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Subscribe to RSSNBC News' Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel reports on the Battle of Wanat, one of the worst casualty counts of the Afghanistan war that left 9 soldiers dead and 27 injured. As the families of the Chosen Company platoon struggle with feelings of betrayal and grief, they come together to launch a campaign to uncover why their sons died.
A Father's Mission re-airs Sunday, May 29, at 7pm/6c.
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What about the Frozen Chosen who gave the lives in North Korea. My dad and his friend's lost there lives and youth there. How dare you air this and nothing about the men who lost there lives's in North Korea, and not even a word about those forgoten war heroes. Those Real Chosen Few.
I think they missed the basic point.
The mind numbing blindness of the dad was stunning.
Doesn't he realize he basically caused his sons death by his glorification of the military??
Surely not, and I guess praying didn't do any good either.
I think you are greatly mistaken. It was a father's love for his country influenced his son to join the military and serve his country. I'm really sorry you feel like that, please don't take your freedom for granted. It's really hard to read something so ignorant like that.
I also have the same feeling as this story. i lost my brother in july 2003--SSG Hector R. Perez in Iraq. My brother was sent to a supposedly secured area. This was not so The answers we got from the military were hogwash!
I hope you find peace ,your brother is a hero in our hearts .Not matter how the military choose to not accept responsabilities he is a HERO!
I watch this show is the second time ,and my heart goes to ALL the heroes who died for our Freedom.This father is trying to make sense not only of her son dea,d but for all the others who die in wars......I was sobing listening this father's anguish over the son's death.... and I feel the pain , the Defense Dpt. say they "REPRIMEND" the officers that is some way of being irresponsible cause the death of this soldiers ,Reprimend when is a human life in it? it is outrageous! they should be punished to the extent and put them in jail and throw the keys like any other criminals ......the Defense Dpt.should have the right answers ( I don' think so) they make a mistake a terrible mistake ,my heart goes to this families and my prayers are with them what a loss ,they forgot about them ,they put them in danger and they abandon them ....I hope GOD give the peace in the parents hearts a,nd the way to keep the memory of them alive, we will never fotegt them ....
Events such at this is why the American people have lost faith and trust in our military. Someone needs to man up and admit their mistake. Otherwise we are to repeat it. Not acceptabe!
"Representing a profound attitude of fairness between man and man, and more particularly between the individual and government, 'due process' is compounded of history, reason, the past course of decisions, and stout confidence in the strength of the democratic faith which we profess. Due process is not a mechanical instrument. It is not a yardstick. It is a process. It is a delicate process of adjustment inescapably involving the exercise of judgment by those whom the Constitution entrusted with the unfolding of the process." Id., at 162-163 (concurring opinion).
"The heart of the matter is that democracy implies respect for the elementary rights of men, however suspect or unworthy; a democratic government must therefore practice fairness; and fairness can rarely be obtained by secret, one-sided determination of facts decisive of rights." Id., at 170 (footnote omitted).
"Man, being what he is, cannot safely be trusted with complete immunity from outward responsibility in depriving others of their rights. At least such is the conviction underlying our Bill of Rights. That a conclusion satisfies one's private conscience does not attest its reliability. The validity and moral authority of a conclusion largely depend on the mode by which it was reached. Secrecy is not congenial to truth-seeking and self-righteousness gives too slender an assurance of rightness. No better instrument has been devised for arriving at truth than to give a person in jeopardy of serious loss notice of the case against him and opportunity to meet it. Nor has a better way been found for generating the feeling, so important to a popular government, that justice has been done. Id., at 171-172 (footnote omitted)." -ibid
Lankford v. Idaho (88-7247), 500 U.S. 110 (1991)
It would seem that a Congressional Inquiry is in order. For the blame to be placed on one of the men who was a hero and died defending his men is just wrong. I am writing to my Congressmen to ask that the decision be reviewed by Congress. Watching the video filmed by Chosen Company makes it clear that they knew the base was not in a good place and had no choice in the decision. The military has passed off the blame and Congress needs to review what is being done and why so many of our brave soldiers are dying. Many brave men died in this fight, and many others risked their lives trying to rescue those who were under fire and greatly outnumbered. I would have thought that the Medal of Honor would be awarded, rather than blame.
