I’ve attended two Patriot Guard Riders mission in the last two weeks for fallen US Army Soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Only to find out this week that I’ll be riding in another mission on Friday for the funeral services of 21-year old Marine Lance Cpl. Cody Stanley of Rosanky, TX.
Today, LCorp. Stanley was welcomed home by his family, friends, and community. The PGR riders were at the airport today to escort the family from Austin to the funeral home in Lockhart (30 miles south of Austin). I wish I could have been there today with my fellow riders, but they turned out in huge numbers on a Wednesday morning to honor a small town hero:
Hundreds of people waving American flags circled the courthouse square in Lockhart Wednesday afternoon to welcome home a man many consider a hero.
Marine Lance Cpl. Cody Stanley, 21,was killed Oct. 28 when an improvised explosive device exploded near him in Afghanistan. His body was flown back to Texas Wednesday and was escorted to Lockhart by a procession including police, his family and friends and the volunteer Patriot Guard.
The procession circled the courthouse in Lockhart, where hundreds of flag-waving mourners stood waiting. As the procession slowly drove by, veterans saluted and others stood at attention, some with their hands over their hearts.
“We felt it was important to be here to support the family and show that we truly respect the loss, and the sacrifice they’ve given,” said Laurie Davis, who brought her two young daughters to the courthouse square two hours before the procession arrived. “I think it’s important that we understand that this is something important that needs to be honored and respected.”
She said she didn’t know Cody Stanley, but still fells unspeakable sorrow for his family.
“Once you live in Lockhart of Caldwell County, you might as well all be family,” she said.
It’s been nearly 70 days since General McChrystal asked President Obama for more troops in Afghanistan. While the President dithers on a decision, Marines and Soldiers continue to die at the highest rate in years.
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Mr. Cooper,
I was one of the hundreds of people who attended this homecoming and someone with a family full of people in the military, currently and in the past, including my late father who is one of the few in the U.S. Ranger Hall of Fame.
I’m sorry but I do not see this occasion as fair game for you to take a cheap political shot (“dithering”). Hopefully, when our brave soldiers died in Iraq and my nephew was injured during the last administration you used your sparkling wit to at least borrow some more thoughtful points such as Marine Lt. Gen Greg Newbold statement that “the commitment of our forces to this fight was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions — or bury the results.” Now that is a thoughtful quote, from a Marine, instead of a rehashed Republican talking point given by someone who received 5 deferments to avoid a war he supported.
Regardless, Even if you did this type of thing during the last administration that would just remove the smell of hypocrisy from your post. I’m still not sure it would belong in the recitation of one fallen soldier’s return home, escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders.
Couldn’t you just write this post with respect? Is that beyond you? If you wanted you actually could have made some good points about the need for more soldiers to carry out a more robust counter-insurgency strategy, which is what General McChrystal wishes to do. Of course 40 thousand is nowhere near enough troops so McChrystal’s request is a political calculation also, instead of the ability to actually carry out a successful counterinsurgency. You could of directed your readers to watch Frontline’s Obama’s War which looks at whether our policy should be counter-terrorism or counter-insurgency and allows people to see the sacrifice of our soldiers. But would that be too much to ask of someone who claims to not accept “political ideology as an excuse for stupidity,” and someone who will “call bullshit every time I see it.” Gee, I guess so.
Anyway, a great pithy, unoriginal, unthinking, stolen talking point that sullies what could have been a respectful article about a homecoming for a fallen soldier in my town. Our sacrifice, not your opportunity.
Mike Givden
While I appreciate your comments and perspective, my opinion on Mr. Obama’s regard for our Soldiers and the war against terrorism stands.
You don’t know me, or a thing about me. But I assure you, sir, that my respect for our Soldiers, their mission, and their sacrifices is rivaled by none.
The increased death count in Afghanistan, to include that of Spc. Stanley, is directly attributable to Mr. Obama’s dithering (yes, that’s exactly what it is) on General McChrystal’s request.
One last note, Mr. Givden — I’ve raised my hand and taken the oath, put on a uniform, picked up a rifle, and stood a watch. I’m 100% certain that I’ve earned the right to my opinion on our President’s war policy (or lack thereof one).
I’ve written my piece. And it’ll stand. And on Friday, I’ll be in Smithville and Lockhart to stand silent and in respect for Spc. Stanley.
OH, and your final line, Mr. Givden, which is really the only one of your opinions that I take issue with.
“Our sacrifice?”
