Selfless Service

1LT Laura Walker walked into my classroom just over five years ago as a Yearling in CH101. She was intelligent, professional, and had a positive attitude that was infectious to the underclassmen. Laura branched engineers and I was happy to see that she chose Fort Lewis—a post that I myself was headed to. Laura was a top platoon leader in the Task Force and was hand-picked to become the Task Force’s Public Affairs Officer (PAO) where we worked together to showcase the great things that Soldiers were doing to support the Afghan government’s legitimacy. Laura always balanced mission with taking care of Soldiers and even as a staff officer made a point to push care packages to Soldiers who operated out of Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). Her memory in the Task Force is not forgotten and we continue to remember her dedication and devotion to taking of Soldiers. 1LT Laura Walker wrote this following piece a few days before her death and is a powerful tribute to her deep respect to the sacrifices that all Soldiers make.
- MAJ Jerry Farnsworth II, Executive Officer, Task Force Pacemaker, Kandahar, Afghanistan

The things that stay important to us...

It is not called a hardship tour for no reason. The things the American Soldier gives up in service of his country, whether in Iraq, Korea, or Afghanistan are unimaginable to the average citizen. When you ask for volunteers to leave their families and friends, the everyday comforts of home, their entire lives, for something that will be undeniably less comfortable, who raises their hand? What kind of person makes that sacrifice? And for God’s sake, why?

Though these are questions that have been asked in patriotic articles for years, when I really stop to think about it, it still amazes me. And I’m in the Army. I stare at these Soldiers, covered in dust. I watch them day after day as they consistently go without showers or hot food. They deserve so much more. How can they stand it? Sure, they complain. But they achieve so much with so little in a miserable, monotonous environment. What thanks do they get? What keeps them going?

It is incumbent upon us as leaders to spend every waking minute of every day trying to mitigate those circumstances. A year long deployment is taking a significant portion of someone’s life. We should never face that responsibility callously. If there is any opportunity to make a Soldier more comfortable- take it. If you can arrange better communication with their families- do it. If you can make their job easier by getting better equipment or tools- find the damn tools! That Soldier works so, so hard. How can we not work equally as hard to ensure their success? To make their efforts worthwhile, and even more so to ensure that Soldier has left his post better than he found it for his replacement? Clearly I am not suggesting that you prioritize a Soldier’s comfort over mission accomplishment. But every day ask yourself, am I doing absolutely everything within my power for this Soldier? They deserve no less.

The things that get us through the day at home should stay important to us here. Families, friends, personal comfort, leisure, and a support network; these things matter! I don’t care what mud wallowing, bark eating, pain-enduring faction of the combat arms you are affiliated with. The point is not that we can all endure that sort of life. The point is why on earth would you consciously impose it on someone who has volunteered to serve his country during a time of war?!? It is the duty of every single American citizen, and I don’t care how sanctimonious I sound, to put effort into providing the very best for our Soldiers.

1LT Laura M. Walker, USMA 2003

(posthumously)