did work.

did work. 

In theory, every deployment, every mission, every engagement, has a purpose. In theory, every one of us who deployed in the last 25 years was there to gain an objective and meet an endstate. The reality is that too often this just wasn’t the case. The missions were poorly defined, the strategy non-existent, and the endstate unachievable. The outcomes in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Mali, Pakistan, Somalia, and of course, Afghanistan, have been varied. And not what we would call victories. But…we did the work. 

Over the course of the GWOT, around three million service members deployed. Regardless of proximity to the fight, regardless of effectiveness of the strategy, they did the work. It may not always have been in defense of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but it was what was asked of us. So whatever uniform you wore, wherever you went, and whatever you did. You did the work. You should be proud of that. 

At The War Department we believe three things:

The United States has never truly won a war with a Department of Defense. We should call it what it is, The War Department.

Winning Matters. If we are going to put our people in harm’s way. We are owed the strategy, leaders, resources, and will, to achieve victory.

Those who did the work, should be proud of it.

So here is to you all, the ordinary Americans who answered the call and did extraordinary things. Who, regardless of mission or strategy, did the best they could on that patch of dirt for six months, or a year, or more. You don’t need the credit, but you deserve it.

 did work.