When I was in Iraq during my first tour in 2003, I spent countless hours sitting with my local villagers talking about their experiences and futures. Over chai one day my primary village sheik, Dr. Mohammed, and I discussed the meaning of “freedom.”
He said that in America freedom meant you could go where you want, vote for whomever you chose, and enjoy your life. In Iraq freedom meant “you stole my sheep…I get my gun and kill you. Freedom means I do what I want.”
I remember the conversation vividly and was thinking how hard it will be to build a stable society when everything is solved with violence after 35 years of dictatorship.
Watching the insane video out of Lubbock of the guy “standing his ground” to murder his girlfriends ex-husband and the Rittenhouse case have taken me back to that time. How long does a society/nation survive when we solve all of our conflicts with a gun without consequences?
We are as awash with guns as Iraq was. What should have been a bumping of chests and “F’ you…f’ you!” ends up being a straight up execution and the police just shake it off. We should be scared. There is a madness growing in our country and I’ve seen where it ends.
Dr. Mohammed was executed by AK-47 armed terrorists in the clinic I helped build for him in 2012.

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More from @FPWellman

4 Oct
One of my favorite flying memories was in flight school at Ft. Rucker in 1987. My 1st Instructor Pilot was a crusty Vietnam vet who would illegally chain smoke while we flew around in circles. The old TH-55 was a simple workhorse for basic flight skills with a single VHF radio.
One day we’re making an approach to enter the t
pattern at a training field. As I make my call to tower the radio crackles and dies. I immediately call for the no comms emergency procedure. He says “don’t do that, LT..Jesus.” He flicks his cig out the door and loosens his belt.
He then hunches up in his seat and proceeds to kick the absolute shit out of the center console radio. It crackles and comes back to life and I make my ATC call as we fly along in silence. He lights another cigarette and looks at me over his bushy mustache and tells me…
Read 4 tweets
3 Sep
Had an incredible day yesterday at the International Institute of St. Louis in our first mission with military volunteers from the region. On Weds morning they asked me if I could find 20 volunteers to help move some of the flood of donations from their site to their warehouse.
I wasn't sure if I could pull it off. I only started volunteering with them this week and hadn't really done any outreach to the organizations in St. Louis yet. But, I had an ace in the hole. I had waved down an Air Force Captain at @IISTL on Tuesday as he dropped off donations. Cars lined up to donate at IISTL
I intro'd myself and asked if he could help me at @ScottAFB with some connections. Well, Evan wasn't playing. The next morning I had an email with a host of POC's he'd already spoken to and wanted to help. I wrote 2 of them asking for 10 volunteers for the next day.
Read 9 tweets
31 Aug
I didn't serve in Afghanistan. My connection starts with 9/11 and voluntarily getting mobilized by my Reserve unit that first night for "just 2 weeks" that led to another 9 years of service and 3 Iraq tours. I lost interpreters, local partners, and friends in that time.
My own mental health collapsed years after I took off the uniform. I saw death, loss, joy, triumph and pain but it led to so much. I've made a post-service life of continued service. I've been able to help fellow veterans and work to save our democracy.
My feelings today are decidedly mixed. I believe it was time to end this 20 year war. I am frustrated with the chaotic departure. I am sad knowing so many will suffer under the Taliban and we could have done more for our interpreters and partners for the last decade.
Read 12 tweets
25 Aug
Hey! If you are working with a local refugee assistance organization in your area let me know so I can get the word out so others can join the effort! I'm happy to spread the word about the needs or our allies as they settle in the U.S.! #AfghanRefugees #Afghan
I'll start. I am learning more now about the International Institute of St. Louis. @iistl is responsible for an over 100 mile radius around STL and is helping dozens of refugees as they arrive. Here is an OpEd from the Post-Dispatch stltoday.com/opinion/editor…
The International Rescue Committee @RESCUEorg is working hard across the country through local chapters and needs volunteers to help Afghan refugees to settle and find homes here. Check out their national page here and find a local chapter near you: help.rescue.org/donate/afghani…
Read 13 tweets
3 Aug
Fox and their propagandists spent the week mocking Capitol and Metro police for seeking counseling and showing raw emotions over the mental wounds they sustained in vicious hand-to-hand combat with 1/6 terrorists. Chinless losers and vetbro’s thought their suffering was funny.
This is the right today. “Alpha males” and toxic bullshit that thinks it’s funny when people suffer. We have a suicide epidemic in our military, first responder and veteran communities that’s directly tied to these kind of shit attitudes. I’ve lost so many people at war and home.
I can smell rotting flesh hundreds of yards away and see the burned bodies of our enemies like it was yesterday. I got help and made a new life in my 50’s because of nearly 4 yrs of hard work. We must attack these toxic fools. Good men and women shouldn’t die at their own hands.
Read 5 tweets
29 Jul
Tough but accurate. Someone was shocked at an event recently when I said I’m ready for us to leave Afghanistan. They thought I’d support my old bosses in their dismay. Of course, I’m very worried about the Afghan people but 20 years is a generation. (1)
Did you ever see ‘European Vacation’ when they get stuck in the traffic circle in London? Chevy Chase is every general whose DNA is written with code to never ‘fail’ the mission. They will always keep fighting. “Look kids, victory!” Around and around, again and again. (2)
It’s why I’ve always said I want true civilian oversight of our wars. Everyone outsourced the “Forever War” to the military. We are purpose built to never fail the mission. It’s hammered into every soldier from day one. “There is no substitute for victory.” -Douglas MacArthur (3)
Read 5 tweets

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