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"The War is not over till all our troops come home"
Vice President surprises Marines at Al Asad
Submitted by: 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification #: 2005121985856
Story by Cpl. Micah Snead
AL ASAD, Iraq (Dec. 18, 2005) -- Vice President Dick Cheney surprised service members and brought a pre-holiday message of support to Al Asad, Iraq, Dec. 18.
More than 600 Marines, sailors and soldiers gathered in a hangar on the western Iraq air base, home of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), shortly before Cheney’s arrival. Rumors about the surprise guest circulated through the crowd until Maj. Gen. Stephen T. Johnson, the commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd), took the stage and introduced the military’s second-in-command.
“Well, I’m not Jessica Simpson,” Cheney joked, after taking the stage. “But, I’m glad to be here. I happened to be in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d drop by.”
Cheney, making his first visit to Iraq as vice president, met with some of Iraq’s top military and civilian leaders and toured an Iraqi Security Force training facility before delivering a speech to service members at Al Asad.
“Each one of you is helping to write a proud chapter in the history of freedom,” Cheney said. “Americans know about the heroism out here every day. Our goal is victory and with you in the fight, that victory is assured.”
Cheney said part of the reason for his visit was to let the deployed service members know their sacrifices are not going unnoticed and they have not only his support, but also the support of the American people.
“I’ve come with a message from home,” Cheney said. “Americans are grateful for your service, we support your mission and we’re proud of each and every one of you.”
Cheney also expressed his views on talk out of Washington of a premature withdrawal from Iraq.
“You’ve heard some prominent voices advocating a sudden withdrawal of our forces from Iraq,” Cheney said. “Some have suggested that the war is not winnable and a few seem almost eager to conclude the struggle is already over. But they are wrong. The only way to lose this fight is to quit and that is not an option.”
Two Marines in the crowd were especially surprised when they were ushered onstage after the vice president’s speech to receive Bronze Star medals. Corporal Jeffery A. Firman, a 20-year-old light armored vehicle crewman from 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and a Rochester Hills, Mich., native, and Cpl. Jaret M. Radimer, a 20-year-old rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and a Suffolk, N.Y., native, are both on their second combat deployments, but this was their first time on stage in front of hundreds of their peers.
“It was awesome, but I was nervous at the same time,” Firman said. “Of all the things you go through, I never expected to have the vice president give me a Bronze Star.”
The Marines were in forward combat areas before being summoned to Al Asad, but were never told exactly why until a narrator began reading their award warrants.
“It was pretty cool, definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Radimer said. “When they first told me I was coming here, I actually thought I was in trouble.”
Firman was awarded the Bronze Star for exposing himself to enemy fire to rescue wounded Marines during a firefight. After seeing Marines fall under machine gun and small arms fire, Firman returned fire, directed his vehicle toward the wounded, carried wounded Marines to safety and then returned to his vehicle to provide fire, covering the Marines’ evacuation.
Radimer received his Bronze Star for actions during an improvised explosive device and small arms ambush during a mounted patrol. Radimer used his Humvee to shield Marines from small arms fire then provided cover fire and assistance for the casualty evacuation team. During the engagement, Radimer realized his platoon sergeant was unconscious and trapped inside a burning vehicle. Radimer had to pry an air conditioning vent off the Humvee with his bare hands to rescue the Marine.
Despite the special recognition and a break from combat operations, both Marines were eager to return to their units.
“I actually hated to leave my guys behind,” Radimer said. “This was nice, but I’ll feel better when I get back out there. It just doesn’t feel right to get this kind of attention and be away from them.”
After the award presentation, Cheney held a roundtable discussion with 30 service members from a variety of units deployed to Iraq’s Al Anbar province. U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who accompanied Cheney on the trip to Al Asad, sat in on the meeting. Corporal Bradley P. Warren, a machine gunner with 3rd Bn., 7th Marines, and a St. Louis native, opened a questions-and-answers session by asking Cheney about the topside view of progress in Iraq.
“Iraq’s looking good,” Cheney said. “It’s hard sometimes, if you look at just the news, to have the good stories burn through. Part of it is that what we’re doing here, obviously takes time. It’s hard, tough, day-in, day-out kind of work that all of you are involved in. But from our perspective, from the standpoint of the president… I think it’s remarkable progress.”
Army Specialist Mujahid Kuwa, a Deleng, Sudan, native, used his face-to-face time with Cheney to thank him for the United States’ efforts in the Global War on Terrorism.
“Coming to Iraq made me remember the terrible things that have gone on in the past in Sudan,” Kuwa, an administration specialist and Arabic translator with the 67th Area Support Group who currently resides in Cheney’s hometown of Lincoln, Neb., said. “It made me realize that these people need help and the United States is here to provide it. I felt like I needed to tell him, on behalf of thousands of other people, that we appreciate what the United States is doing all across the world.”
Cheney thanked the servicemen and women for their sacrifice and wished them safety throughout the rest of their deployment before posing for photographs and leaving Al Asad.
“The whole thing was good to go,” said Cpl. Ryan T. Hunt, warehouse chief for Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 and a Versailles, Ind., native, who sat in on the roundtable discussion with Cheney. “He had a lot of positive things to say about the future out here. It was a good reminder that we are here for a purpose and we’re making progress.”
Cheney’s final words for the service members focused on the support they have waiting at home and the appreciation the United States. has for all of their military.
“I want you to know, especially at Christmas time, how much you mean to America,” Cheney said. “This is the season for counting our blessings, and Americans realize how fortunate we are to have people like you wearing the uniform of our country. I want to thank you once again for serving far from home in an hour of great need. You reflect immense credit on the uniform you wear and the cause you serve.”
Vice President Dick Cheney pins a Bronze Star medal on Cpl. Jaret M. Radimer, a 20-year-old rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and Suffolk, N.Y., native, at Al Asad, Iraq, Dec. 18. Cheney surprised service members and brought a pre-Holiday message of support to Al Asad, during his visit to Iraq. Photo by: Cpl. Andrew D. Pendracki
