Letter 2

September 11, 2008

Fort Lewis, Washington
Blog address: buprofessor.blogspot.com
www.butler.edu/cophs link to my blog on the left side.

Everyone:

I hope this letter/blog finds everybody well. Usually, I try to keep these entries spaced about 2 weeks apart, but I wanted to go ahead and send this one out a bit early to spend a few minutes talking about September 11th. I hope that you have not forgotten! I have added some pictures below that I know effect me deeply. To look at these pictures brings back emotions and memories that I will never forget.

This is special to me as it is what changed my life. Four years ago to the day I stood in Kabul, Afghanistan preparing for the first free election in their country. I was there to fight terrorism to keep all of our families safe. Here I am three years later preparing to go to Iraq to help fight for a people to regain their freedom, and again to keep all of our families safe from those who would gladly hurt our loved ones. The pictures above demonstrate what evil in men’s hearts can do. Please NEVER FORGET what happened on this day in 2001. Never forget that it is not the United States that “asked” to be attacked, it is not our fault that innocent women and children were murdered. It is not America’s fault that there are terrorist in the world that would rather kill then talk. Please do not forget…please do not subscribe to any opinion or belief that would have you believe any of these things.

On my blog site, there was a post that I want to take the time to answer. It was in regard to my comment in my first letter about my statement “doing the right thing is always hard, and serving my country is bigger than my family and my wants…” The post was essentially asking about my priorities and how perhaps the Army and what I am currently doing is not “in-line” per se with Christian values that should be God, vocation (spouse), children, and then avocation (job etc). I think this is a valid question, and I will address it as I see it.
First, I believe that God guides all of our actions. He gives us choices, but his hand is always present. I actually decided several times not to join the military, but it kept coming around and around…it is as if God was hitting me on the head until I finally learned to duck. When I was in Afghanistan I took care of so many Afghans, including baby Qudrat. I was able to help get four very sick children back to the United States for life saving surgery. I went to numerous refugee camps and provided medical care. I went to orphanages and distributed tons of donated items to kids who had nothing. I have seen and felt hope return to people who have had nothing. I have seen first hand what is capable by caring, compassion, and love. This is what my experience has been with joining the Army. I have spent days with Afghans, and I have eaten with them, slept with them, and talked as a father, as a son, as a brother to many. I still receive emails from some that I met while I was there. I even received pictures from Qudrats family of their new daughter, who was born after Qudrat died. I have taken care of many injured US soldiers, most being kids who are serving their country. I feel the presence of God with me everyday with what I am doing in the military. I believe that God is the one that guided me here, and to not be here would be to not be serving God first. The fact that you are reading this blog and thinking about our soldiers and the people is an example of what I believe to be God’s mission for me.
Second, is the concept of vocation, and serving others. It is indeed hard to not be with my wife and children. I feel that I am serving them by keeping them safe. I am here to protect your family not just mine. I have met first hand true fanatical Islamic militants and Taliban fighters. Make no mistake they would kill your children if they could, I am here so that others do not have to be. I am willing to die for my children; I am willing to die for your family and children as well…without regret. Serving my country is like serving the Church. It is not a place as much as it is a community. We as soldiers tell you to sleep well at night, for we will watch over you and your families…even at the cost of our life. That is what the American soldier does. So I feel that I am fulfilling my vocation to my family and selfless service to others. Additionally, I am teaching my children what it means to serve others, even if it is hard, even if it hurts, or even it is not what we want to do. I do not want to be away from my family, my job or my “life” But this is what I mean by “bigger then me”.
Finally, there is the idea of avocation such as a job or a career. This is not a factor for me. The Army is not a job to me. Yes, I get paid, but I am not a mercenary. I serve my country because I believe in my country. I believe that I am keeping you and your families safe. I believe in the young soldiers who are serving. I believe that freedom is not free, but paid for by the sacrifices of others. My final comment is to again look at the pictures above, feel the pain in your chest, the tears that come to the corner of your eyes, and I ask to Never forget what and why we serve.

