An American veteran’s plea: arm Ukraine or surrender freedom
As Russian forces closed in on the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, U.S. veteran Jackie witnessed firsthand the deadly cost of Congress blocking military aid to Ukraine.
I am an American Military Veteran, callsign Jackie, and I am writing from the Donbas Oblast in Ukraine. I am originally from Orange County, California. I served in the US Military for 8 years, stationed in Colorado, South Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. I also worked as a contractor at the JFK Special Warfare Center in North Carolina, helping prepare our future special operators.
As an American Soldier, I have always been interested in our national security and global interests. I am currently an assault instructor serving in the 3rd Assault Brigade, an elite unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Yesterday [letter was published before Ukrainian troops withdrew from Avdiivka on 17 February – Ed] we came to the rescue of Ukrainian Forces who had been enduring the Russian attack on the town of Avdiivka. Our fighters quickly destroyed two Russian brigades and kept a corridor open for Ukrainians in Avdiivka to retreat from the town. Our soldiers are true professionals, not disturbed by the massive Russian firepower being flung at them and fighting hard to gain and maintain the corridor.
One thing I teach my students is to conduct “shaping operations.” Essentially, to take steps by using alternative means such as artillery, airpower (drones in our case), or electronic warfare to prepare the battlefield for the success of our infantry to capture their final positions.
My students are very excited to employ these techniques, they train on them and use them in battle frequently.
Ukrainian Soldiers are highly motivated to fight efficiently and reduce casualties as they are making their transition from Soviet to NATO doctrinal warfare. Our Brigade is leading this transition and using shaping operations at every level possible, even down to the squad. We make plans, do reconnaissance, task support assets, and review our actions after battle to learn what we did well and what we need to change.
We admit our successes and failures and improve and grow as professionals. Because of this, in battle, we are confident and unrelenting.
On the ground in Avdiivka, we felt the results of current American politics with full force.
We are accustomed to fighting with less artillery than the Russians. We have already developed clever ways of using precision fire to counter Russian artillery. Our artillery soldiers use their American-provided weapons efficiently and effectively to batter the second-largest military in the world so that our assaulters have cover while they pierce like needles to rapidly cut the Russian Force’s critical arteries.
We are used to fighting understrength. We are intelligently adapted and trained to push ourselves to the highest level of combat performance. But we cannot deliver miracles.
We have already delivered many miracles in this war, and I am sure we will continue to do so, but hoping for miracles is not a reliable way to win a war.
I am extremely disappointed in a super-minority decision to block military aid to Ukraine in our American Congress. More than that, I need to go pray and say goodbye to more of my students and friends.
These soldiers, these men and women, they are incredible people. It takes weeks to teach American Soldiers what Ukrainians can learn in hours. Their standards and self-expectations are high. They usually accomplish complex team-based tasks correctly on their first attempt.
Every time they fail in training, they get angry with themselves and repeat the task until it is right. I have never had to ask them to stay later or work harder. They hardly sleep, they don’t complain, and most of them have families.
Besides not getting to spend time with their families, these soldiers know that this fight is for their future and their safety.
Again, I am extremely disappointed in a super-minority decision in our House of Congress to block funding for Ukraine.
They have said that we need this or that. Border security or healthcare or whatever you want to say, it is clear to me that this is solely about Ukraine. We didn’t have proper border security or healthcare in 2010 either. Or 2000. Or 1990. Or 1980. Or 1970. Or 1960. Or 1950.
Our decision and ability as Americans to have funding for something we supposedly want has nothing to do with enabling Ukraine’s current defense.
The problems in America that this super-minority in the House of Congress are citing to block funding have endured since the founding of our American Nation in the 1700s. They have nothing to do with Ukraine in 2024. I
am sure that France in 1776 could have come up with many excuses not to support American Colonists fighting for independence from British subjugation. Foreign support and arms enabled the American Congress to stand today. Now, we are tasked to keep the light of freedom lit for others.
The current speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, wishes to pour water on that fire. Among others, we are fighting hard. Against impossible odds. All you need to do is help from a distance, and that is a good thing for Americans.
Russians use phosphorus shells which set fuel oil tanks at #Avdiivka Coke Plant on fire, spreading smog, 3d Assault Brigade says (
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