Please write to your Congressmen and ask for a Congressional Inquiry.
I agree a congressional inquiry should be conducted. Unless something was left out of the story that move made no sense at all. The second location seemed totally indefensible. What a shame and cover-up!
Viet Nam had 'Hamburger Hill' and it would appear that we still allow 'THE BIG MEN WITH ALL OF THE TOYS' to make some really-really heinous horrid repetative stupid decisions with our fighting soldiers lives and nobody gets held accountable for this BS.
WHATS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
I'm also a very PO Mom! You are spot on accurate! My son's serving at a very remote FOB (Forward Operating Base) on the border with Pakistan. "THE BIG MEN WITH ALL THE TOYS" just advertised for, and hired a civilian contractor, to supply a security force to patrol the perimeter of this, less than a year old base! And get this...the contract states that 75% of that force should be locals!!! You can't make this stuff up, it's so unbelievable and asinine!! I was actually able to read this contract on a DOD website that advertises for civilian contract bids.
Maybe is more manpower now than before, it was wrong now, it was wrong them,The Dpt. of Defense should answer the questions for sure! it is not excuse enough ,for someone to take responsability for their wrong actions ,the Hamburger Hill was horrific and it should be answers for that too!
Being a retired military man I can sadly say this type of crap happens all the time. The higher ups are exonerated for their screw ups and blame throw on the least ranking. Seen it happen over and over again and again. This is a case of stupidity and gross incompetence at it's worst. Since the dark ages basic common military strategy has always been... TAKE THE HIGH GROUND. It is suicide to have your people set up camp at the lowest point between mountains, hills etc. The Army top brass should be ashamed of themselves in their attempt to denigrate the life of a hero that died trying to protect his men many who also died, just to protect a few incompetent... I don't know what to call them without it being blacked out but certainly no one I would want any future soldier to serve under. If I were President, the Commander In Chief I would fire every single one the people involved in coming up with that BULL CRAP finding they came up with in the end. They have no honor, no integrity and certainly not worthy to command a platoon of rats... I feel like that's what they are... a platoon of RATS and need to be terminated. Absolutely disgusting and I'm sure they are still walking around like they deserve some degree of respect... NOT!!!! NBC... I hope you pass this comment on to them. I'm sure I'm not the only one besides the family members of those killed that feel the same way. If anyone else would also like sign on as a petition for NBC to take this to the Army brass please do. Perhaps a significant number of petitioners will make it happen.
Well said An Unchosen 1 !!!
Well said - unbelievable miscarriage of "justice". They should be ashamed. What of loss of wonderful young people - a bottle of water a day - no supplies as ordered - plane stupid! Sure hope this is not the end of this investigation. I have written my senator - hope more do the same.
Sympathies to all the families that lost loved ones!
I am really afraid that General Campbell (who rescinded the reprimands) and the battalion officers in Afghanistan might some day be holding positions in the Pentagon or the Dept of Defence, responsible for our nation's future.
I sympathize with the families of the fallen and am very humbled by what the Chosen Few have done. May their sacrifice be not in vain and that the new leadership in the Pentagon be aware that the unnecessary loss of young lives is not benefiting our nation.
One thought is to withdraw and impose sanctions and let them settle their differences with clubs and fingernails or bomb the mountains until there is only molehills left.
One cannot wash out a bloodstain with more blood. -a buddhist monk
I served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade as a medic in Vietnam in 1970-71. I lost my only child in the Desert Storm. I lost my father, who adopted me, in the Korean conflict when I was 3 years old. I have pictures of seven of the nine KIA's from Wanat on my Wall of Honor in my house. When I saw Dateline tonight I cried for the parents and myself.
There is no glory in battle worth the blood it costs.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
"To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it."
— G.K. Chesterton
"You can only find truth with logic if you have already found truth without it."
