For weeks now I have been writing articles about those who selflessly volunteer to serve this great nation. While people have the right to oppose war, we should vehemently oppose those like the members of the Westboro Baptist Church who protest at the funerals of our fallen soldiers. Instead, “We the People” should unite to ensure that our fallen heroes’ families are taken care of.
Oftentimes we fail to realize the plethora of initiatives taking place around us related to organizations that support our fallen warriors.
On December 30th, we learned about the deaths of seven people who had been working with the Central Intelligence Agency in Khost, Afghanistan. Some of the victims were CIA operatives; others were defense contractors. Those killed had family members they left behind here in the “States.” Their family members will forever grieve the loss of their loved ones.
Afghanistan is a war zone where those voluntarily serving our country risk their lives every day. The battlefields of Afghanistan are just as dangerous as those of Iraq, Vietnam and Korea once were. Many soldiers have been lost but none shall be forgotten.
To ensure that those lost are not forgotten, several highly-respected national security experts are teaming up in an attempt to take care of the families of the fallen. People like former CIA Director Michael Hayden and Porter Goss, Major General (Ret) Paul Vallely, Heritage Foundation Senior Fellow Peter Brookes and many other prominent persons will be speaking November 13th-20th on the SpyCruise.
This is not any ordinary cruise. “This is a unique opportunity to allow attendees to obtain a certificate in National Security through Henley Putnam University,” said former CIA Operative Bart Bechtel, who will be serving as the “Spy Skipper.” Bechtel also stated yesterday on the Stand Up America Radio Show that the cruise will also present donations to the Scott Vallely Soldiers Memorial Fund along with the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation.
Many Americans are under the impression that the families of our fallen heroes are taken care of. Unfortunately, that is not always true.
Thanks to initiatives like the SpyCruise, many children of the fallen will have their college expenses paid for. Along with assisting the families of the fallen, items cherished by our best and brightest serving overseas – including books, pens and paper, baby wipes, envelopes, and candy — will be purchased and distributed to support their efforts in winning the hearts and minds of the local populations.
There is no question that the majority of Americans support those who volunteer to fight our enemies. Our support cannot consist solely of words; rather, we need to show our support through actions. Several initiatives provide much-needed support to our warriors and their family members. One of those initiatives is the SpyCruise.
“We still have state rooms available for those wanting an educational, fun, and gratifying vacation and we continue to seek passengers and supporters as the more money we raise, the more we can provide to those who need it most.” — Bart Bechtel
For additional information please go to the SpyCruise website: www.spycruise.com/spycruise.html
Kerry Patton served in the U.S. Defense and Justice departments, and as a contractor with the Homeland Security and State departments. He has worked in South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, focusing on intelligence and security interviewing current and former terrorists, including members of the Taliban. He is the author of “Socio-cultural Intelligence: The New Discipline of Intelligence Studies.” Currently, Mr. Patton teaches for Henley Putnam University and is the Northeast Regional Director for Stand Up America www.standupamericaus.com.