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Description
"I want to tell you about my son" he said
Carlos Arredondo handed me the letter his son wrote him from the naval ship as he left for Iraq. He asked that I read it and told me I could keep the copy. There were a few other people there at the time and they were given their letter copies as well. Carlos had a lot to say and I felt like he really did not know where to start. He began with the story of finding out Alexander had been killed.

It was August 25th 2004 and his mother was at his house baking him a cake because it was his birthday. He said he had been watching TV nonstop to see how the war was progressing and was extremely happy because George W. Bush had recently come on the news and said “Mission Accomplished”. After hearing this news of the US victory he was very happy because he believed his son would be home very soon. Mom was in the kitchen baking the cake as a Marine van pulled up to the house. Carlos said his first thoughts were happiness, that this was a surprise birthday reunion with his son since the war was over. Three Marines came to the door and gave Carlos news that his son had just been killed.

Carlos then ran to his shed grabbing a container of gasoline and a propane tank. He then went to the Marine van, smashed out the window, climbed inside and proceeded to set the van and himself on fire. When the van exploded he was thrown from the vehicle. The Three Marines then extinguished the fire consuming him.

As Carlos told us this story he lifted his pants and shirt exposing scars from his severe burns. At this point we were all in tears or holding back as hard as we could. Most of us were parents and could completely put our self in his place. Carlos asked us to please read his sons letter, but this was way too difficult for me in that moment. I put the letter in my camera bag and promised him I would read it.

After listening to Carlos for that part of the story I had to get up and go for a walk. His story was so emotionally painful I was unable to stay and listen more without completely breaking down. My thoughts at that time were what I would do if I lost any of my children. What would I do if a man sent my son off to die for what I believed was not only an unjust war but purely for self profit? I was so sad and so angry I could hardly hold it inside. I walked for about 2 hours before coming back to Camp Casey to finish talking with Carlos.

While sitting in the grass listening too much of the same story again some people would come up and in their own special way tell Carlos that he was a disgrace to his son and to the US. Their jabs would come more as questions without care for retort. Carlos would remain at all times very calm and would answer any question that was asked of him. This is when he said what I believe effected me the most. He said some people need to get answers from the President, some need to rally and protest, some need to support this war because that is how they deal with their pain. He says he just needs to tell his son’s story and share the letter he received from him before finding out he was killed. “We are all in pain” he said “And I do not fault anyone for the way they deal with their pain”.

The Letter

Mom + Dad

Today is Sunday January 19, 2003. I’ve been out at sea for three day now and I’m starting to feel better. The first two days I was completely sick from seasickness and some virus. So far everyday I come outside of the ship and write letters, whale watch (which isn’t that great cause I haven’t seen any but there are plenty of dolphins that swim along side the ship), watch the horizon and sunset etc…
This seems so unreal to me. I’ve never seen water this BLUE before, I’ve never looked 360 degrees around me and seen nothing but water, clouds, the sun, and a fleet of battle ships surrounding me.
Tomorrow is one of my many, many training days on the ship to prepare me for my mission. I will also be training a short time in Kuwait. This is hard for me to comprehend. It seems like my whole life changed in an instant. Yesterday I was in a classroom learning trigonometry and history. I graduated, went to boot camp, went to school, graduated as a grunt, I was sent across the country to train, now I’m being sent across the world to fight. Today I am in a classroom learning about TACTICAL URBAN COMBAT and NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, and CHEMICAL WARFARE, In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, on my way to experience 1st hand what I am learning about.
I am not afraid of dying. I am more afraid of what will happen to all the ones that I love if something happens to me. Soon enough I will be in the desert, outside the city of Baghdad in full combat gear, ready to carry out my mission, wondering how this all happened so fast, wishing I was back home going to school, dating Sheila, taking care of my family.
Although I think this way now I am almost certain that if I didn’t walk this path of a proud warrior, a Marine. Just because I wonder “what if” doesn’t mean I’m not proud, it doesn’t mean I feel like I made the wrong decision, it doesn’t mean I have any regrets. I’m still proud to be fighting for my country, I feel like, if I’m not helping one way, I should still do all that I can to help (OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM).
I am on the time hack now. I need to send this letter in the next hour for it to get to you by Tuesday or Wednesday. I love you both very much and I wish I could keep writing but I got to go. Love you.

