This article was written by Iraqi War Veteran, Captain Terron Sims, II (U.S. Army, May 2000-June 2005). Terron is a member of Arlington Young Democrats and currently volunteers for the Kaine campaign. In this article, he discusses the War in Iraq and why he is a Democrat supporting Tim Kaine.As I continue my volunteer efforts for the coordinated campaign and venture into the world of politics, I do so to represent the people and to continue the public service I performed as a Captain in the US Army. Serving my country is, and always has been, a high priority in my life. While in Baghdad, I was wavering as to whether I was going to continue my service in the Army or resign my commission and enter the world of politics.
My unit, 1st Squadron, 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment, deployed to Iraq in late April of 2003 and then returned in mid-July 2004 - to Baghdad for a year and to the small city of Kut for three months. During the deployment, my fellow soldiers and I watched a lot of news, mostly because the news channels were some of the few that were in English. Watching the news was rarely an enjoyable event because the reports never seemed to fully correlate to what was actually happening on the ground. It was not that the reporters were not telling the truth; it was that they were not telling the entire truth, while painting an inadequate representation of the war for the American public. Constantly watching the news caused me to realize that someone needed to stand up and be a voice for the people.
Tracking the 2004 Presidential race, while out of the country and in a war zone, made me realize, for the first time in my life, how the outcome of an election could have a direct effect on my fellow soldiers and me. The constant rhetoric we heard from the Presidential campaign was disturbing. We heard a lot of promises that we all knew they could not keep. We were frustrated hearing the politicians speak in a manner that was not fully conveying to the great American public what life was like for the soldiers. Each side told the story that they wanted to tell, instead of the story in its entirety.
During my time in Iraq, I discovered that although ground commanders were charged with leading men into battle, the true decisions were made by politicians. For me, the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back was the constant occurrences of Coalition Provision Authority of Iraq (CPA) officials circumventing necessary military actions. There were several occasions when we were prepared to execute a mission that would have prevented future unrest. Near the time of execution, the CPA would terminate these missions without any justifiable explanation. Over time, we became extremely frustrated, knowing that we could have done some good through our actions.
Through my experience, I realized that if I truly wanted to have a direct effect on policy, I needed to serve the public in the political arena. As great and honorable as service in the Army is, no matter how much rank one attains or how many stars are on one?s collar, there is always a civilian who is in a position to override a decision. This is why we, more than ever, need civilians who truly care about the people they represent.
My Army experience taught me a great deal and I am very grateful and appreciative of the service that I gave to my country while under arms. My deployment was an extraordinary experience and certainly the most rewarding experience of my professional life. Now that I have served my country in one capacity, I wish to serve the great American public in another. Public service is the most effective way to have a positive influence in my community, and that is why I am here, in Arlington, working hard to make a difference.
I first had the privilege of meeting Lt. Governor Tim Kaine at fund raising dinner this past June in Mount Vernon. The atmosphere and attendees were thus that I had the opportunity to personally speak with the Lt. Governor. The first thing that struck me about Tim Kaine was that he was very personable. I appreciated the fact that he spoke to me, and not at me. The next was that I saw within Tim a very strong sense of character and knew that he was a man of great conviction.
Being a West Point graduate and a former leader in our nation?s Army, I hold my leaders in high regard when they exhibit the true tenants of leadership. Tim Kaine is such a man. And that is why I support him to become the next Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
PS Photo courtesy of Bill Thompson