I know I post funny pictures, stories, and videos from time to time that poke a little fun at myself, but my real reason for doing ASM4P is anything but funny. I’m doing this because this cause is vitally important. As much as I try and make things light-hearted now and then in my blogs, I can promise you I have not taken a single step for “fun” in my 845 miles of marching. As fun and light-hearted as I make this journey appear, it has actually been a very hard struggle. Why am I doing this then? I do this to protect kids in Iraq, Afghanistan, and here at home. I do this for my friends who didn’t make it home with me from Iraq. I do it for my nephews and my future children. I do it for every kid I see playing on a playground, riding bike down the street, or playing ball in the park. I will not stand by and allow history to repeat itself and allow the vicious cycle of insurgent recruitment to continue and lead to future terrorist attacks and war. Not if I can do something about it!

Today I got to talk to a lot of people who knew just a little about ASM4P. I explained to them that this is a fundraiser for War Kids Relief, but perhaps even more importantly, it is a chance for me to meet with thousands of kids here in the US and introduce them to their peers in Iraq by reading letters from Iraqi kids. 

Today I talked with one man who asked something that was to me particularly disturbing and disheartening. I was talking in depth about War Kids Relief initiatives and our programs developed to help kids in Iraq and Afghanistan get out of insurgent groups. I can’t quote the man exactly, but to one degree or another he asked if it was worth the struggle to help those children if they have been raised in a society where extremist views and militias are revered. I tried my best to keep my blood from boiling, but I’m sure he picked up on my resentment of his question.

First of all, we are not talking about adults. We are talking about kids. We are not just talking about young adults either; we are talking about kids as young as 5 or 6! In every case, the child is innocent. If they have joined an extremist militia, it is because they have been coerced, lied to, manipulated, forced, or threatened to do so. Do we consider a child here in the US a lost cause if they have been misguided, coerced, recruited, or forced into gang activity? NO! To help them we create youth centers and safe houses, we provide counseling, and we even have a juvenile court systems that focus on recovery and rehabilitation rather then just punishment. Do these kids in Iraq or Afghanistan deserve our backs just when they are in need of our help the most?

The truth is, the VAST majority of people in Iraq and Afghanistan simply want to lead a life of peace and provide their families with a safe and happy home. All you have to do is read some of the letters we have from some of the kids in Iraq. Some of them have a constant fear of being killed or seeing death. Some worry about being kidnapped or bombs going off as they walk to school. But one thing they all seem to share is the universal hope for peace. To say these kids are a lost cause, to say we might as well drop bombs indiscriminately and be done with it, is like saying we should do the same to one of our own cities here in the US where gang activity is a problem.

These kids are not a lost cause! War Kids Relief projects are well researched and are developed to specifically target the disengaged youth of Iraq and Afghanistan, to get kids out of the hands of insurgent groups, and to provide them with the skills they need to become productive members of their community.

I’m not doing this walk for my health. I’m not getting paid by anyone for starting ASM4P. And as funny as my pictures and videos may be, I promise I’m not taking a single step for fun. I’m doing this march because I want people to see the desperate situation these kids are facing in Iraq and Afghanistan, and how their situation will affect us TOMORROW if we don’t do something to help them TODAY. If we don’t help these kids, if we don’t help them get out of insurgent groups and give them the tools they need to live productive, peaceful lives, it will be the future generation of Americans that will have to deal with the consequences. It will be our children who have to fight in a war as I have…but we have the potential to stop it now. I care about children, whether they are here in the US, or in some war-torn country like Iraq or Afghanistan. I will not stop doing my best to inspire kids and adults to help me help these kids who are facing challenges most of us can barely imagine.