Transition time…sorry for the “heavy” material above, but I wanted to share some deep passionate opinions that I hold. Over the past two weeks we have settled into a very much regimented routine. We get up at 5am (0500), have a formation, eat, get “geared up”…which means put on your heavy body armor, Kevlar helmet, gas mask, weapon, and an assault pack (backpack) of lots of additional gear. We then proceed to train all day on various tasks which I have included below. Then we come back “home” and eat and get out of our gear that gets very heavy and is incredibly hot…even though it has been cool here, I still manage to sweat through my undershirt and my top almost every day.
We received our “updated” body armor which actually means “more pieces”. Here I am after putting it together for the first time.

Cozy…I think it feels like what the old samurai warriors must have felt like. It has additional plates on my sides, and shoulder pads. Additional neck pieces have been added as well. I think it is close to 50 pounds when all the pieces have been added. Here are all the medical professionals in gear just after our formation.

I have no idea how I could actually treat a patient with all this gear on. Fortunately, we only have to use all the pieces when we are doing convoy operations. Here I am learning the great life saving procedure of how to clear the ER waiting room of minor complaints.

Yes, that is me throwing a grenade (training grenade). They actually have a small explosion/pop. Let’s take a moment and look at this picture…why does the instructor have a look a pure terror on his face? Maybe, it is my “pouty” lip…Maybe it is that he was afraid that I weighed so much with my gear that I might fall backwards like a turtle and not be able to get rid of my grenade.

Anyway, from the grenade range, we had to hurry to the chemical weapons training. This is the station where they call “gas, gas, gas” and you have like 8 seconds to get your mask on and fully cleared and secured. Here I am with 1LT Welch.

“The force is strong with me” At least that is what I was told while attending the Darth Vader look-a-like class.

We also spent an entire day doing “combatives”. This is a fancy way for saying hand-to-hand fighting. If you have ever watched ultimate fighting, it is essentially what we learned. All the submission holds etc…let me tell you they work! I did have some pictures…let’s just say that the editor got to them and they did not make the blog. (I tapped out). However, there were two signs at the gym that I thought were priceless (or I am just a geek). Here they are…love the military!


For my PA students, what is wrong with this sign?....if it is 100% of everybody…is it still random? I know, I am a big geek. The next sign also made me laugh…

What is up with the dramatic last sentence? It is as if there might be some confusion about the fact that there will not be water… can you see Forrest Gump raising his hand (use your Gump impression)…”Excuse me sergeant, when you say there will be no water in this facility…do you mean that there is also no bottled water in the Dasani bottled water machine that I see through the window?”.…Shut up Gump, that is a dumb question…”yes sergeant….but I have to pee”

I almost forgot…I was successful in my quest to “acquire” a desk for my closet office. Check it out:
This desk is solid steel…I think it would survive a nuclear blast. Anyway, it just “showed up” outside my make shift office one day. I was told not to ask…so I don’t ask. Except that I am on the second floor and I have no idea how they got it up the stairs. It does make my life much easier, although it is very difficult to lecture to a laptop in a closet…and not sound like I am lecturing to a laptop in a closet.

I wanted to close with another picture of all the PAs on this mission.
The PAs are from left to right: 1LT Travis Welch, who is an orthopedic PA, who specializes in the spine and a graduate of the Butler University PA Program. I am next, and I think you know enough about me. To the right of me in the picture is Major Jeff Romig, a family practice PA from Illinois. Finally on the far right of the picture is Bryan McFarland, another orthopedic PA, but he specializes in the hand. He also graduated from the Butler University PA Program. We have a great crew, and I am looking forward to actually getting to work seeing patients.

I have another two weeks of intense training, then I get to have a pass and see my wife before I deploy overseas. The pass is 4 days…I am really looking forward to it, but it feels like forever before it gets here. I think that I will close this letter for now. Please continue your thoughts and prayers for my family, as well as, the families of all the soldiers here. Take a minute to remember the victims of 9/11 and all the soldiers who have died defending our freedoms.
CPT Mike Roscoe

Please see my blog or pass along the address:
Blog address: buprofessor.blogspot.com

www.butler.edu/cophs then link to my blog on the left side.