— G.K. Chesterton
I was shocked by the answer the military gave these poor families. Throwing the blame back on these solders tore another whole in their hearts. This was just awful!! To these precious people who have lost their loved ones, may you know that your sons are ALL HEROES to the rest of the United States and THEY would never have stooped to the level that their superiors seem to be operating on. This father's quest was not in vane. It led to this documentary which gave the rest of us an inside look at the hearts and characters of this group of young men, as is the same of ALL our enlisted sons and daughters. God bless them all. We can never repay them.
A well presented report. Sadly, poor leadership at the battalion (?), brigade, division levels. And then to have this general rescind the investigation's reprimands is adding insult to injury. I observed similar poor leadership from the pentagon in 1965 as a physician in Viet Nam. This operation was overseen in just as stupid a manner as a landing in Italy in 1944 by Gen. Mark Clark. Don't these generals pay attention to their intelligence gatherers?
I can remember seeing this episode when it was originally aired and was angry then. Seeing it again brought back the intense anger at the military generals all over again. For General Campbell to rescind the reprimands is a shameful disgrace! I can't help wonder, after the courageous advocacy by Senator Webb, why he didn't fire off an angry letter to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Army to try to have the reprimands reinstated. The army has a lot to be profoundly ashamed of. If there is a petition to be signed, I'll sign it in a heartbeat. This is just totally unforgivable.
I can remember seeing this episode when it was originally aired and was angry then. Seeing it again brought back the intense anger at the military generals all over again. For General Campbell to rescind the reprimands is a shameful disgrace! I can't help wonder, after the courageous advocacy by Senator Webb, why he didn't fire off an angry letter to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Army to try to have the reprimands reinstated. The army has a lot to be profoundly ashamed of. If there is a petition to be signed, I'll sign it in a heartbeat. This is just totally unforgivable.
After watching this report I became so angry at General Campbell and his little posse. The fact that they would backtrack on those reprimands is beyond me. I call thaqt one of the biggest cowardly acts that could be committed. He and his posse should be discharged unfavorably. Their military records should be ruined. It sounds as if the military did not learn from it's mistakes that were made in Vietnam. I mean really, placing a post in a totally exposed ravine??? What ever "brass idiot" made that decision should be held responsible. I would be more than willing to sign a petition as well. THEY REALLY NEED TO REINSTATE THOSE REPRIMANDS! My heart, prayers and support go to all families with someone in the military. I respect those that serve to protect us. General Campbell shame on you!
I am sorry for the loss of these men and as a Vet of the U.S.Army, I am so upset with this sorry lack of respect that these families were never given. I demand that the reprimands be reinstated NOW. That sorry bunch of idiot's were in charge here and it breaks my heart for these true hero's! And their families. Oh and as to General Campbell he should loose any & all benifits,i.e. retirment, medical care etc! What a Bufoon. Thank you to all for your service.
Combat 101- Never put your troops in a ravine surround by mountains (its a high kill zone). Who ever planned that mission new those kids were just nothing more then bait to lure the enemy out and hopefuly bring in the air strikes to catch on the mountain tops. But there plan FAILED because they underestimated their enemy. (Combat 101- Never Underestimated your enemy. The Officers who planned this mission FAILED and SHOULD be reprimanded for there action's if not than nothing will be learned from this sad loss of life in this battle. Generals feel they don't have to answer to the public for there officers actions and General Campell proved that on Dateline with his slap in the face to the parents with his little I'm going to do what I want to do speech. Some Officers need to go back to learn Combat Training 101
My hats off to MSNBC for airing this program, I hope they continue to follow up and show more just like it, also I praise the Marines who investigated the incident and had the guts to tell the truth, even if the Army covered it. I was in the Army four years as a scout Sniper and have kids serving now, I have been an undercover (narc) investigator for 23 years and the first thing you learn is you do not investigate your own, the Army has done this forever and covers its own and always puts the blame on the small guy who takes orders from the protected. take a look at the Pat Tillman tragedy if you really want to see how low the Army can go. I dont think the Army has learned anything since Vietnam, they make the same mistakes over and over and it is because the people making the decisions are not held accountable. Also anybody condeming the father would not understand his morales and never will. That man is torn between everything he has ever fought and believed in and the love of his son-enough said.