Coach Webb, Ms. Arguello: I hope all is well with you and your
families. I wanted to send a letter to some of the most influential
people in my life, and you both were top on my list. You may not
remember me (you
’d better!) Kevin Williams, class of 93 … Coach Webb, had you
for physics and my painfully short wrestling career … Ms.
Arguello, for sophomore and junior history. I was also curious if
Rose Morgan was still teaching at Live Oak?
This letter was sent in e-mail form to Live Oak teachers Glen Webb and Ginny Arguello. As a result of the letter, the teachers are organizing a drive to collect school supplies to send to Iraq to aid their former student, Lt. Kevin Williams, and others in setting up schools. Donations of school supplies may be mailed to Live Oak High, 1505 E. Main Ave., 95037, during the winter break and dropped off at the school after Jan. 4. Williams may be e-mailed at wi*******@**.armymil
Coach Webb, Ms. Arguello:
I hope all is well with you and your families. I wanted to send a letter to some of the most influential people in my life, and you both were top on my list. You may not remember me (you’d better!) Kevin Williams, class of 93 … Coach Webb, had you for physics and my painfully short wrestling career … Ms. Arguello, for sophomore and junior history. I was also curious if Rose Morgan was still teaching at Live Oak?
I just wanted to thank you both for shaping my future, and for helping me stay on the right path. After graduating from Live Oak, I attended UC Santa Barbara and received my commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry, U.S. Army.
Since that time I have traveled the world: South America, South West Asia, Southern United States (ouch)! And through it all I still see one of my goals as becoming a high school teacher. Your influence made me realize the incredible difference a great teacher can make on a man’s life. I am a living testament to that fact.
Currently I am deployed in Iraq, I am the commander of Bravo Company, 3-327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). After the drive through southern Iraq and Baghdad, I am now currently operating in and around Mosul.
We have done some incredible things here in Iraq, for the people and the country. I have recently been involved in getting my classmates to send school supplies for some of the communities I am trying to get functioning. I wanted to be sure the story was being told to the future of America, and, regardless of political beliefs, your students need to hear about Iraq from one of their “own” trying to make a difference. Here is the latest:
It is so great to get messages from old friends and to see the interest in supporting all the good we are trying to accomplish.
It would be great if you could get the word out on the type of things the military is doing over here. There is too much negative press about what is going on. Just the other day, an Iraqi doctor approached me on the street and thanked my soldiers for being there. He also offered me some sagacious advice.
He told me we need to get more positive media on the air waves, because all the negative press does now is hurt the great strides we have made; water, electricity, fuel, security and not to mention getting the schools to begin operating.
The Al-Jazeera news network recently reported that we were on the streets beating children and stealing gold from Iraqis. Follow this up with a segment from CNN on how the troops in Iraq are not well-received. Where once this educated doctor made a dollar a month for his services under the old regime, he now can make $100 a month. In the last two weeks my men and I have visited over 300 homes in the Mosul area, almost 99 percent of whom we talked to were grateful for all we have done and continue to do.
Our soldiers have been in Iraq for over 11 months. The 101st ABN DIV (AASLT) is the only unit that still remains from the original group that led the attack to Baghdad, a testament to the excellence and professionalism of every one of the soldiers in the company and the division.
Unfortunately, the media has not been reporting all the good and positive things that our soldiers are doing daily, or about how much they personally believe in the cause. We know the impact we are having daily through the smiles and greetings we receive from the majority of the Iraqi people. They know the sacrifices we are willing to make and have made for freedom – freedom for all. This is about protecting people and their humanity and their right to live free from oppression.
Let there be no mistake, we know why we are here. We are here fighting terrorism in its purest form; we are preventing another 9-11; we are ensuring that the terrorists fight us on the ground of our choosing, not on our home soil, so that our own families can live free from fear. Yes, we have suffered casualties. My friends, my men, have paid the ultimate sacrifice…but for a cause we believe in. Honor their memory by knowing what is going on; know their history.
The news reports you see now have very little reality to them because we no longer have the embedded media with us like before. Keep this in mind when listening to the “talking heads.” I made a statement to my First Sergeant the other day that our sister units in Iraq don’t even know or appreciate what we do on a daily basis, so how could a journalist half way around the world, sitting in a heated office, drinking a $5 cup of café latte know what we are doing. Bottom line, they can’t and they won’t until they come back over here and see what is going on first hand.
With all this we continue to conduct missions ranging from stability and security to humanitarian aid and standing up of freely elected governments. Never in the history of the Army, has the mission been so diverse or challenging. However, daily these young soldiers carry themselves with the demeanor and maturity that you would expect from individuals many years their senior.
Every soldier knows that he is one event away from an international incident, but must balance that with the need to protect himself, his brothers and the people of Iraq. Not a simple task, but one these soldiers shoulder 24-hours a day. You can be proud of your extended family here in Iraq; they are indeed doing it right.
If you go to the following website: http://www.campbell.army.mil/IDN/, there was an article about our efforts here published in the Iraqi Destiny Newsletter, Issue 47. Our biggest town we deal with is Tal Kayf, located 12 km north of Mosul, Iraq. We have made great strides there. But there is still more to be done.
Just to let you know my wife of five years is also here in Iraq. We deployed over here together in February 2003. She is another local Bay Area girl, formerly Ms. Carrie Camors of San Jose. A Westmont High School grad who went to UCSB where we met. She is currently the commander of Alpha Company, 6-101 AVN, 101st ABN DIV. A Blackhawk pilot.
I think fondly to the old days and love hearing from the crew from Live Oak, especially now. I can’t wait to get home and see everyone I can. Thanks for the packages, they will be well-received. You are now a member of our family, the Bravo Company “Bulldogs,” 3-327 IN REGT, 1st BDE, 101st … Have a great holidays.
Coach Webb, Ms. Arguello, please pass along my best to the current staff and please accept my deepest thanks and admiration on your efforts in making good kids. Yours is truly the most honorable profession of all…Kevin.
Support our troops and pray for their safe return …