Description
"I want to tell you about my son" he said
Carlos Arredondo handed me the letter his son wrote him from the naval ship as he left for Iraq. He asked that I read it and told me I could keep the copy. There were a few other people there at the time and they were given their letter copies as well. Carlos had a lot to say and I felt like he really did not know where to start. He began with the story of finding out Alexander had been killed.

It was August 25th 2004 and his mother was at his house baking him a cake because it was his birthday. He said he had been watching TV nonstop to see how the war was progressing and was extremely happy because George W. Bush had recently come on the news and said “Mission Accomplished”. After hearing this news of the US victory he was very happy because he believed his son would be home very soon. Mom was in the kitchen baking the cake as a Marine van pulled up to the house. Carlos said his first thoughts were happiness, that this was a surprise birthday reunion with his son since the war was over. Three Marines came to the door and gave Carlos news that his son had just been killed.

Carlos then ran to his shed grabbing a container of gasoline and a propane tank. He then went to the Marine van, smashed out the window, climbed inside and proceeded to set the van and himself on fire. When the van exploded he was thrown from the vehicle. The Three Marines then extinguished the fire consuming him.

As Carlos told us this story he lifted his pants and shirt exposing scars from his severe burns. At this point we were all in tears or holding back as hard as we could. Most of us were parents and could completely put our self in his place. Carlos asked us to please read his sons letter, but this was way too difficult for me in that moment. I put the letter in my camera bag and promised him I would read it.

After listening to Carlos for that part of the story I had to get up and go for a walk. His story was so emotionally painful I was unable to stay and listen more without completely breaking down. My thoughts at that time were what I would do if I lost any of my children. What would I do if a man sent my son off to die for what I believed was not only an unjust war but purely for self profit? I was so sad and so angry I could hardly hold it inside. I walked for about 2 hours before coming back to Camp Casey to finish talking with Carlos.

While sitting in the grass listening too much of the same story again some people would come up and in their own special way tell Carlos that he was a disgrace to his son and to the US. Their jabs would come more as questions without care for retort. Carlos would remain at all times very calm and would answer any question that was asked of him. This is when he said what I believe effected me the most. He said some people need to get answers from the President, some need to rally and protest, some need to support this war because that is how they deal with their pain. He says he just needs to tell his son’s story and share the letter he received from him before finding out he was killed. “We are all in pain” he said “And I do not fault anyone for the way they deal with their pain”.

The Letter

Mom + Dad

Today is Sunday January 19, 2003. I’ve been out at sea for three day now and I’m starting to feel better. The first two days I was completely sick from seasickness and some virus. So far everyday I come outside of the ship and write letters, whale watch (which isn’t that great cause I haven’t seen any but there are plenty of dolphins that swim along side the ship), watch the horizon and sunset etc…
This seems so unreal to me. I’ve never seen water this BLUE before, I’ve never looked 360 degrees around me and seen nothing but water, clouds, the sun, and a fleet of battle ships surrounding me.
Tomorrow is one of my many, many training days on the ship to prepare me for my mission. I will also be training a short time in Kuwait. This is hard for me to comprehend. It seems like my whole life changed in an instant. Yesterday I was in a classroom learning trigonometry and history. I graduated, went to boot camp, went to school, graduated as a grunt, I was sent across the country to train, now I’m being sent across the world to fight. Today I am in a classroom learning about TACTICAL URBAN COMBAT and NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, and CHEMICAL WARFARE, In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, on my way to experience 1st hand what I am learning about.
I am not afraid of dying. I am more afraid of what will happen to all the ones that I love if something happens to me. Soon enough I will be in the desert, outside the city of Baghdad in full combat gear, ready to carry out my mission, wondering how this all happened so fast, wishing I was back home going to school, dating Sheila, taking care of my family.
Although I think this way now I am almost certain that if I didn’t walk this path of a proud warrior, a Marine. Just because I wonder “what if” doesn’t mean I’m not proud, it doesn’t mean I feel like I made the wrong decision, it doesn’t mean I have any regrets. I’m still proud to be fighting for my country, I feel like, if I’m not helping one way, I should still do all that I can to help (OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM).
I am on the time hack now. I need to send this letter in the next hour for it to get to you by Tuesday or Wednesday. I love you both very much and I wish I could keep writing but I got to go. Love you.