to Afghanistan have provided life lessons and memories (both good and bad) that I will take with me the rest of my life.

I have been fortunate to have great leadership throughout the course of this deployment, and that has certainly helped to form me into a stronger soldier as well as a stronger man. As I wrote about recently, my team leader and a former team leader were critically wounded by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). They were and remain the closest of friends, and I hope that by the grace of God their recoveries will continue to be marked by positive progress.

However there is one obstacle that still remains--taking care of their needs after the medical treatment is complete. The cost of retro-fitting cars, homes, and other daily necessities is astronomical. The medical costs that the government covers does not cover these necessary updates to meet their new needs. Often it is the families that are burdened with these responsibilities.

This blog has provided great support to us soldiers over the past 3 months. From 17 countries more than 10,000 unique readers have read posts more than 40,000 times. I have received no less than 200 emails with words of encouragement, and our platoon as received 14 care packages. I am asking that you please consider using this blog as a springboard toward a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project. The WWP provides resources for recovering soldiers and their families to meet their needs in these critical times.

Sgt Jordan Sisco and Spc Jason Smith are very dear friends of mine. Their courage and bravery has protected my life, and those of 2nd platoon. We as their brothers in arms ask that you consider helping to support their needs, and those of our fellow fallen.

Sgt Sisco and Spc Smith reunited!

THE GOAL OF THIS BLOG

It is my goal to raise $5,000 from readers of this blog towards the Wounded Warrior Project by the time I return to the USA in November. I cannot think of anything more important than this cause, and the good that it does for our nation's greatest heroes. $5,000 is not a lot of money, given the number of people that read this blog. No donation is too small. Every donation counts.

Wounded Warrior Project

If you choose to donate, I ask that you please notify me via email. I will not disclose how much you have donated, I simply want to track the progress toward the $5,000 goal.

If you have any questions about WWP or my personal fundraising goal, you can reach me at christophernonroe@gmail.com.


Until next time...

Chris