Iowa troops, families bear war’s uptick

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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The “lull” in the Afghanistan War is certainly over for members of the 2,800 Iowa National Guard troops serving there.

On Saturday, Staff Sgt. James A. Justice of Grimes became the third Iowa Guardsman to die in combat there since April 12. It's been six years since three members of the military from our state have been killed overseas in as few as 13 days.

The latest deaths along with more than a dozen injuries are painful reminders of just how dangerous this theater is for Iowans and other U.S. troops in Afghanistan. These losses remind us that we cannot take their service for granted and we must continue to find ways to lend our support to their families back home.

Until this month, no member of the state's largest National Guard deployment since World War II had died since arriving in Afghanistan last November. Winter weather chilled much of the enemy's combat actions, as is typical. That situation changed dramatically for Iowans during the week of April 11.

First, it was Spc. Brent Maher, 31, of Honey Creek, killed when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle.

A day later, Spc. Don Nichols, 21, of Shell Rock, who died in a similar incident.

On Saturday, Justice was killed by enemy small-arms fire as he tried to rescue an Army helicopter crew that had crash landed. A Des Moines soldier, Spc. Zachary Durham, 21, also was injured in that operation.

“They've been in six provinces,” said Col. Greg Hapgood, the Iowa National Guard's public affairs officer. “The provinces haven't changed, but certainly the conditions have changed ... Suffice to say it is an extremely dangerous place.”

All three fallen Iowa soldiers left behind close family members, including parents who had to bear the news that one of their children had died so young. Maher left behind a wife and three children. Justice, a wife and a daughter.

Nonetheless, families and friends will deal with their enormous loss by honoring these soldiers' lives and their sacrifice in serving this country. So should we.

To get more information about the Iowa National Guard and how to support deployed troops and their families, call the public affairs office at (515) 252-4582 or email paoia@ng.army.mil.

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