I’m sorry, but unless you are a member of Spc. Stanley’s family, you sacrificed nothing. You’re town has lost a son and a hero. But you yourself, sir, have sacrificed nothing.
I’ve seen way too many Soldiers and Marines buried to let you co-opt their sacrifices in order to lend yourself some kind of undeserved respect or authority.
My condolences to your town and community, but please don’t confuse Spc. Stanley’s sacrifice with your loss (a loss, by the way, which is shared well beyond the city limits of Rosanky and Lockhart.)
Anyone that knows Robbie, and anyone that reads this website, can tell you that no one in the world is more respectful of our servicemen and -women than Robbie. I have never seen anything written by Robbie, nor have I ever heard him say anything, that was even borderline disrespectful of the military.
This post was not disrespectful of the military in general, or of LCPL Stanley in particular.
Which leads me to believe that when you say “respect”, you are actually talking about respecting the President.
In this regard as well, I believe Robbie to stay well within the bounds of proper conduct.
Robbie has enormous respect for the office of the Presidency, and his posts reflect that.
When it comes to showing respect for Barack Obama as a man, it’s true that Robbie does not engage in the unabashed hero-worship of Obama that you are probably used to hearing, but it’s also true that nothing you have ever seen on this website even approaches the hatred and vitriol that the left-leaning blogosphere routinely spewed during the George W. Bush administration.
Lastly, I know from experience that the overwhelming majority of American servicepeople would be more in agreement with Robbie’s comments than with yours.
Well said Colin. I came upon this blog about a year ago from a link in our local paper and I try to visit here at least once a day. Robbie has always had the utmost respect for the U.S. service men & women and for Mike to suggest otherwise just shows his ignorance.
I too knew Cody. And I too will be in Smithville. . Cody was one of the nicest young people I had met, always with a smile on his face. He worked for a man that cut my dads hay. I think the fact gets lost on people of how long we have been at war in Afghanistan. We are only a few months shy of the length of time we were in Vietnam. The Bush administration flounderd over here for years. I am no fan of Obama’s, but to blame his death on him is ridiculous. Obama has sent more troops to Afghanistan than Bush ever thought of sending.
How is Robbie blaming this young marines death on Øbama?
Claiming Øbama is “dithering” is nothing new, even Sen. Feinstein bashed Øbama for doing so almost a month ago.
Going back to President Bush’s last year in office, he increased the number of U.S. forces, and got NATO(which leads the Afghanistan coalition) to increase their number.
At the same time, the future president said this while on the campaign trail:
It is clear that Øbama told another huge lie while campaigning.
In the meantime, October was the deadliest month for our troops in Afghanistan, and McChrystal’s request is in anticipation of a spring offensive by the Taliban. If the decision isn’t made soon, as there is a significant lead time for troop training and deployment, then it will be too late and too little for when the snow melts.
I didn’t mean to offend anyone. I was just taking aback by how this turned political concerning this young man’s sacrifice. No2liberals, you make good points.
I just think we should have been concentrating on Afghanistan long before now. I know guys you have been over there on 3 and 4 tours I don’t think that is right. Soldiers in Vietnam were not asked to do this.
This was Cody’s second tour, his first in Iraq. Most of the guys in his platoon had finished their required 2 tours in Iraq. So he was over their with a new platoon.
He had emailed friends and told them the fighting was way more intense than the fights in Iraq. The day before they had been involved in a 10 hour intense fire fight. The next day they went in to mop up he stepped on IED planted behind a home. This is what had been told to me by his former boss. This is the second young man and 3rd casualty overall for the small town of Smithville . 2 have been recently, both in Afghanistan. I think only 1 died in all of the Vietnam.
Billy, there is much to consider about why things have intensified in Afghanistan.
First, let me say as a vet, and a supporter of all our troops, it pains me whenever I hear a report of another of my brothers/sisters being killed in hostile action.
One thing that many overlook is, now that Iraq is nearly pacified, the mujis that went to Iraq from other muslim countries turned their attention to Afghanistan. They are generally referred to as insurgents, but the result is the same, foreign fighters in a hurry to kill infidels before they get their 72 goats.
IMHO, there needs to be a surge in Afghanistan, to assist those devout mujis in reaching paradise.
As for the number of deployments our military serves, it is unfortunate, and a severe strain on the troops and their families. Overwhelming force is needed to deal with the threat there. I believe Gen. McChrystal’s request is a reasonable one, and is the voice the President should be listening to if he truly is serious about the problems faced in Afghanistan, and not his political advisers.
As for comparing today with Viet Nam, we now have an all volunteer military, but the Marines have always been so, while the Army used draftees, as well as volunteers.
Yes, they should receive their goats. That is funny. I think the surge will happen. I think if we are in a war it should be all out war all the time. It should not be run by politicians, Democrat or Republicans, but Generals. That is when we have success. No2Liberals, I am not against a troop surge. I wish it would have been done more forcefully after 9-11. It has been good to talk to you No2 Liberals,take care,
I wish I could be as certain of a surge in Afghanistan. This president has a history of inaction, and voting present.
The events in Afghanistan have only changed in the past few years, after the mujis lost in Iraq. The original mission was to remove the Taliban, and rid the country of AQ. That was accomplished, and AQ scattered to the winds, and the Taliban melted away into Pakistan. Had Pakistan taken a harder stance in their lawless regions, we could have had a coordinated operation to isolate and destroy them. Only now is Pakistan actively attacking the Taliban.
I agree that, once you make a decision to go to war there should be a total commitment to it, and that the commanders should be given all they need to accomplish their mission. If a president selects a commanding General, based on his abilities, the president should follow his advice, or at least give that General a sound reason as to why he won’t. Keeping this on hold, for whatever reason, puts our troops in a tenuous position.
Come back and chat anytime, Billy, there are new threads up at this blog everyday.
No2Liberals, you seem to have a really good understanding of these wars. Are you in the military?
The tradegy that happened at Fort Hood yesterday really disturbs me. I have been out on that base before
and was awe struck by it. The memorials and the museums are humbling. I deal with an organiztion that helps kids of military families adjust to their moves and special circumstances they are in sometimes. To think of those soldiers and parents being gunned down like that is beyond description. I am trying really hard not to let my bias get the best of me right now. I remeber the first time I went into a restaurant in Killeen and looked around and everybody had on uniforms, it really got away with me. I asked the person I was with if that was the 1st Cav soldiers that had just came back from Iraq. They were and they had just been in the war zone the week before. Kind of left me speechless.
They said the shooter was yelling god is great in arabic as he was shooting. I have a lot of comments on this but will leave them off of the board. guess will see what reaction this has on the public. I know it has had one on me.
I’m a vet, have many friends who are vets, and know many who are active duty. I have a son-in-law who served two tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq as a forward combat air controller. He is now FBI, and his office is now involved in the Ft. Hood investigation. He can’t tell me anything, and I never ask, we have a good relationship.
I also occasionally get classified info from friends still on active duty, which I can never post on, but some of the info would simply astound you, and make your pucker factor go to ten of ten.
My heart goes out to our brothers and sisters in the Army today, not Ft. Hood only, as this wound cuts deep.
No2Liberals that was me on the previous post. I was posting from a different computer
Hey Billy.
Go to the top thread. Just click here.
I have to report that Cody’s funeral procession was the most incredible thing I have ever seen. There where 5 Highway Patrol and County cars leading the procession with their lights on. After the hearse and family where the patroit riders. I take my hat off to you guys. Looks like there was a 100 of them. After that 250 to 300 cars following them. Highway 304 had flags and signs all along it for Cody. In Rosanky the small town he was from, there where flags placed every 20 feet along both sides of the road. The school children of the Rosanky Baptist school were standing by the road with their hands over their hearts and flags in their hands.
Really choked you up. It was hard to describe the emotions. There tractors and hay bales stacked by the roads with flags and Memorials.
It left me speechless.
As one of the teachers at Smithville High School standing watching the procession go by the high school, I was deeply touched by his flag-draped coffin in the back of his beloved pick-up truck and the freedom riders, followed by 10 minutes of family and friends. Thank you and the other riders for what you do.
Sheila,
Riding past the high school was heart breaking and inspiring at the same time. Thank you and the Smithville HS for doing the right thing today and having the entirety of the school out of class and outside waiting for their former classmate to pass.
I remember the same scene three years ago for the funeral of PFC Tina Priest. Just as emotional and just as difficult.
Billy, it was a remarkable day. I was blown away by the support of Smithville, Rosanky, String Prairie, and McMahan.
I’ll have a new post up this evening or tomorrow with my thoughts and some pictures of the ceremony.
Here’s one of Cody’s truck with his casket at the cemetery:
Thank you for posting the picture of the truck. Again I want to thank you for what you do. It was beyond anything I was expecting. My dad is 80 years and he too was blown away. He is a veteran of the Korean war. This community is gieving over Cody.